{"id":110293,"date":"2024-06-09T01:13:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-09T05:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=110293"},"modified":"2024-06-24T14:30:08","modified_gmt":"2024-06-24T18:30:08","slug":"the-costume-engineer","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/magazine\/articles\/2024\/the-costume-engineer\/","title":{"rendered":"The Costume Engineer"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin magazine-block-editorial-leadin is-style-emphasis-on-text has-media has-box has-media-focus-center-middle has-primary-theme\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-008-scaled.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-008-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-008-636x477.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-008-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-008-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-008-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-008-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-008-1334x1000.jpg 1334w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-008-1600x1200.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\">Photos by Peter Tarasiuk<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-prepress-tag\">CFA Alumni<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Costume Engineer\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">Collette Livingston ensures Cirque du Soleil\u2019s costumes withstand the performers\u2019 complex acrobatics<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar magazine-prepress-layout-metabar\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">June 9, 2024<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/magazine\/authors\/molly-callahan\/\">Molly Callahan<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-introparagraph magazine-block-editorial-introparagraph is-style-large has-paragraph-color-primary\"><div class=\"wp-block-editorial-introparagraph-content\"><p>There are 1,115 different costume elements in Cirque du Soleil\u2019s <em>LUZIA<\/em>, a fantastical tour through a make-believe version of Mexico. Every night, performers morph into butterflies, snakes, birds, insects; the stage becomes a veritable Noah\u2019s Ark\u2014rain and all\u2014of flamboyant creatures, large and small. And, thus transformed, the performers fly through the air, dance across the stage, and contort their bodies in unimaginable ways in a show of the company\u2019s signature, mind-bending feats of athletic grace.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">This is all to say: There\u2019s a lot riding on those 1,115 pieces of costuming. Each one must be flexible enough to accommodate the performers\u2019 superhuman gymnastics; durable enough to withstand repeated friction, soaking, twisting, and stretching throughout thousands of shows; and eye-popping enough to make even those in the nosebleeds sit back in awe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">Invariably, something will rip. Or pop. Or chafe. And when it does, more often than not, the performers turn to Collette Livingston, assistant head of wardrobe, for an answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">\u201cWhen it\u2019s a two-show day, or a three-show day, you really have to prioritize what you can get done,\u201d says Livingston (\u201908), who joined Cirque du Soleil shortly after graduating from BU. \u201cWe\u2019ll organize all the costumes on the rack of repairs [backstage] by which act they appear in. And sometimes you are finishing a costume during act one for someone to wear in act two. You just need to know your timeline and how fast you think you can achieve it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Eye-catching\u2014and sustainable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">One costume in particular ends up on those repair racks more than any other. It may not be the flashiest\u2014that would be the dress in <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cirquedusoleil.com\/luzia\">LUZIA<\/a><\/em> that turns from white to red as if by magic (but actually by way of 61 motorized white flowers whose red petals open up). Rather, it\u2019s a piece with which Livingston says she has \u201ca love-hate relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">The costume shows up during a portion of the show that takes place in the jungle at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">It\u2019s a scaly, reptilian-looking set worn by performers who climb tall, thin poles onstage. Highly decorated, the costumes feature vibrant blues, oranges, and reds, but the main event is a series of crafty yellow eyes that look like they might blink at any moment. Like the spiny skin they emulate, these costumes have to be tough and protective. The performers who wear them specialize in a kind of high-flying acrobatic dance performed entirely on rubber-coated poles\u2014a technique known as \u201cacro-pole.\u201d They can grip the pole not just with their hands but in the crease of their hip, or the hinges of their knees, to create gravity-defying postures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-photoessay magazine-block-editorial-photoessay alignwide wp-block-photoessay js-block-editorial-photoessay\"><div class=\"photo-row-full-f\">\n<div class=\"photo-f\"><div class=\"wp-block-photoessay-media\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-001-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-001-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-001-636x477.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-001-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-001-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-001-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-001-1333x1000.jpg 1333w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-001-1600x1200.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-photoessay magazine-block-editorial-photoessay alignwide wp-block-photoessay js-block-editorial-photoessay\"><div class=\"photo-row-fourths-1-2-1\">\n<div class=\"photo-1\"><div class=\"wp-block-photoessay-media\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-002-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110161\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-002-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-002-477x636.jpg 477w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-002-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-002-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-002-500x667.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-002-1000x1334.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-002-750x1000.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-002-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-002-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"photo-2\"><div class=\"wp-block-photoessay-media\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_Luzia_Gene\u0300ve2022_AnneColliard-4560-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110121\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_Luzia_Gene\u0300ve2022_AnneColliard-4560-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_Luzia_Gene\u0300ve2022_AnneColliard-4560-636x424.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_Luzia_Gene\u0300ve2022_AnneColliard-4560-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_Luzia_Gene\u0300ve2022_AnneColliard-4560-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_Luzia_Gene\u0300ve2022_AnneColliard-4560-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_Luzia_Gene\u0300ve2022_AnneColliard-4560-1500x1000.