tdf Costume Collection

Throwback Thursday When the TDF Costume Collection moved in 1976 to 26th Street from our previous home way uptown, this sign was made to hang right outside our entrance door on the 17th floor and stayed there for over 20 years. Legend has it this sign was created by the Tony Award-winning costume designer Susan Hilferty when she was just a part-time employee at the Collection! It now hangs in our library and research center.

What would you add?

Let’s get ready for the Halloween season with this trio of gargoyles from the 2002 Broadway premiere of Dance of the Vampires, designed by Ann Hould-Ward. These amazingly detailed and textured winged creatures were seen looming over the bed posts in the Count's castle. Now, 18 years to the day since their first preview, they are still available for rental in our Special Stock!

When your one-hour for lunch gives you flashbacks to those cold Halloweens where your mom made you wear a jacket. [Source unknown]

A sketch of the Furies from the climactic ballet sequence in the 1951 MGM film ‘An American in Paris.’ Directed by Vincente Minnelli and choreographed by the film’s star Gene Kelly, ‘An American in Paris’ won six Oscars that year, including Best Picture and Best Costume Design, for Irene Sharaff.

Community Design of the Week: If all rats were this cute, they'd surely be more popular! Thank you to Tina Johnson for sharing your design for a camp production of "Rats."

Congratulations to the nominees in the Costume Design categories! Get the full list >> bit.tdf.org/tonys2020

Watch Tony-winning costume designer Paloma Young talk about her love of working for regional theatres. Can you relate?

Practical, right?

Today we honor the life and career of stage and screen star Armelia McQueen, who passed away on October 3rd at the age of 68. Ms. McQueen wore this embroidered lace dress in her Broadway debut in the 1978 smash hit Ain’t Misbehavin’ designed by Randy Barcelo. The TDF Costume Collection is incredibly lucky to have all the original costumes from this iconic show in our archives. Although not available for rental, pieces in our archives are kept for their historical significance and are accessible for study and research.

Post a photo and description of your creations! We love featuring your designs each week.

A throwback to this costume from Paper Mill Playhouse's 2018 production of The Sting. Costume Design by Paul Tazewell and worn by Kate Shindle (Billie)

We love watching pros dish on design!