Costume Design Assistants are selected because they have a stylistic taste and creative flair similar to that of the Costume Designer.  Costume Design Assistants start work on productions shortly after Designers, and liaise with the entire Costume Department.  They work very closely with Designers, assisting in the design process and removing all possible practical responsibilities from Designers, leaving them free to create.  Responsibilities vary enormously, depending on both the Costume Designers' expectations, and on whether Costume Supervisors are employed throughout the pre-production period.  If no Supervisors are employed at this stage, Costume Design Assistants assume their responsibilities, and the emphasis of the role shifts to focus mainly on budget control, organisation and logistics.

Responsibilities
Costume Design Assistants help Costume Designers to break down the script, in order to assess how many characters there are, and what costumes are going to be needed, as well as analysing individual character plots.  Costume Design Assistants may carry out research for Designers into the costume styles, designs and construction methods which are appropriate for the productions' time period, using a number of resources including libraries, museums and the Internet. 

Costume Design Assistants may work on the departmental budget, estimating the costs of staff and resources, and of hiring, buying and making costumes.  They may also be involved in preparing overall production schedules, as well as working on day-to-day breakdowns of responsibilities.  Throughout the production process Costume Design Assistants communicate information from Designers to members of the Costume Department and the production team.  For creating, purchasing or hiring costumes, Costume Design Assistants work to detailed briefs from Designers.  They may be involved in sourcing and buying costumes and accessories, and 'swatching' (sampling) fabrics for the Designer.  They liaise with Costumiers about hiring costumes, and often pre-select costumes for Designers to view, ensuring that there are several options for each outfit.  They may oversee crowd or extras' fittings, and in some cases Costume Design Assistants are given special responsibility for specific Actors: taking measurements, personally supervising the hire, purchase or manufacture of their costumes, and carrying out any fittings or shopping expeditions with them. 

Costume Design Assistants maintain contact with Costumiers and Costume Makers, and oversee the Costume workshop.  They maintain the organisation of costumes within the Department, and make sure that everything is running to schedule.  They may also manage the transport of the wardrobe to sets or locations.  Costume Design Assistants should be on set the first time a costume is worn, to ensure that the performer is comfortable, and to carry out any last minute alterations or repairs.

Skills
Costume Design Assistants need to be highly organised and efficient, with a good memory and keen attention to detail.  They must be familiar with costume budgets, and able to estimate costs.  Costume Design Assistants need good descriptive abilities, and they must be able break down scripts in terms of costume plots, and understand story structure and character arcs.  They should understand research processes, and know how to source information.  They need to demonstrate leadership and managerial skills when overseeing Assistants and Dailies during crowd fittings.  Because they work long hours, as part of a team in a pressurised, often cramped environment, good communication skills, the ability to cope with stress, and a positive attitude are paramount. 

Creative problem solving skills are essential, as are flexibility and stamina.  Costume Design Assistants must be experienced in the design process, and knowledgeable about fabric qualities, clothing cuts, fits and techniques.  They need to be familiar with period costumes, and have general knowledge of both costume history and contemporary fashion.  They should have good foundation skills in ironing, steaming, adapting garments, dyeing, hand and machine sewing, alterations, pattern cutting and drawing. 

Costume Design Assistants must know how to dress Actors in different types of clothes, and should be able to gauge clothing sizes at a glance. They should also know how to dress to particular faces or physiques to create characters. Costume Design Assistants work closely with Actors in a physical sense, and must therefore be tactful, sensitive and able to put people at their ease.  They should be familiar with the requirements of all relevant Health and Safety legislation and procedures on set.  Language skills are useful for foreign shoots.  Good IT skills (Mac and PC) are essential. 

Qualifications/Experience
No specific qualifications are needed to work as Costume Design Assistants.  Most new entrants have qualifications in relevant fields such as a Foundation or BA Hons in Fashion, Costume Design or Interpretation.  They may have also attended specialised training courses, or completed a post-graduate degree.   Practical experience is the key to progressing in the industry, and apprentice-style programmes such as the FT2 New Entrant Technical Training Scheme can prove helpful in this respect. 

Many Costume Design Assistants progress through the Costume Department, starting their careers as Costume Assistants or Trainees.  Alternatively they may have worked for one of the large Costumiers, gaining experience in costume making, and establishing valuable contacts with Designers, Costume staff and Actors.  As the role involves travel, a full EU driving licence is required.

Individual course accreditation in certain subject areas is currently being piloted. As part of Skillset's and the UK Film Council's Film Skills Strategy, A Bigger Future, a network of Screen Academies and a Film Business Academy have been approved as centres of excellence in education and training for film.

Where to go for more information
Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries. The first sources of information for all jobs in the industry are the National Occupational Standards. Browse Skillset's website for links to our network of training partners, information about training and access to the comprehensive Skillset/BFI course database. Finally, Skillset Careers is UK's only specialist media careers advice service; for detailed media careers information and advice, visit www.skillset.org/careers.