Phantom costumes - real and replicas 1

What you don't see is that three of the upper buttons aren't closed, and that the back is very strained. And everything looks disproportional somehow. The bodice bugs the crap out of me, grrrr. I do like the skirt, though.

Vicomtesse de Chagny, I love the materials you've find, what a bargain. I'm guessing three layers in that picture - right? I see what you mean about it being broad. But it is still very right. What about adding a tulle of the same colour as the fabric in between the layers (like the US dresses use black tulle), to partly cover the upper embroidery? That way you could do an extra layer in the skirt, as well as fluffing it up. Or you could go for three skirt layers, plus one for the bodice where the pattern is a bit cropped.

US version with black tulle or netting:
https://s638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/potocostumes/aminta/usexh4.jpg

Danish dress (originally Swedish, I think) with three skirt layers, plus one attached to the bodice, 4 in total:
https://s638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/potocostumes/aminta/dmkarlsson2.jpg

Hey all,

I love seeing all of the neat fabric and costumes in progress! Speaking of fabric, I am more seriously contemplating ordering some for the American style dressing gown from Thai Silks since I noticed that they are having a 25% off non-sale items sale through the 15th! I was wondering if anyone knew what would be the appropriate yardage to order? I need to call the place & see if I can even order the fabric right now, as I noticed on their site that it is back-ordered. If they'll let me still have the 25% off & just wait for it, I'm going for it!

Cheers,

CG


P.S. Here's Thai Silks link again:
http://www.thaisilks.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_7&products_id=232

Anéa, I hope you are able to fix whatever is bothering you about the bodice because the dress is just fantastic! At least you seem to have an idea of what to do. I hate the feeling when you know something's off, but have no clue how to fix it. That one happens to me a lot!

Vicomtesse, what lovely fabric! It does look just a little busy like that. I agree with Anéa's idea about maybe breaking up the layers of fabric with a bit of black tulle or lace, something to emphasize the gap between each layer. Otherwise, I think it looks great.

I have the photos back from the convention I attended last weekend. Here are a few:





Both Meg and the Phantom are me. The Christine is a friend of mine who sometimes lurks on this board. I told her she couldn't get away without my posting some pictures of her on here! I'm actually very pleased with how everything turned out. The Red Death was surprisingly comfortable, despite the severely reduced vision. The Red Death's design is based mostly on the Danish and German versions, my favorites! You can click the photos to see larger versions.

Also, there are several more photos here: http://sighofblue.deviantart.com/

EDIT: I realized I should make sure it's clear, in case it wasn't, that the girl dressed as Christine made her own costume. And in just a few weeks time, too. I'm lucky to have such good friends!

You all are so creative. I may not be creative, but I love lurking and seeing what you can come up with.

And, Loettchen, your photoshoot is amazing! Kudos for playing both the Phantom AND Meg!

Just wanted to pop in and announce that there's a Phantom costume group now on deviantART, if anyone frequents that site, we would love to have you join:

http://phantomcostumelovers.deviantart.com/

It's for everyone who like the costumes, not just people that sew them, and you can submit costume photos as well as costume drawings

Loettchen wrote:Vicomtesse, what lovely fabric! It does look just a little busy like that. I agree with Anéa's idea about maybe breaking up the layers of fabric with a bit of black tulle or lace, something to emphasize the gap between each layer.

Yeah, I've been thinking about the tulle all day and I reached the same conclusion. It probably will clean up the whole look. Perhaps hide a layer or two of stiff tulle to puff it up, and a longer layer of soft tulle over that to emphasize the top layers. Heh, I'll not be surprised if I'm sick and tired of the word 'layer' by the time I'm done with this.

Those costumes look great, Loettchen! I'm also impressed that you both managed to find footwear to match. I want shoes like the Red Death XD

Loettchen those costumes and photos are great. You did such a great job with your Red Death costume especially with making it in such a short period of time.

I have a few pictures of different angles of the two shoes from Phantom in the Capezio store on Broadway, and I'll post pictures of them if anyone is interested. One shoe is (At least I think so) the dressing room/lair shoe Christine wears, and the other looks vaguely like either one Meg's masquerade shoes or Christine's PONR shoe. I think it's likely to be Meg's masquerade shoe because of the gold lining and subtle pattern on the shoe. It may just be a random shoe from the show, but who knows. I'll post pictures once I find my camera cord.

Loettchen, lovely work as always!! Ditto for you, Artistkae.

For the enjoyment of you all, I've added two more costumes to the POTO design gallery. Namely Raoul's nurse and Piangi's horrible houndstooth suit.

