Costume Designers
Pro costume designers drawing on Brazil's carnival traditions, vibrant textiles, and Sao Paulo's fashion-forward design scene.
Here is how this works in practice. A costume designer creates the clothing and accessories worn by cast members, using wardrobe to communicate character, era, social status, and narrative arc. In Brazil, costume designers draw on an extraordinary palette of influences — from the elaborate beadwork and featherwork of carnival traditions and Afro-Brazilian heritage to Sao Paulo Fashion Week's modern design scene and Indigenous textile artistry.
Here is the short of it. We connect you with Brazilian costume designers who bring both artistic vision and practical production expertise to each project. Our network has pros with access to Sao Paulo's fashion district, Rio de Janeiro's carnival ateliers, Salvador's Afro-Brazilian craft communities, and costume resources across Globo's vast production ecosystem.
ACT 01
Capabilities
Complete Costume Services
From concept sketches through final wrap, our costume designers deliver wardrobes that bring your characters to life.
01
Costume Design
- Character analysis
- Period research
- Sketch & rendering
- Color coordination
- Story arc wardrobe
Creative Vision
02
Construction
- Custom fabrication
- Pattern making
- Tailoring & fitting
- Aging & distressing
- Specialty pieces
Expert Craftsmanship
03
Sourcing
- Costume house rentals
- Vintage acquisition
- Contemporary shopping
- Accessory coordination
- Multiples management
Resource Access
04
Department Management
- Team coordination
- Budget tracking
- Continuity supervision
- Quick changes
- Background wardrobe
On-Set Leadership
ACT 02
Why Us
Why Choose Our Costume Designers
01.
Brazilian Fashion & Carnival Heritage
Access to Brazil's vibrant costume traditions, from Rio's carnival ateliers and Afro-Brazilian beadwork to Sao Paulo's modern fashion houses and Indigenous textile artistry.
02.
International Production Experience
Costume pros seasoned on major Brazilian and global shoots through Globo's ecosystem, independent cinema, and Netflix series filmed across Brazil.
03.
Local Costume & Fashion Connections
Relationships with Sao Paulo's fashion district, Rio's theatrical costumers, Salvador's artisan communities, and Brazil's extensive network of textile suppliers and carnival workshops.
04.
Colonial & Period Costume Expertise
Pros in Portuguese colonial dress, Imperial Brazil fashion, Afro-Brazilian cultural costume, and the varied regional wardrobes that reflect Brazil's multicultural heritage.
On Location
Costume design drawing on Carnaval samba-escola heritage, Globo telenovela period rigour, and Afro-Brazilian and indigenous textile traditions
Here is how this works in practice. Brazilian costume designers operate from São Paulo and Rio workrooms with cutting tables, dye baths, ageing-and-distressing stations, and bonded climate-controlled storage for principal scene matching. Cao Albuquerque-school department leads run features and high-end series, while the Globo PROJAC wardrobe machine — the largest telenovela tricky on earth, in steady operation since 1965 — supplies fitters, makers, and stock pulls for fast-turnaround period and today's builds.
Here is how the picture comes together. On the ground, we source from São Paulo's wholesale fabric districts (25 de Março, Brás, Bom Retiro), Rio's costume-rental houses, and the samba-escola ateliers of Beija-Flor, Mangueira, Salgueiro, and Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel for sequin, plumage, beadwork, and float-grade sculptural costume capacity unmatched worldwide. Designers, costume supervisors, cutters, and key set costumers are SATED-RJ, SATED-SP, and SindCine registered. With CLT contracts, FGTS 8% termination fund, INSS workers comp sign-ups, 13º salário, and 30-day paid vacation accruals managed in-house. Reciprocal IATSE Local 705/892 plan cover visiting US designers on co-productions.
Here is the short of it. Cultural depth is the Brazilian costume designer's edge. References span colonial baroque Ouro Preto, Olinda, Paraty, Pelourinho Salvador (each a UNESCO heritage site under IPHAN protection), the Empire-era and República rural-aristocrat traditions, Cinema Novo social-realism (Glauber Rocha's Black God, White Devil 1964), the bossa nova and Tropicália 1960s wardrobe vocabulary (Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil), Pelé-era football kit, and today's favela and urban-São Paulo streetwear logged in City of God, Elite Squad, Aquarius, Bacurau, and I'm Still Here.
Here is what we have to work with. On the ground, Designers also set up with FUNAI for indigenous wardrobe consultation across 305 peoples and 274 languages. Yanomami body paint, Kayapó headdresses, Tikuna, Guarani, Xingu — and with Afro-Brazilian Candomblé and Capoeira communities in Salvador. Recent benchmark work has Walter Salles's I'm Still Here (Oscar-nominated, Fernanda Torres Golden Globe winner), Kleber Mendonça Filho's Aquarius and Bacurau, Karim Aïnouz's filmography, and Globo's flagship telenovela slate.
ACT 03
FAQ
Costume Design Expertise
What services does a costume designer provide?
Here is the breakdown. The costume designer creates the look for each character through clothing, working from script analysis through final wrap. This has research, sketching designs, sourcing or creating costumes, overseeing fittings, and supervising the costume department on set.
Can you handle period productions?
Here is what that looks like on the ground. Yes, our costume designers specialize in period work covering Portuguese colonial, Imperial Brazil, Republic era, and mid-century periods. We source from Sao Paulo and Rio costume houses and work with artisans skilled in Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous costume traditions.
How do you handle background costumes?
We give complete background wardrobe services including sourcing, fitting, and on-set management. Our team sets up large crowd scenes with appropriate period or modern dress.
What about specialty costumes like stunts or effects?
We work closely with stunt and VFX departments on specialty needs—creating multiples for action sequences, building costumes for wire work, and constructing pieces that accommodate practical effects.
Do you provide the full costume department?
Yes, we can staff your entire costume department from designer through set costumers. This has supervisors, buyers, cutters, stitchers, and truck costumers as needed for your production scale.
How far in advance should we book?
For features needing major construction, book 8-12 weeks before prep. Standard shoots need 4-6 weeks. Commercials can at times work with shorter timelines based on complexity.
Related Services
Related Creative Roles
ACT 04 — On Set
Need a Costume Designer?
Tell us about your production's wardrobe needs and we'll connect you with pro costume designers.