In this inspiring deep dive, Virgin River costume designer Judith Feller shares her journey from a wildly imaginative childhood—playing dress-up on a remote farm—to shaping the visual identity of one of Netflix's most beloved series.

Feller unpacks how creativity, limited resources, and a hands-on upbringing fueled her passion for fashion, eventually leading her from fashion design into film and television. She reveals the realities of breaking into the industry—starting at the bottom, grinding through years of on-set roles, and even launching her own clothing line before returning to costume design with a sharper creative voice.

The conversation dives into the art of character-driven wardrobe, exploring how she refreshed Virgin River in Season 7—balancing continuity with subtle evolution. From refining silhouettes and reducing visual repetition to crafting standout looks for destination episodes and Western-inspired storylines, Feller highlights the delicate dance between storytelling, actor comfort, and audience expectations.

She also offers powerful insights into collaboration, resilience, and creative adaptability—emphasizing that success in film and TV costume design isn't about control, but about flexibility, teamwork, and letting go.

This episode is packed with insights on:

• Costume design shaping story and character
• Breaking into film industry careers
• Fashion to film career transition
• Evolving style in long-running series
• Collaboration across film production teams
• Balancing actor comfort and visual storytelling
• Creative resilience, burnout, and adaptability

The "Voice of Costume" is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. A behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world. Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation with Catherine Baumgardner.

Audio available wherever you get podcasts.

https://voiceofcostume.com/

From fashion runways in Milan and Paris to Hollywood film sets, this powerful conversation dives into the journey of a visionary costume designer redefining storytelling through wardrobe.

In this episode, Catherine Baumgardner sits down with "Coxy," the costume designer behind Paradise Season 2, to explore how costume design, character psychology, and cinematic storytelling collide.

Coxy shares her emotional turning point—losing her mother—which sparked a bold leap from high-fashion (working with brands like Gucci and Prada) into the film and television industry. From indie projects to landing major opportunities through connections like Sterling K. Brown, this is a masterclass in breaking into Hollywood and building a creative career.

The conversation goes deep into how costumes shape narrative: from post-apocalyptic survival wardrobes to subtle character arcs expressed through fabric, color, and texture. Discover how characters evolve visually—absorbing environments, reflecting power shifts, and revealing hidden humanity through design.

This episode is packed with insights on:

• Costume design for TV & film
• Character development through wardrobe
• World-building in sci-fi & dystopian storytelling
• Hollywood career paths for creatives
• The intersection of fashion, filmmaking, and storytelling

🔥 If you're a filmmaker, screenwriter, or creative entrepreneur—this is essential listening.

Listen in for a masterclass on how to tell a story with 140 looks, on a $1M indie, across decades, with 10 days of prep time!

In this deeply moving and craft-rich conversation, host Catherine Baumgardner speaks with costume designer Maggie Whitaker about her extraordinary journey designing the film Fairyland. Whitaker traces her roots from a theater-first upbringing shaped by old movies, regional summer stock, and a love of history—training that quietly prepared her for the chaos and poetry of independent filmmaking.

The episode unpacks how Whitaker transitioned from decades of theater to film, learning to navigate asynchronous storytelling, brutal schedules, and microscopic budgets—while still protecting character, emotion, and truth. She offers a masterclass in designing the 1970s–80s queer San Francisco world of Fairyland, drawing from deep cultural research, personal archives, and lived community history rather than surface-level nostalgia.

Whitaker reveals how costume becomes a tool for identity: characters "trying on" versions of themselves through clothing, code-switching between safety and self-expression, comfort and risk. From thrifted Victorian pieces worn by broke artists, to plaid shirts that anchor emotional continuity, the clothes chart parallel arcs of father and daughter—love, rebellion, grief, and return.

Beyond design, the conversation explores mentorship, advocacy, collaboration, and leadership—how to fight diplomatically for your department, care for your team, and make meaningful art under near-impossible constraints.

The "Voice of Costume" is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. A behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world. Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation with Catherine Baumgardner.

Audio available wherever you get podcasts.

https://voiceofcostume.com/