NURSE: http://potocostumes.webs.com/auction/nurse.html
PIANGI: http://potocostumes.webs.com/notes/piangichech.html

I still lack a couple, mostly in Masquerade, but it's starting to look like a complete list now. Does anyone have good pictures of the Executioner and Pirate in "Masquerade"? I have a few good ones, but would like more before I sit down to make a gallery.

operafantomet, we got to see one of the alternate costumes used in the US tour in Dayton, I believe it was a lighter blue color; the costume lady said instead of having different sizes of the same Masquerade costumes, they'll thrown in one of the alternates if an actor doesn't fit the others. Do you have any information on this one?

artistkae wrote:operafantomet, we got to see one of the alternate costumes used in the US tour in Dayton, I believe it was a lighter blue color; the costume lady said instead of having different sizes of the same Masquerade costumes, they'll thrown in one of the alternates if an actor doesn't fit the others. Do you have any information on this one?

OK, might be my inner Norwegian blondeness... But I don't think I understand the question. OK, so they only have one of each Masquerade costume? Or one for the principal and one for the alternate/understudy, and if these are sick whoever fits the costume plays the character?

ETA: costume exhibition in Germany in 2005, in connection with the Essen production:
http://home.arcor.de/manu.schmitt/Phantom/News-Seiten/kostuemausstellung.htm

Oops, I meant that they probably have multiple sets of each costume, but if they need a swing that doesn't fit any of them, they'll throw in the alternate costume. Of course they can't do that with some of the more prominent ones (they have to have the monkey, etc)...

On the other forum, Nai_Calus helped me out and she said it was this costume: http://potocostumes.webs.com/masquerade/balletgibson.html

But I SWEAR I saw one that was a light, sky blue, that was very flowy. Maybe light blue and silver, or white. I don't think I see it on your website.

Anyway, if I get to meet the costume lady again, I'd like to ask about seeing the masquerade costumes up close -- then maybe she can tell me about the ones that are rarely used

EDIT: God I feel stupid. I believe I saw THIS costume: http://potocostumes.webs.com/masquerade/balletdiana.html and thought it was an alternate. I never saw it before, but I guess there are just so many different costumes in that scene!!

So it probably was the Gibson Girl that everyone was talking about, while I had the "Diana" one in my head.

artistkae wrote:Oops, I meant that they probably have multiple sets of each costume, but if they need a swing that doesn't fit any of them, they'll throw in the alternate costume. Of course they can't do that with some of the more prominent ones (they have to have the monkey, etc)...

On the other forum, Nai_Calus helped me out and she said it was this costume: http://potocostumes.webs.com/masquerade/balletgibson.html

But I SWEAR I saw one that was a light, sky blue, that was very flowy. Maybe light blue and silver, or white. I don't think I see it on your website.

Anyway, if I get to meet the costume lady again, I'd like to ask about seeing the masquerade costumes up close -- then maybe she can tell me about the ones that are rarely used

EDIT: God I feel stupid. I believe I saw THIS costume: http://potocostumes.webs.com/masquerade/balletdiana.html and thought it was an alternate. I never saw it before, but I guess there are just so many different costumes in that scene!!

So it probably was the Gibson Girl that everyone was talking about, while I had the "Diana" one in my head.

Aaah, I see! Yes, it's true that there are some costumes you'll only (or mostly) see when swings are on. My favourite is probably the Hula girl. I don't think they've ever had that costume in the US, but I know it's been used in Europe and Japan. In West End it's a ballet swing using it, which means that if the Hula girl is on, one of the regular ballet girls are sick... She wears a curly brown ballerina wig there. I spotted the costume in Essen too, but there it was worn by a person standing up in the stairs (I.E. probably not a dancer) and she wears the blonde wig from the design.
http://potocostumes.webs.com/masquerade/hulagirl.html

There's also a mysterious b/w costume made of brocade and feathers and stuff. I suspect it belongs to a swing, but I'm not sure. I've only seen it appearing some very few places, but unlike the Hula girl it blends better in and might be harder to spot:

operafantomet, if you wind up putting together another page, will you do one on the door dress in Christine's dressing room? I think every costume-replica maker is very interested in that one.

===


Oh! And if anyone's interested in this forum, I have a costume blog which follows the creation of some POTO replicas. It can be found here:

artistkae.tumblr.com

artistkae wrote:operafantomet, if you wind up putting together another page, will you do one on the door dress in Christine's dressing room? I think every costume-replica maker is very interested in that one.

I'm actually working on that one! Hehe. Have some seriously nice pictures to share. And some incredibly blurry and/or tiny ones...

I've also added a site about the rehearsal ladies in "Don Juan". There is a blue/golden dress from Germany I would love to get my hands on, I think it's one of the prettiest non-lead role costumes in the whole show, or at least the bodice. The tailoring seems to indicate early Hamburg, but the photo is from Essen.

PAGE: http://potocostumes.webs.com/donjuan/rehladies.html
DRESS IN QUESTION: https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v323/reiseaudun/designdonjuan/djrladyessenblue1.jpg



ETA: finished! http://potocostumes.webs.com/firstlair/lost.html

Thanks a lot for putting up that gallery! The "lost dress" has long been a favourite of mine and on my to-do list. *squeals, and goes to compare my current sketch with the actual thing(s)*

Why are the Danish costumes always so goregous?!