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_Luzia_Gene\u0300ve2022_AnneColliard-4560-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_Luzia_Gene\u0300ve2022_AnneColliard-4560-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_Luzia_Gene\u0300ve2022_AnneColliard-4560-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><p class=\"wp-block-photoessay-media-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\">Photo by Anne Colliard<\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"photo-1\"><div class=\"wp-block-photoessay-media\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-005-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110164\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-005-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-005-477x636.jpg 477w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-005-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-005-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-005-500x667.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-005-1000x1334.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-005-750x1000.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-005-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-005-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size has-white-color has-cyan-background-color\">Livingston says she has \u201ca love-hate relationship\u201d with the scaly, reptilian-looking costumes worn by <em>LUZIA<\/em> performers who specialize in \u201cacro-pole,\u201d a kind of high-flying acrobatic dance performed entirely on rubber-coated poles. The costumes\u2014and the performers themselves\u2014take a beating. \u201cThere\u2019s not a day they don\u2019t need repair,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">For Livingston, all this means that the&nbsp; costumes\u2014and the performers themselves\u2014take a beating. \u201cThere\u2019s not a day they don\u2019t need repair,\u201d she says. A performer might slide partway down the pole, controlling the fall with the tension in their arms, legs, or hips. Or, they\u2019ll catch themselves by pinching the pole between their arm and waist before springing off into another pose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">\u201cThe acro-poles, in particular, are these two really tall poles right in the middle of the stage,\u201d Livingston says. \u201cThey\u2019re covered with a thin rubber, which is great for having to stop and grip. But you can imagine what that may do to your skin. This is one where we do see a lot of burns and skin injuries. And if it\u2019s going to burn the skin, it will burn the costume.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">The costume is made of stretch denim: a pair of straight-leg pants and a jacket with a high collar that ends just below the performer\u2019s chin. Underneath, the performers wear a unitard that\u2019s customized for each individual. Livingston and her team sew in thin layers of neoprene in places where performers need a little extra protection\u2014for some, it\u2019s a patch on their waists, for others, the calves\u2014depending on the stunts they do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">Given the inevitability of tears and burns, it\u2019s hugely helpful to Livingston and her team that these costumes are printed with a scaly pattern, she says. It means that when one area gets worn out or damaged, they can cut around the pattern and replace just that area instead of scrapping an otherwise perfectly good costume. The busy pattern hides the patch far better than a single color ever could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">\u201cI don\u2019t want to replace those costumes all the time for a few reasons: We don\u2019t have an infinite supply, and it\u2019s more sustainable this way. I\u2019m so thankful that the creation team chose this pattern\u2014though I\u2019m not 100 percent sure that this was the top of their priorities when they were designing it,\u201d Livingston says with a laugh. \u201cBut what helps is, once you\u2019ve been on a wardrobe team for a while, you take these aspects into account.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Smart designs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">Livingston was hired by Cirque, in 2008, to adapt and maintain acrobatic footwear for the performers in the show <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cirquedusoleil.com\/kooza\">KOOZA<\/a><\/em>. She stayed on with <em>KOOZA<\/em> for five and a half years, then worked on the company\u2019s show <em>Varekai<\/em>. <em>LUZIA<\/em> opened in 2016; it\u2019s Cirque du Soleil\u2019s 38th production since the company was founded in 1984, and Livingston joined the production in 2017. The show is touring Australia through January 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">At this point, Livingston has held every job in the wardrobe department. The experience has given her a deep understanding of the rigors of the job and the particulars of solving problems on the fly, often as a show goes on just feet away. \u201cYou understand what every person on the team needs, and you can back that person up if they need it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">At BU, Livingston excelled in her costume production studies, says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/about\/contact-directions\/directory\/nancy-lynn-leary\/\">Nancy Leary<\/a>, an associate professor of costume design and one of Livingston\u2019s mentors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-photoessay magazine-block-editorial-photoessay alignwide wp-block-photoessay js-block-editorial-photoessay\"><div class=\"photo-row-full-f\">\n<div class=\"photo-f\"><div class=\"wp-block-photoessay-media\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-003-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110162\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-003-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-003-636x477.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-003-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-003-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-003-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-003-1334x1000.jpg 1334w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-003-1600x1200.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-photoessay magazine-block-editorial-photoessay alignwide wp-block-photoessay js-block-editorial-photoessay\"><div class=\"photo-row-fourths-2-1-1\">\n<div class=\"photo-2\"><div class=\"wp-block-photoessay-media\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110163\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-004-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-004-636x477.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-004-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-004-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-004-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-004-1334x1000.jpg 1334w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-004-1600x1200.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"photo-1\"><div class=\"wp-block-photoessay-media\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-007-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-007-636x477.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-007-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-007-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-007-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-007-1334x1000.jpg 1334w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-007-1600x1200.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"photo-1\"><div class=\"wp-block-photoessay-media\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-006-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110165\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-006-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-006-477x636.jpg 477w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-006-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-006-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-006-500x667.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-006-1000x1334.