A contestant on season 8 of reality TV competition Project Runway, Sarah Trost is a costume designer with serious style. Here is my interview with Project Runway contestant Sarah Trost:
How did you get started in the costume design business?
Photo © Project Runway.
Sarah: I started as a costume designer at a young age. My whole family is in the movie business, and we all grew up on movie sets. When my brother was in film school I started designing costumes for many of his and his classmates projects. The costume career grew from there into bigger film work.
What sort of projects have you worked on as a costume designer?
Photo © Project Runway.
I've worked on almost any costume genre project you can think of. I work mainly on interesting independent films that provide wonderful design opportunities; but I also design music videos and style actors.
My favorite among those I've designed is an action comedy called "The FP," where the lead bad guy is dressed exclusively in crazy trashy jumpsuits. I'd love to do more action films of all genres; they're my absolute favorite to design. Especially superheroes!
How would you describe your own personal fashion style?
Well, when I get dressed I ask myself two questions to keep me in check: "What would Elvis do?" And "Would ZZ Top be proud?" The resulting style amalgamation is a mix of vintage wild west, kick-ass class with rhinestones and a sense of humor. I wear what I like, what fits, what's fun and functional.
What advice would you give to teens about having great personal style?
Having great personal style first means having a healthy self image. It means having courage and confidence to wear what you like regardless of what's popular. Play up your strengths and make sure to wear clothes to flatter your strong points no matter what's "in" fashion that week.
Sometimes it's a great exercise to wear something outside of your comfort zone, but always be sure you feel cool and confident in what you're wearing. What makes any outfit great is a positive attitude about yourself. Above all..just go for it.
What advice would you give teens about becoming fashion or costume designers?
Regardless of whether you'd like to be in fashion or costume, you first and foremost need to be passionate about your choice. Try and intern with more than one designer to be sure that the choice you're making is the career you want - most careers in this industry are far less glamorous than you imagine.
I would definitely recommend attending a college that has a great fashion/costume program; having a base of practical knowledge is very important. Treat all people, including yourself, with respect. Have the confidence to go for your dream...especially if people tell you that you can't do it.