Vicomtesse de Chagny wrote:Why are the Danish costumes always so goregous?!

I like them too. I think it's because many of them are really old and have a air of the early POTO about them - but at the same time they have been revamped and look sparklier and grander than the originals. A nice mixture of old and new. That said, it isn't always successful, especially not when a costume is altered in size *cough*weddingdressbackdrapes*cough*.

However, the Danish "lost dress" comes from the original Stockholm production, and I don't think it's been altered at all. It corresponds in shape and (some) fabrics with the German one, which was made around the same time. I was very surprised to see how detailed it was up close!

Shh! Don't shatter my illusion that costumes used at Ny Thearer aren't perfect!

When I was finally able to tear mysealf away from the lost dress I took a look at the rehearsal ladies and I fell totally in love with the brown dress. Haha, would've been fun if we could like gather a group of 'Norwegian Rehearsal Ladies' or something. (Or Scandinavian... not sure where everyone's from...) XD

Yay! Thank you so much! Love all those pictures, especially the first dress you mentioned.

Vicomtesse de Chagny wrote:Shh! Don't shatter my illusion that costumes used at Ny Thearer aren't perfect!

When I was finally able to tear mysealf away from the lost dress I took a look at the rehearsal ladies and I fell totally in love with the brown dress.

I agree, that one is also spectacular. I love how detailed these costumes are, even though they're mostly hidden behind chairs and other singers, and only makes a brief appearance on stage. Beautiful, just beautiful.

The managers:

http://potocostumes.webs.com/hannibal/newmanagers.html
http://potocostumes.webs.com/notes/managers.html
http://potocostumes.webs.com/masquerade/managers.html

Is there a general particularly distinct difference between the jackets Raoul and the Phantom wears? Different tails, a different cut, collar? Anything that sets the two apart?

How soon do you need an answer? I've got both downstairs, but need to pull one of them out of storage first.

phantomfett wrote:How soon do you need an answer? I've got both downstairs, but need to pull one of them out of storage first.

Not soon at all. I imagine the details on those two can be saved til the end anyway.

End of what?

operafantomet wrote:
For the enjoyment of you all, I've added two more costumes to the POTO design gallery. Namely Raoul's nurse and Piangi's horrible houndstooth suit.

NURSE: http://potocostumes.webs.com/auction/nurse.html
PIANGI: http://potocostumes.webs.com/notes/piangichech.html

If you go to Luke Grooms' facebook, he has an album full of Piangi costumes when they were fitting him for costumes - and he has another of the houndstooth suit.

artistkae wrote:

operafantomet wrote:
For the enjoyment of you all, I've added two more costumes to the POTO design gallery. Namely Raoul's nurse and Piangi's horrible houndstooth suit.

NURSE: http://potocostumes.webs.com/auction/nurse.html
PIANGI: http://potocostumes.webs.com/notes/piangichech.html

If you go to Luke Grooms' facebook, he has an album full of Piangi costumes when they were fitting him for costumes - and he has another of the houndstooth suit.

Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out! I avoid using FB pictures as far as possible, unless they allow me to - but very often they do...

Cutting fabric for Elissa backdrapes as we speak... Interesting cut, let's just hope it turns out as I hope/plan.

operafantomet wrote:Cutting fabric for Elissa backdrapes as we speak... Interesting cut, let's just hope it turns out as I hope/plan.

I've been on Facebook too much. I kept looking for the "Like" button for this.

MasqPhan wrote:

operafantomet wrote:Cutting fabric for Elissa backdrapes as we speak... Interesting cut, let's just hope it turns out as I hope/plan.

I've been on Facebook too much. I kept looking for the "Like" button for this.

I find myself thinking that so often! I feel brainwashed...

Backdrapes are coming along well, thank God. The upper layer (red brocade, identical to the hem) has been cut and stitched together, five meters in total. It consists of three parts; two mirrored panels almost in the shape of a crescending moon, and a triangle in between them to get fullness in the bottom centre. The "moons" are folded in and out to make waterfall drapes, and will eventually be lined with a stripy red/green/golden/blue fabric. The blue is a bit unwanted, but it's definitely not more disturbing that the purple stripes many of the real stage costumes has... In my book purple is not a cool accenting colour to red and green.

Too late to sew on the machine now, alas, so I'll have to let any further progress wait until tomorrow. Meeeh.

ETA: hem fabric: https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/newelissa/newelissahem1.jpg

ETA 2: Backdrape (upper layer) is sewn and is now being lined. I've also made the peplum (in lack of a better word) for the back, made of stripy fabric lined with the hem fabric. It drapes very well, but I have to pleat it to hide as much as possible of the blue colour. Pics to come...