The only costume manager at the Tampere University
Tiina Helin has been working alone in costume shop for about 20 years. Now she has had Anni Romakkaniemi, a part-time co-worker, for 10 months. They have been re-organising the wardrope.
-With courses and theatre productions requiring clothes all the time, there have not been enough time to re-organise this system here in the wardrope but now it's been possible, Helin says happily.
The wardrope is medium-sized. It means that there are tens of thousands of garments and several pieces of equipment, such as an ozonator.
-For example, really sweaty clothes that can't tolerate water washing are put there. It kills bacteria, says Helin.
Availability and sustainability
Reorganising the wardrobe has taken some thought, because creating a system where clothes can be easily found is not as easy as you might think. Helin and Romakkaniemi have decided to divide the clothes into three different size categories, as the clothes are searched for based on the measurements of the student actors.
In practice, organising the wardrobe has meant measuring and labelling thousands of items of clothing. Now, the colour code on the garment, on the hanger and/or on the side of the rack tells you at a glance whether the garment is a large, small or medium size.
The need to measure has also arisen because garments have different size codes depending on the country of manufacture and the period in which they were made. For example, a size 40 of the past may not fit today's size 40 wearer, but may end up in the “smaller” category.
Alongside the organising work there is a sustainability work going on. It means repairing project where broken garments are repaired by Helin and Romakkaniemi. Organising is sustainable also in itself, because when it is easier to find what you need, you don't have to rush to the shop to buy something you already have “in the house”.
Sensitivity issues affect
Sensitivity issues are also taken into account in the organising of wardrope. Previously, a box of high heels in large sizes was labelled “men's high heels”. Efforts have been made to avoid gender-specific terms, as other genders may just as well need larger heel sizes.
-It is important that acting students can feel comfortable when they are fitting performance clothes, says Helin.
One of the things Helin has been thinking about is the grotesque characters in Commedia dell'arte, such as the character Pulcinella, who often has a beer belly and slender legs. Today, understandably, questions have arisen if it is appropriate to laugh someone's belly. Cultural appropriation has also raised questions. These issues arise in costume design.
-This has been an exceptional year at Näty, where I have been able to do an organising project and reflect on sensitivity questions from a costume design perspective with another person. I thought we would finish the organising project during the time Anni is here, but the work was bigger than we thought and there is only time for that beside supporting teaching, but it has been really great to have Anni working with me, says Helin.
