Sunset Boulevarde 1996

Sunset Boulevard is an extravagant story set in Los Angeles. The Australian stage show debuted in Melbourne in 1996. The character and costumes of Norma Desmond are a display of opulent wealth and extravagance. I worked with Costume Designer Anthony Powell to bring his beading designs to life.

I beaded 9 principle costumes for this show. This is the most beading I have ever done for any stage show. All costumes began with plain fabric with no bead work on them at all. 

The first ensemble I worked on was a 4 piece set: fabric for a turban, a wrap top, culottes, and a beaded full circle coat. The base fabric was faille and I spent the good part of 3 months building layers of cornelli beading. Swirl upon swirl of tiny bugle beads in gold and silver morphed into the beaded glittery gowns that you see in many of the press photos for this Australian performance. 

A black net front tabard piece with a black shoulder wrap was beaded next. This involved working with a formalized design and using an array of silver beads and white pearls. The beading covered both pieces with a little of the net showing in amongst the bead work. 

A black & gold velvet zebra dress with a rhinestone neckline. This dress was cut on the bias grain which proved to be a challenge. The beading was more cornelli but this time using larger gold bugle beads and forming them in a square cornelli pattern rather than a round one. The neckline was then encrusted with beads and flat backed round crystals were stitched in amongst the gold angular cornelli. Other garments were trimmed and embellished with beading. 

I was priviledged and humbled to be flown to Melbourne to see the show. It was the most wonderful show to watch. It brought a tear to my eye to see the beaded costumes under the stage lights and what such a volume of beading can add to the visual spectacle of live theatre.