Episode #84

A Costume Designer’s Take

In this episode, Jennifer talks to Allison Pearce who shares her journey of becoming a costume designer for TV & film. She breaks down the various positions in the costume and wardrobe departments, how each impacts the process on set, and talks about the importance of collaboration in bringing a director's vision to life. They discuss her decision-making process when choosing projects, her efforts to minimize impact through sustainability, and what it means to maintain mindfulness for both design and the environment with this kind of work. They also provide insights and advice on navigating the industry, forging meaningful connections, learning to trust your intuition, and tips for newcomers hoping to break into the field. 

About Our Guest

Allison graduated from Parsons the New School for Design with a BBA in Design + Management. Focusing on technical design & business, she has applied her studies to narrative costume design. Allison’s work as a costume designer for the film unit at Saturday Night Live gave her the tools to tackle any decade, genre, production timeline, & budget level. Her unique experience taught her to trust her intuition & to roll with the punches. Allison’s work at SNL gave her the knowledge & tranquility she continues to apply throughout her career. She has a passion for the uncanny & unique, as shown visually through color, fit & texture. Allison relishes in artistically creating costumes that support the character as well as the story. Her work embraces her love of surrealism, Italian neorealism, & New Hollywood. Allison’s most recent film, PAINT, had a theatrical release from IFC and is currently available on demand.

Allison’s Instagram Allison’s Website