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-006-750x1000.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-006-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/files\/2024\/05\/Costume-Engineer_24-1158-CFALIVINGSTON-006-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size has-white-color has-magenta-background-color\">Since she was hired by Cirque du Soleil in 2008,  Livingston has held  every job in the wardrobe department. The experience has given her a deep understanding of the rigors of the job. Her speciality is extending the longevity  of the costumes, which is  especially important for a show that can run 10 years or more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">\u201cShe\u2019s just super, super smart in terms of engineering things, understanding how to make things work,\u201d Leary (\u201903) says. It\u2019s a skill that comes in handy at Cirque, where costumes disappear into the stage floor or change color in real time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">The difference between costume design and costume production can best be understood as a difference between theory and execution. Costume designers are responsible for creating the designs that will help tell the story, transforming words on a page into theoretical visual concepts. It\u2019s the job of the production team to interpret all that and wrangle those designs into tangible pieces worn by performers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">The latter is \u201clike engineering, in a way,\u201d Leary says. \u201cYou have to know a lot about the time period, or how to support a costume that might weigh 20 pounds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>\u201cI love this work\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">The costumes that appear onstage at any Cirque du Soleil show are the result of a long design and production process involving hundreds of people. To start, a team of designers dreams up the costumes for the show. In the case of <em>LUZIA<\/em>, that team was spearheaded by Giovanna Buzzi, an Italian costume designer and daughter of the internationally renowned architect Gae Aulenti.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">Buzzi\u2019s background was mainly in opera costumes, Livingston says, so the designer worked closely with a team of artists and craftspeople at the Cirque du Soleil international headquarters in Montreal to advise her on the specific needs of acrobatic performers. Every decision\u2014from the best fabric choice to the most secure (or flexible) stitches and closures\u2014comes from years of experience. There\u2019s no detail too small, either. Even the pit musicians for <em>LUZIA<\/em> wear costumes. They wear headpieces that look convincingly like crocodile heads bobbing on the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">From there, the costumes are hand-printed, cut, and sewn in Montreal, then shipped to the show, wherever it may be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-bu-pullquote magazine-block-bu-pullquote alignwide has-image-focus-center-middle has-primary-theme\"><div class=\"wp-block-bu-pullquote-inner\"><figure><\/figure><blockquote><div class=\"container-lockup\"><div class=\"container-icon-outer\"><div class=\"container-icon-inner\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"container-text\"><hr\/><div class=\"quote-sizing\">You really have to listen to the performers. They\u2019ll be able to identify a problem in their own costume\u2014they just won\u2019t always know how to fix it, and nor should they.<\/div><footer class=\"caption\"><br\/>Collette Livingston<\/footer><hr\/><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">Livingston comes into the process a year or so after a show has opened, she says. At that point, she can take stock of what\u2019s working and what\u2019s not. Her speciality is extending the longevity of these costumes, which is especially important for a show that can run 10 years or more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">\u201cYou\u2019ll notice these problem points pretty quickly, but it\u2019s harder to figure out how to fix them over time,\u201d she says. \u201cYou really have to listen to the performers. They\u2019ll be able to identify a problem in their own costume\u2014they just won\u2019t always know how to fix it, and nor should they. They will say something like, \u2018I keep getting skin burns <em>here<\/em>,\u2019 or, \u2018My jacket always busts open during <em>this trick<\/em>.\u2019 And then it\u2019s up to us to use our expertise, diagnose the problem, and find a sustainable solution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"responsive-video responsive-youtube\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"LUZIA by Cirque du Soleil - Official Trailer | Cirque du Soleil\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/anIIJ6JumZI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Watch a trailer for <em>LUZIA<\/em>. Courtesy of Cirque du Soleil<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">And so far, it\u2019s working. The pandemic, and its related shutdown of parts of the Cirque headquarters, meant that Livingston and her team couldn\u2019t rely on getting new costumes if older ones wore out; they had to patch and repair, and make them work longer. They apply those lessons today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">The acro-pole costumes, for example, have a high turnover rate. In the past, the <em>LUZIA<\/em> performers would have worn through three pairs per year. Now, they\u2019re down to two a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-end-of-article\">\u201cThere are always going to be repairs,\u201d Livingston says. \u201cYou can\u2019t make a perfect costume, especially with performers like ours, who are constantly pushing the envelope and trying new stunts. But my brain loves fixing problems, and there\u2019s no shortage of those. I just love making things work better, and more sustainably. It\u2019s a lot of work, but I love this work.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is all to say: There\u2019s a lot riding on those 1,115 pieces of costuming. Each one must be flexible enough to accommodate the performers\u2019 superhuman gymnastics; durable enough to withstand repeated friction, soaking, twisting, and stretching throughout thousands of shows; and eye-popping enough to make even those in the nosebleeds sit back in awe. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14125,"featured_media":110297,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"tags":[],"bu-publication":[191],"magazine-article-category":[372,378],"magazine-topic":[],"news-article-category":[],"news-topic":[],"bu_edition":[435],"media_type":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/110293"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14125"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110293"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/110293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110595,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/110293\/revisions\/110595"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/110297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110293"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=110293"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazine-article-category?post=110293"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazine-topic?post=110293"},{"taxonomy":"news-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-article-category?post=110293"},{"taxonomy":"news-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-topic?post=110293"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=110293"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cfa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=110293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}