What’s it like to be a costume designer for Netflix?
Photo Credit: The Style Historian.
Our conversation with Allisa Swanson, an award-winning costume designer and president of the Canadian Alliance of Film & Television Costume Arts & Design (CAFTCAD).
An industry titan with over 25 years in the film industry, Allisa made global headlines in 2018, when her compassionate care while styling Selma Blair for Netflix’s Another Life, helped empower Selma to publicly disclose her multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Allisa, where she shared insights on her design process, what it really takes to be a costume designer, how she uses thrifting as part of her costume design process, and what the days are like working on set.
Photo Courtesy: Allisa Swanson.
Q: Allisa, thank you so much for taking the time to share your insights. First things first! How did you get your start in the fashion industry? Was it something you always wanted to do?
“I wanted to be a Costume Designer since I was 13 years old. We watched a lot of films when I was a kid and I just loved the costumes. Star Wars, Jesus Christ Superstar, Dangerous Liasons and Amadeus were some of my favourites from when I was a kid.
I was sewing my own gowns for Halloween costumes by the age of 14 and was doodling fashion outfits through chemistry and french [class].
I pursued a BFA in Fashion Design and Marketing, but was so interested in costumes, my instructors added costume related courses to my third and fourth year, so my diploma reads BFA in Fashion Design and Marketing with an Emphasis in Costume Design.”
Q: What’s it like working on a Netflix film series, can you describe your day?
“Our days on Firefly Lane were long and intense. I spent a lot of time in thrift stores that were an hour or two outside of Vancouver [Canada]. It was where we found the best stuff for the 2003-2006 period and would sometimes find some amazing 1970’s-1990’s gems.
I was also constantly sketching outfits for both Katie [Katherine] Heigl and Sarah Chalk’s characters. In Season two we spent so much time in 1970’s high school, I had a cutter and stitcher specifically for the 1970’s, and would sketch three or four different top styles for girls and for boys, and a few different pants styles for both and then some different skirt styles, and we would grade them [adjusting a pattern’s measurements to create multiple sizes] and make an entire stock for the kids.
We did not have an illustrator on the series, and though I can illustrate, usually I did not have enough time, so I would just produce flat, or technical sketches for my cutters. For each episode we also had concept meetings, costume meetings and production meetings. My fittings with Katie and Sarah were easily one to three hours long, as each episode they were wearing multiple outfits, in multiple decades.
Then I had the fittings with our other series regulars, and the day players. I also had final say on all our background performers, so their fitting photos came to me for final approval. There is also the (less fun) budgeting that is required, and I always had to have a handle on what we were spending in relation to what we were budgeting!”
Actresses Roan Curtis as Young Kate (right), Ali Skovbye as Young Tully.
Q: Firefly Lane. My bestie and I absolutely loved this show, and also the journey of eras shown through the fashion. Can you share more about your process when styling a show or film? How does sourcing work?
“So glad you both loved it! I had a really fun time working on it and my Assistant Designer and I continue to think back on it wistfully!
[For my process] I start with research, research, research. For late 20th century, I use a lot of references from movies and TV of the era, old magazines, actual patterns from the time period, as well as magazines and catalogues.
I try to keep it looking as close as I can to how the average person dressed. Of course with Katie’s [Katherine Heigl’s] character, Tully, I used a lot of supermodels and actresses of the era as references.
For sourcing period shows, like Firefly Lane, I love to vintage shop. My Assistant Designer and I would go on a week-long pilgrimage to smaller towns and hit every thrift store.
We found so many amazing outfits. We also made a lot of thrift stores extremely happy with the amount of money we would spend - garbage bags full of purchases. We would fill up a one-tonne truck with clothes, shoes, purses and accessories. So fun. ”
Photo courtesy of Allisa Swanson/Netflix. Firefly Lane is based on Kristin Hannah’s best-selling book, starring Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke as the adult Tully and Kate.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to join the fashion industry? Or someone looking to become a stylist?
