The Diary of Anne Frank

We are excited to feature our first production interview and costume feature of the year with the charismatic - Kelsey Vidic. The Diary of Anne Frank featured Ellie Dublin as Anne. 

S: Kelsey, we are so excited to have you on our blog! What is one unexpected place you found inspiration for the design in this show?

K: For this particular show I can't think of an unexpected place I found inspiration. But, the biggest source of inspiration for me was the vast amount of actual photos I had access to of the Frank family and the people that surrounded them in that time period. There were such lovely photos of Anne and her friends prior to the war that I found great clothing research I used for both Anne and Margot.

S: What was your favorite piece of clothing in this show and what story did it tell? 

K: One of my favorite pieces was the navy blue sweater that Anne wears in the second act. We had this lovely woman, Zelpha, knit that especially for this show. Between the subtle hand quality and love that the sweater possessed, it was such an important addition to Anne's costume. It helped age her in the second act and bring down her color palate in the most perfect way. 

S: As a costume designer, how does your personal style influence a production's design?

K: Costume designer's will always be influenced by their personal style, it's what makes each designer individual and special. In particular for this production, I feel that the color palate and color choices came straight from my personal taste and intuition. 

S: What aspect of the early 1940's clothing stood out to you the most while you were designing this production?

K: What was most interesting to think about in terms of this time period was navigating the difference between pre WWII and the fashion change during WWII. The fashion of the time changed specifically because of the war due to practicality. Therefore I had to approach their clothing as if they were not affected by the war since they came in to the attic with pieces they wore/purchased before the war became too influential on peoples' wardrobes. That was a interesting challenge to work around and think about. 

S: Before we wrap up, we wanted to ask you one last question. What designer are you currently inspired by and why? 

K: I will forever and always be inspired by Alexander McQueen (Rest in Peace). While he was alive, he created the most amazing and inspiring breadth of work. Every fashion show was a performance, his vision is incomparable. 

Kelsey's next design can be seen this spring at the Dance Repertory Theatre production of Body & Souls. Thanks for sharing a piece of your process with us, Kelsey!