DUNBLANE FASHION GRADUATE TURNS RAGS TO RICHES

Sustainable costume designs by a Heriot-Watt graduate from Dunblane are set to wow audiences at Stirling’s Macrobert Arts Centre later this month. Modelled by Erin Low.

A recent graduate from Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design is making waves in the fashion and theatre worlds with her innovative approach to costume design.

Graduating with First Class Honours in June, Karys Rutherford from Dunblane has created award-winning costumes for Rubber Chicken Theatre’s forthcoming production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (19 -21 October) using discarded rags destined for the dump.

SUSTAINABLE FASHION

During her course, Karys developed a deep passion for sustainable fashion:

“Through my Honours Collection, which was displayed as part of my end of year Degree Show, I wanted to explore whether repurposing fashion waste that would otherwise end up in landfill could be used to create costumes that are both beautiful and durable; tackling the abundance of waste within both the costume and fashion industry head on.

“Rubber Chicken Theatre’s production of Hunchback presented the perfect opportunity to road test this concept and I picked two characters to focus on, Esmeralda the young Romani at the centre of the story and Clopin the King of the Gypsies.”

She added: “I’ve always been obsessed with costume making and being able to tell a story through clothing and can’t wait to see these costumes brought to life on stage.”

The cornerstone of Karys’s innovative designs is her commitment to sustainability. She exclusively used old clothes donated to her project, including garments deemed unsuitable for wear due to damage or outdated styles. All the components of the finished designs such as zips, interlining and buttons were either taken from discarded garments or deadstock.

AVOIDING WASTE

Her ambitious endeavour, turning old clothes into eye-catching costumes, was not without its challenges as Karys explained: “The biggest challenge fell with using a more unconventional form of material and fabric cutting.

“Rather than being able to cut my pattern pieces from a flat, untarnished, continuous roll of fabric, I instead had to create a jigsaw of old clothes unpicked at the seams and laid out flat.

“I dismantled them carefully to ensure as little waste as possible, whilst trying to avoid holes and unsightly stains.

“The sewing of the final garments took about a month, with many, many long nights ensuring every detail was perfect.

“Although it was a difficult and at times tedious method of garment construction, it was entirely worth it to give new life to clothes that would otherwise be thrown away.”

AWARD-WINNING DESIGN

Karys’s dedication and innovation did not go unnoticed by her tutors, and she was awarded the prestigious Textile Collection Bernat Klein Award for creativity by her alma mater.

Karys said: “I was lucky enough to be given an award for my designs which was a huge surprise and honour to receive. Being recognised for something you have worked so hard on over the past few months and truly pouring my heart and soul into is a wonderful feeling.”

HISTORICAL RESEARCH

Creating the designs for Hunchback involved many months of research into 15th century European fashions. Karys studied books and practiced stitch samples to incorporate period-inspired elements into her designs.

Karys said: “Hunchback is set in Paris 1482, so I spent countless long evenings in the university library studying the fashions of the time. My train journeys back and forth to Galashiels from Dunblane were spent sketching and making stitch samples of the slashing and gathers on sleeves and breeches that are distinctive to this period.”

Inspiration also flowed from iconic portrayals of the characters, including Disney's adaptation and past professional theatrical productions of Hunchback.

COLOUR AND MOVEMENT

Amongst her creations, Karys believes the standout piece is the skirt she designed for Esmeralda: “One garment that I’m particularly excited to see worn on stage is the skirt I created as part of my Esmeralda concept daywear, as it looks so effective when danced in.

“The skirt itself was the most difficult and time consuming to make as I wanted it to have as much flowing movement as possible, so it is made up of around nine repurposed men’s shirts that were discarded due to staining and damage from abrasion.”

Limited by the available fabrics from donated clothes, Karys’s final designs relied heavily on colour and texture. For Esmeralda's skirt, she melded shades of blues and greens to create a visually “refreshing” effect as the character moves and dances.

