Have you ever thought about how your favorite actors shift in and out of roles with so much range, or why character development hits as hard as it does?
I certainly have, and until recently, I didn’t realize how much of that is credited to the clothes that they wear. In numerous interviews, actors speak about clothing as a way to separate themselves from their character or even remain in proximity, and today, my chat with Maggie Whitaker gave me so much more insight into the real stories costumes tell.
At the top of my conversation with Maggie, I expected to hear about their costume journey from theater to film to gaming, the ideation process for looks, and even what activism looks like in the costume design space. However, I learned:
About true sustainability in costume work
Their advocacy for industry standards and equity
Navigating disagreements and a lack of diversity in the workplace that aim to tell minority stories
Being a producer and what it really means to work on low-budget projects
Creating an entire accredited BFA and MFA Costume Design program at the Academy of Art University
I left our chat room with a new appreciation for costume design as an act of storytelling and activism. Maggie isn’t just making/styling clothes; they’re shaping narratives that honor history, challenge inequality, and push the industry toward sustainability.
While we’ve only scratched the surface in this episode, check out Maggie’s website and Instagram to learn more about their world!
If you finished this episode feeling inspired or motivated, or if you know someone who might feel this way, please like, share, and subscribe!
