All the world's a stage - an afternoon @ Utopia Costumes

I'd been hearing from a variety of sources that the Utopia Costume warehouse in Forfar was a treat for any costume addict. It really was an Aladdin's cave of treasures.


It was snowing like crazy in the hills as i took the 22A cross country bus via Glamis over to Forfar. This must be a really scenic route on a clear day but it was fair blowing a blizzard this Wednesday.

Gordon Philip (who co-directs the business with Ewan Campbell) and I had met briefly before at Utopia's Perth Street shop in Dundee way back in October '09 (when i made my first research trip). It was excellent to meet him again and learn more about their costume business and news of recent projects. Utopia premiered their latest costume project Beauty & the Beast at The Kings, Edinburgh - Utopia's team produced all the costumes and full accessories for a cast of 70 performers. During my visit this show was being boxed up in large crates in the loading bay to go out on tour.

Gordon and I chatted about the skills, time and techniques that are needed to produce the costume pieces in their collection - knowledge of tailoring, beading/embroidery, millinery, corsetry, constructing hidden structural supports, harnesses and padding. The pieces also have to be versatile in terms of their sizing. Often the costumes have adjustable panels and lacing to be drawn in/loosened depending on the performers shape and size as the costumes are hired out to different theatres and companies. Any guesses on which show this wrack of costumes belongs to?


Staff were popping in and out to get hot coffees and teas as it was a chilly day and the warehouse was chilly too. I'm looking forward to a second visit, hanging out by the kettle for some further creative chat. The best office conversations happen by the 'water cooler' they say - well at Utopia I reckon it'll be in the kitchen area near the shelves of wigs.

Space is a premium and the warehouse is full to bursting with approx 25,000 costumes and accessories. No space is left unused - check out these beautiful feather fans over the doorway in the accessories department.


Gordon showed me one of his favourite pieces a military jacket with tails - naval possibly? With incredible hand embroidered metal thread work. This was a real collectors piece and also weighed a tonne (well quite a few kilos). After a while you can get rather overwhelmed by the rails and rails of costumes. Perhaps it's a bit like testing too many perfumes at once - you have to take your time with these things. So, I look forward to going back there and having another session pulling out a few gems and also asking each member of staff if they have a particular favourite and why.

I asked Gordon about the tools of his trade - he said that being good with people was a vital skill to have in your Costumers 'Kit Bag'. I argee with him there. Also he spoke about his particular interest in structural props and harness making - so a harness was a key work related object or tool of his trade.

Well a hugely enjoyable few hours and the first meeting of many with Utopia I hope....

Halley Stevensons waxedcotton.com

I love a good factory tour and Halley Stevensons certainly didn't disappoint.

To begin with Andy Young kindly gave me a brief introduction to the company's history and relatively recent shift in focus towards waxed cotton production. He showed me the company's latest product lines - representatives of the company are just back from Paris & Milan trade shows where they were presenting their diverse waxed cotton and waxed silk products to designers of outdoor wear.


Infact here's a garment test/sample Andy showed me that menswear designer Nigel Cabourn (whose lines are often inspired by vintage military apparel) produced with Halley Stevenson waxed cotton.


The rolls of fabric had such a variety of weights and textures - they are definitely materials to feel and scrunch up and wax treated cottons just get better with wearing and aging - a bit like a leather jacket or old leather chair they mold and fit to the user. The waxed silk felt incredible to touch and the Beeswax treated cloth was a firm favourite.

Ever the nerd I was totally intrigued by the Laboratory! This is where fabric dyes and wax mixes are developed. Sadly the lab team were away the day I visited so I do hope I can catch them next visit. I wonder if I'll get to wear a white lab coat and goggles (yes please!)


Andy showed me the vast machines that dye, wash and wax the huge rolls of cotton textile.
The machines were all a stunning 1950's style minty green colour! (freshly painted Andy reported) Its an impressive operation which the company are understandably keen to keep a trade secret so no pictures of those textile treatment processes! Halley Stevenson is only one of four companies world wide that produces waxed cotton cloth so they are a highly specialised niche industry. The noise of the machinery meant talking wasn't so easy so I nodded and smiled with staff. I'm going to return in a few weeks to meet folk in the works Canteen where hopefully we'll get a chance to chat over lunch.

Part of my tour took in the factory Mill Shop which sells a great variety of furnishing fabrics and interiors textiles. There I met Linda and Nancy, who as well as working for Halley Stevensons work freelance as curtain makers and dressmakers (we exchanged business cards). I'll be returning to the Mill Shop soon to spend a little time between customer sales and enquiries exchanging stories and work experiences. Linda's tool of her trade are a "decent pair of scissors". I think amongst the tailors that's gonna come up again and again.

Apparently a number of Costumers use some of the shops bold, heavier weight fabrics to great effect on stage. I can see that and I also have my eye on a roll of fabric that could work well for a sculptural skirt I've in the pipeline!

Look forward to coming back to get to learn more about the company and the people at Halley Stevensons. Thanks to Andy, Linda and Nancy for a warm welcome and an openous to the project.

Getting to know you....

Earlier this week I spent a really enjoyable few days in Dundee having meetings with a number of textile trade related businesses.

But first to get myself in the mood I met up with Innes Duffus, Archivist for the Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee. He was hugely entertaining and a font of knowledge about the Nine Trades. Over a couple of coffees and cakes we chatted about all manner of things trade related and otherwise.

Innes spent his mechanical engineering apprenticeship at Wolseley Cars in Birmingham and as a Brummie lass myself we both enjoyed a chat about our old stomping grounds in the West Mids...

Both of us enjoyed a good natter taking all sorts of interesting digressions and I also left our meeting with a pile of reading to boot (Homework!) - about Weaving, the Linen Industry, Jute (of course!), the crafts of Dyeing, Tailoring and Baking.
It should perhaps be noted that in addition to a passion for cloth/textile my passion for cake comes close second! I've to check out Clarks (all night) Bakery apparently, and Innes recommended Goodfellow & Steven on Union Street - next trip for sure.

Anyway - as I'm hoping to collect trade related stories and examples of folks tools of their trade as I take a journey through Dundee's historical and contemporary working culture, I asked Innes to get me started:

The object or tool Innes most proudly associated with his trade skills in mechanical engineering (for the car industry) was a Van Norman Boring Bar - for re-drilling engine cylinders.


The tale about workers bringing in pots to gather fresh honey dripping through the ceiling rafters in a textile mill in Blairgowrie is, as they say, another story!!
Thanks Innes for all your top tales and tips - more next trip.

Artist WLTM

http://www.dundee.ac.uk/pressreleases/2010/prfeb10/art.htm

The Way We Wore - A life in threads

"A summary of everythings that's happened to men's clothes in Britain over the last thirty years...should be read by anyone who believes that clothes are tools for living"