Every detail of the costume was carefully planned to add to the narrative. Karys added: “I used deep reds for the bodice and arm cuffs to convey connotations of passion and power, which are evident as Esmeralda’s story and character evolves.”

SEW MUCH TO DO

Preparations for Hunchback have been underway since the curtain went down on Rubber Chicken Theatre’s summer show Peter Pan in August and Karys’s next task is to costume the entire Hunchback ensemble. A challenging feat that includes crafting 65 congregant robes from repurposed materials.

Karys said: “Every production that I have been involved in costuming so far has always presented its own set of unique challenges from the hundreds of fairytale creatures in ’Shrek’, to the endless feathers and sequins in ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’, or having to hand dye all the girls costumes in ‘The Crucible’. My hands were a lovely shade of navy blue for about a month!

“The Hunchback of Notre Dame is no different and I think due to the sheer quantity and size of them the ‘congregant robes’ will be one of my biggest costume challenges yet!”

In addition to her role in organising and creating costumes, Karys will be teaching choreography to the rest of the cast and will also perform alongside them on stage in October.

DIRECTOR’S PERSPECTIVE

Rubber Chicken’s Creative Director Pamela Mackie shared her thoughts on what Karys means to her theatre family: "Karys means everything to RCT – we’re a really small team and whether she is sewing up sixty-five sets of robes, choreographing teenagers or hoovering up the endless glitter at HQ, she is at the core of it all.

“Regardless of whatever crazy plans I come up with, she’s always happy to take it and run with it."

When asked about what drew her to put on Hunchback, Pamela said: "As a fan of Disney and a fan of gothic horror, I’ve always loved Hunchback. I worked at the Disney store the year the film came out and the songs were on repeat – I’ve never lost that. The show really takes the film and levels it up to the depth and emotional impact of the novel. It’s pretty special."

Pamela went on to share her vision for the production. "One of the key themes of 'Hunchback' is 'What makes a monster and what makes a man?' and we’re hoping to place that front and centre of our production.

“It’s a story that deals with a range of quite difficult topics in a way that hopefully an audience can connect with in a very real way. It’s definitely darker than the Disney film, but the additional absolutely beautiful music and adaptations make it so much more."

COSTUMES AND CHARACTERISATION

Speaking of the important role costumes play in storytelling and atmosphere, Pamela explained: "So many of our actors play different characters, and everyone starts off as part of the congregation of Notre Dame.

“With the story set in and around the cathedral, it’s vital that the costumes help the audience follow the characters on stage, with the different groups represented – the church, the Parisians, the choir and the Romani – all having their own distinct style. This is where Karys’s research and expertise will really come into play."

RESPECT AND SENSITIVITY

As for the challenges and opportunities that come with staging a huge show like Hunchback, Pamela highlighted the importance of addressing sensitive themes: " Hunchback is a show that highlights the experiences of groups who have been marginalised and objectified by society - women, people with disabilities and the Romani. The biggest challenge is ensuring that our production takes on these stories with a huge amount of respect and sensitivity. It’s a really huge learning experience for everyone involved and throws up lots of areas for discussion, particularly among our teens."

EPIC SCALE

Thomas Ramage and Erin Low model the costumes created for Hunchback.

Despite the challenges of putting on a show of this scale, Pamela’s enthusiasm was palpable. She said: "On a practical level, the show is written for a traditional musical theatre cast and ensemble, then an additional choir representing the Notre Dame cathedral choir as well. Everyone sings in English, Latin and Romani.

“There are magical effects, the cathedral’s giant stained glass rose window, and a set that represents Notre Dame. It’s going to be huge!"

And what does she hope the audience takes away from their production?

"Although 'Hunchback' is a pretty ‘dark’ show, I hope the takeaway is the message in the words of the finale – 'Someday, Life will be kinder, Love will be blinder, Some new afternoon. Godspeed This bright millennium, Hope lives on Wish upon the moon. Let it come one day Someday—Soon...”

The Hunchback of Notre Dame runs at the MacRobert Arts Centre Stirling 19-21 October. Tickets are on sale now at www.macrobertartscentre.org