“You really have to love it. I’ve had weeks that were 105 hours long (in only six days). I’ve done 24-hour days. I’ve worked 20 hours, had 3 hours sleep and gone right back to work. I’ve worked 16 - 18 hour days, 7 days in a row, or 14 days in row. A whole month of 12+ hours days without a day off.
If you are good with long hours and hard work, it can be incredibly rewarding. You also must have thick skin. Some people will love what you do, some may not. I think it is good to have decent knowledge of garment construction, an idea of how to make a pattern, sewing skills and basic fabric and colour theory.
As someone who can cut, drape, sew, and break down costumes, I find I can problem solve extremely fast and it saves time and doesn’t put as much stress on my crew.”
Q: How important is fashion history to your work?
“I love fashion history! Even when I design contemporary outfits, I will take a sleeve or a collar shape from a different historical period all the time. I adore sleeves. A sleeve can make or break a look for me.
I have books of fashion history – I love to look at the paintings from a variety of eras, and sometimes when I am watching a period film or TV show, I am too busy looking at the costumes to remember to pay attention to the story!
I [also] use fashion history every time I start to sketch – even when I do contemporary shows like “So Help Me Todd,” where a huge majority of Marcia Gay Harden’s outfits were designed by me (particularly her dresses, skirt suits and blouses).”
Photo Credit: Illustration/Still courtesy of Allisa Swanson/Netflix, Art by The Style Historian.
Q: Did you design the clothing yourself for Firefly Lane, or are all costumes sourced?
**Spoiler warning ahead**
“Great question. There were three original designs I did for the uniform. Once the design was picked by our showrunner, we then had to source the fabric. [And] that was TOUGH! We needed so much yardage - somewhere between 40-60 yards of the brown, in order to do all the cast, and all the BG uniforms, including the multiple uniforms for Lisa-Karen.
I knew Lisa-Karen would die by lightening, but I didn’t know how we would film it, or if we would need a stunt double for her. So, we had to prepare for any possibility - four multiples for Lisa-Karen and three for her stunt [double].
We spent a good deal of time trying to hunt down the correct brown polyester in such a large quantity. Finally, we found it at a fabric store in Surrey, BC, that had this fabric for tablecloths! It was perfect.
While looking for the fabric we created the pattern. Then we built the uniform to fit our cast. For our background performers, we had BG casting do a pre-cast so we were working with real sizes. We could have graded the uniform [adjusting a pattern’s measurements to create multiple sizes], but that would not have helped for height differences, and we would have had to make so many more uniforms.
A lot of the outfits or pieces worn by Katie especially, and Sarah and our 1970’s ladies, were designed by me and made in house.”
Q: In your personal wardrobe, do you have a lot of vintage pieces?
“I have extremely broad shoulders, wide rib cage and sizable boobs, so finding vintage pieces is hard. If I alter them (like we do for our actors) they would be great, but that requires time I usually do not have time to spend on myself.
My closet is only about 25% vintage, my “to alter pile” (kind of like my “to be read pile”) is all vintage, and quite substantial in size! I also have an extensive vintage fabric collection, especially for one person who rarely has time to sew anymore. I am also a mom, and my preteen daughter has some really unique vintage pieces in her closet too. My son, however, only has two. ”
Q: Where can people find you?
“On Instagram and threads @allisacostumedesign, I don’t do X. Also on Facebook at Allisa M. Swanson - but I always forget to post there! I also have a Pinterest of screenshots from my projects. ”
Q: Is there anything else you’d like people to know about your career?
“I would love to purely design period pieces, fantasy and sci-fi. Contemporary is fun, but I adore building worlds and creating from nothing, it is so satisfying and fulfilling.”
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
You can connect with Allisa on her Instagram/Threads, and view her previous projects on her Pinterest.
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The Style Historian is a lifelong thrifter and style enthusiast passionate about the stories behind the fashion, trends and styles we see today.
She covers these histories on her weekly blog, The Style Historian, and on her Instagram @thestylehistorian_.
In 2022, she founded her online vintage shop, Good Find Studio, in an effort to minimize her closet and live more sustainably.
When not researching, she can be found watching a good doc or anything on Bravo, thrifting and spending time outdoors.