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General work history 

Specialty costume maker & supervisor

2007 - present

With over15 years of experience in fabricating, dressing and maintaining specialty costumes, I enjoy the challenge of keeping these suits and creatures in working order on set.

I'm very comfortable dressing all types of performers and am able to problem-solve quickly and efficiently on set, to ensure the costume functions well on camera.

I'm available to travel for work world-wide. 
Specialty costume wrangler / set standby / set costumer

2009 - present

With over 15 years of experience in fabricating, dressing and maintaining specialty costumes, I enjoy the challenge of keeping these suits and creatures in working order on set.

I'm very comfortable dressing all types of performers and am able to problem-solve quickly and efficiently on set, to ensure the costume functions well on camera.

I'm available to travel for work world-wide. 
 
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Specialty costume consultant 

2024 - present

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My consultancy work combines my decades of costume-making experience with a deep interest in how technology can complement the design-to-manufacture pipeline.

I bring a deep understanding of pattern cutting and specialty costume construction to the digital realm, allowing costume designers and costume makers to more clearly visualize how a costume will look and move on a human body before any fabric is cut. 

My goal is to facilitate costumes that are functional, wearable, and bring the costume designer's vision to life in the most practical way possible, while also minimizing waste (materials, budget and time).

Work of note

 
Avatar sequels - Na'vi costume art director & supervisor

2017 - December 2024

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Working alongside Academy Award-winning Costume Designer, Deborah L Scott, I led a team of handcraft artisans to create each item of Na'vi costume and their accessories for Avatar: The Way of Water and Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Together we explored a wide range of techniques such as braiding, weaving, carving, beading, embroidery, leatherwork and textile manipulation.  

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Wētā Workshop: Specialty costume maker, Head of Costume & Textiles Department

2007 - December 2024

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Working as part of a creative team is my favorite aspect of creating film costumes.

Wētā Workshop has been a huge part of my career for over a decade and I've had the incredible opportunity to work on some exciting and challenging film costumes as a department head, art director, pattern cutter & fitter, stitcher/machinist, creature fabricator and more.

I've also had the opportunity to take some of these costumes on set, both within New Zealand and around the world.  I enjoy the unique challenges and pressure that come with shooting specialty costumes & creatures and keeping those costumes in screen-ready condition.

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​Showgirl costumier

2005 - 2018

Although I began making costumes for dancers in the late 90's, it wasn't till 2005 that I began directing my focus toward burlesque performers and showgirls, combining my love for corsets, feathers, sparkling embelloishments and creative problem-solving.

From 2013 - 2017 I was named among the top 10 Burlesque Costumiers and Non-Performing Women in the annual international 20th Century Burlesque Top 50 lists and created costumes for some of the most well-known performers in the world.

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Ballet & Theatrical costumier

1997 - 2020

Over the years I have worked for the Royal New Zealand Ballet and various NZ opera productions as a stitcher/sewing machinist for various productions including A Midsummer Night's Dream, Don Quixote, Cinderella and more.

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Bikini designer

1997 - 2018

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My career began at the age of 18, making bikinis and costumes for exotic dancers.  This early start gave me an excellent understanding of stretch fabrics, working with unusual designs and how to interact comfortably with clients.

From 1999 - 2007 I ran an internet-based niche bikini business "Sublime Bikinis" making custom bikinis for clients all over the world.

Film credits
  • Tron: Ares

  • Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

  • The Tank

  • Avatar: The Way of Water

  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

  • Pearl

  • M3gan

  • Samaritan

  • Thor: Love & Thunder

  • Bloodshot

  • Sweetheart

  • The Wandering Earth

  • Pacific Rim: Uprising

  • Zealandia

  • Thor: Ragnarok

  • Saban's Power Rangers

  • Ghost in the shell

  • Spectral

  • Krampus

  • The Amazing Spider-Man 2

  • The Hobbit - An unexpected journey

  • The Hobbit - The desolation of Smaug

  • Elysium

  • Avatar

  • Skyrunners

  • District 9

Skills

  • Flat pattern cutting

  • CAD pattern cutting

  • Draping

  • Garment fitting & alterations

  • Stretch garment pattern cutting & construction

  • On-set costume stand-by / dressing & costume maintenance

  • Costume team management & interdepartmental collaboration

  • Budgeting & quoting

  • Integrating rigid & technical components into costumes

  • Custom Motion Capture garment design & manufacture

  • Internal rigging for specialty & stunt costumes

  • Creature suit fabrication

  • Incorporating flexible & rigid into fabric-based costumes

  • General understanding of molding & casting techniques & materials

  • Leather work

  • Weaving (hand loom)

  • Corsetry & lingerie pattern cutting & construction

  • Gloves, basic footwear and millinery

  • Feather dyeing & manipulation

  • Costume embellishment - Crystal, beading, lace manipulation

  • Dyeing & art finishing/ageing

  • Materials sourcing

  • Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop

  • Workshop safety & first aid

 

2010 - present

2010 - present

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