Susan Nininger started out in the field of fine art creating sculpted ceramic pieces and then realized that she liked "sculpting costumes". Her big break was in the 90's when she was given the job costuming Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard. Susan talks to us about working on that film and she also shares with us exactly what her union says she's allowed to do as a costume designer. We also learn about some other tasks of the costume department and about what it takes to organize the clothes for a film.

Susan Nininger- Costume Designer

SusanÂNiningerÂwasÂraisedÂinÂtheÂNortheastÂ‐ÂConnecticut,ÂBoston,ÂandÂNewÂYork. SheÂbeganÂherÂstudiesÂasÂaÂFineÂArt StudentÂat RhodeÂIslandÂSchool ofÂDesign. ByÂthe timeÂsheÂreceivedÂherÂMastersÂDegree inÂSeattleÂinÂ1976,ÂherÂworkÂwas incorporatingÂa varietyÂofÂmaterialsÂ‐sculptedÂceramicÂpieces, foundÂobjects and fabrics‐andÂshe, andÂothers,ÂwereÂwearingÂher 'Costume Sculpture'. TheÂbodyÂofÂsculpturalÂworkÂthatÂSusanÂproducedÂduringÂthe lateÂ70's inÂSeattle displayedÂa uniqueÂand imaginative useÂofÂmixed materials,ÂasÂwellÂasÂaÂstrong senseÂofÂstorytelling. SomeÂofÂtheÂpiecesÂshe produced duringÂthis timeÂwereÂnot wearable,Âhowever,ÂtheyÂwereÂalwaysÂaboutÂCostumeÂ‐ÂevokingÂherÂdeepÂrooted interestÂinÂnotÂonlyÂtheÂphysicality of garments chosen as costume, butÂalsoÂinÂthe StorytellingÂIdeasÂthatÂgoÂintoÂtheÂdevelopmentÂof characterÂthrough Costume Design. She receivedÂScholarshipÂAwardsÂandÂGrants during thisÂtimeÂfromÂthe NationalÂEndowmentÂforÂtheÂArtsÂandÂotherÂprestigious organizations. HerÂworkÂwas exhibitedÂinÂbothÂgalleriesÂandÂmuseums,Ânationally.

SusanÂmadeÂtheÂtransitionÂfromÂworkingÂasÂaÂStudioÂArtistÂtoÂdesigningÂCostumesÂfor StageÂandÂMovingÂPicturesÂinÂtheÂlateÂ70's. CollaborationsÂwith Performance Artists andÂChoreographersÂinÂSeattle,ÂleadÂtoÂbeingÂinvitedÂtoÂdesignÂcostumesÂforÂseveral StageÂProductions.ÂFindingÂthat designingÂcostumes fitÂperfectlyÂwithÂherÂpassionÂfor storytelling,ÂsheÂmadeÂtheÂchoiceÂtoÂpursueÂaÂcareerÂasÂaÂCostumeÂDesigner,Âand movedÂtoÂLosÂAngeles inÂ1981. Susan's rangeÂofÂworkÂasÂaÂCostumeÂDesigner,ÂtoÂdate,ÂincludesÂCostumeÂDesignÂforÂFeatureÂFilms,ÂTelevision,ÂTheatre,ÂandÂMusicÂVideos. SheÂis perhapsÂmostÂwell known forÂherÂCostumeÂDesignÂforÂTheÂBodyguard with WhitneyÂHoustonÂandÂKevinÂCostner. SheÂhasÂdesignedÂfor, and collaborated with,ÂawardÂwinning CommercialÂDirectors,ÂandÂcontinuesÂtoÂmaintainÂaÂhighÂprofileÂasÂan imaginativeÂandÂprolific CostumeÂDesigner. WithÂaÂcontinued interestÂinÂEducation withinÂtheÂfieldÂofÂCostumeÂDesign,ÂSusanÂisÂaÂmemberÂofÂtheÂfacultyÂatÂtheÂFashion InstituteÂofÂDesign and Merchandising in downtown Los Angeles...