BA (Hons) Costume Production

Marie studied BA (Hons) Fashion Technology at Manchester University and gained a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from Plymouth University. She spent two years as an assistant fashion designer before progressing onto a career as costumier and supervisor working for a variety of theatre companies including; The Royal Exchange Manchester, The Royal Shakespeare Company and West Yorkshire Playhouse. Finally settling here in the South West as the Deputy Wardrobe Manager at the Theatre Royal, Marie worked on West End Productions for Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber as well as supervising dramas and community shows in the Drum Theatre. Marie has delivered teaching and learning across the Extended Diploma in Fashion and Textiles course, delivering costume design and pattern cutting. She has a particular interest in exploring digital technologies for costume design and is a member of The Costume Society.​ Marie is also a member of the Performance Design Education Collective (PDEC). The Performance Design Education Collective is a voluntary association of institutions who educate students in the field of performance design in the higher education sector.

Katharine Harrison is a multidisciplinary designer and educator specialising in costume construction, historical garment interpretation and fashion design. Her practice explores the relationship between the body, undergarments and embodiment, investigating how structured garments such as corsets and stays can be reimagined as supportive forms that reconnect wearers with bodily awareness and the transitions of female experience. With a background in corsetry and bespoke tailoring, she works with traditional corsetry materials alongside handcraft embellishment, finishing techniques and natural dyes, using the idea of the “stay” as both a structural and symbolic form of support for the body. Alongside her academic practice, Katharine brings extensive professional experience across screen, theatre and bespoke fashion. Her industry work includes costume sourcing and design support for the BBC, costume cutting and making for Mammoth Screen Pictures productions including The Great and Little Women, and costume development for The Duchess of Malfi at Trafalgar Theatre, including bespoke garments created for lead actress Jodie Whittaker. She has also designed and made costumes for film projects requiring detailed historical research and garment sourcing, bringing a high level of technical expertise to period construction, historical underpinnings and fitted costume. Katharine is also the founder of Katharine Harrison London, a bespoke lingerie and bodywear studio specialising in historical and contemporary lingerie and corsetry. Through this work she has collaborated with theatre, film and luxury fashion clients, shown work at London Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week, and managed commissions, fittings and consultations for celebrity clients and high-profile productions. Her wider industry experience includes work and training with Anderson & Sheppard, Marchesa, Katharine Hamnett and Eley Kishimoto, as well as collaborations and commissions connected to Penhaligon’s, Savage X Fenty and FATE Archive. Her work has also featured in theatre, feature film and editorial contexts, with work included in the Museum of London permanent collection. Katharine completed an MA in Fashion at the Royal College of Art following a BA (Hons) in Fashion Design and Business at the University of Brighton. Her broader training includes a PGCertHE, a City & Guilds Level 3 qualification in Education and Training, and an NVQ Level 3 in Bespoke Handcraft Tailoring, alongside bespoke tailoring training on Savile Row. This combination of specialist making, academic study and professional practice informs an approach to teaching that is both research-driven and highly practical. As an educator, Katharine has taught across higher and further education at Arts University Plymouth, UAL Wimbledon College of Arts, Central Saint Martins, London Metropolitan University, London South East Colleges, Middlesex University and Morley College. Her teaching spans corsetry, tailoring, bespoke dressmaking and historical costume construction, with a strong emphasis on craftsmanship, critical design thinking, inclusive teaching and the relationship between historical technique and contemporary practice. At Arts University Plymouth, she teaches on Costume Production and leads teaching for Year 2 and Year 3 students, supporting practical and design work across props, millinery and historical interpretation, alongside tutorials, course materials and assessment.

Tracey Ormston is a costume maker and designer based in Devon, who specialises in millinery and 3D costume prop making. She has experience across a wide variety of creative disciplines, and her portfolio includes costume making for Norwich Theatre Royal, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Exeter Northcott Theatre, The Barbican Theatre, Plymouth, Exeter City Council and The Tabard Theatre Chiswick.Past projects have included making costumes for the BBC programme Poldark (Season 2) and working as a wardrobe assistant for Canadian TV series Frontier, both on set and in the workroom.Tracey has collaborated with many professional practitioners, such as international designer Leslie Travers and director Emma Rice in Kneehigh's touring production of Rebecca. During her time studying for a BA in Costume here at Arts University Plymouth, where she gained a first class with honours, she trained under professional costume prop maker Jeannie Fletcher from Costume FX.Tracey's interests include all aspects of costume making, from concept through to finish and she enjoys the challenge of making small props to compliment her designs. Tracey's research interests include bringing new technology into costume creation, using materials such as therma plastics, and working with the equipment in Fab Lab Plymouth - including 3D printers and laser cutters - to investigate new ways of creating props and millinery. In her role as Technical Tutor, Tracey works across our Fashion, Interiors, Textiles, and Costume courses, and supports students from across the university through specialist teaching and technical guidance.

Jen Wilde is a highly skilled and versatile fashion professional with a rich background in the industry. A graduate of Arts University Plymouth, Jen earned a First Class Honours in BA (Hons) Fashion in 2019 and is currently a Technical Tutor, supporting students from across the university and offering specialist guidance across our Fashion, Interiors, Textiles, and Costume courses. In the professional realm, Jen has amassed a wealth of experience, showcasing her adaptability and technical prowess across various roles. Between 2020 and 2022, she served as a Pattern Cutter at Westward Bound, where she was instrumental in creating new designs and innovative solutions, working closely with the Head of Design and Manufacture. Her role involved a myriad of responsibilities, including drafting new designs, creating grading tables, and managing the pattern room. Jen's journey in the fashion industry is marked by a series of successful stints in various capacities. In 2019, she worked as a freelancer for Amy Cook, where she honed her skills in garment designing and pattern cutting. This was followed by a three-month internship at Makers HQ, where she focused on digital pattern cutting and grading using Optitex. Jen's expertise also extends to digital platforms, proficient in using software like Gerber and IDigit, skills she further developed during her two-month internship at Grade House in 2018. Beyond her technical skills, Jen is known for her high-level pattern cutting abilities. She possesses a deep understanding of garment construction, utilising a variety of techniques and fabrics. Her proficiency extends to Adobe Suites including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, and she is adept at creating technical packs and conducting research. Jen's attention to detail and analytical approach to design have earned her several accolades, including being selected to represent Arts University Plymouth at the Graduate Fashion Week 2019 catwalk and winning the Art Couture Painswick Wearable Art Competition in 2016. Outside of her professional life, Jen is a proactive learner with a keen interest in sustainable fashion and British manufacture. She is constantly updating and developing her skills to stay abreast of the current trends and technologies in the fashion industry.