Every evening, Cabaret de Licques’ dinner show in Nord Pas de Calais enchants spectators from all horizons. Feathers, rhinestones, sequins, and flamboyant costumes adorn the Cabaret’s dancers. Since this year, the costumes have been entirely made on-site, unique and handcrafted, a true symbol of excellence in French craftsmanship in tailoring.
Lilie, Head Costume Designer, reveals the secrets behind the creation of the cabaret costumes that make up the “Fantastic” revue
An example of a costume for the “Fantastic” revue, made with ostrich feathers[/caption]
How many costumes are created for a revue?
That obviously depends on the number of artists on stage. At the Cabaret, the “Fantastic” revue consists of 7 acts, which represents approximately 150 costume pieces. I am working on setting up a workshop and designing all the pieces that will be made and sewn on-site. The objective is to provide unique quality and put it at the service of the show.
The sewing workshop[/caption]
How do you find inspiration for creating the costumes?
The revue consists of 5 main acts, not counting the opening and the finale. There is an act on the theme of fashion, an act on Spain, the French Cancan, a glamorous act, and a disco act. These themes are all sources of inspiration. I imagine the costumes based on these themes.
Could you describe the costume manufacturing process?
The stages of costume creation[/caption] There are 5 main stages in making a costume:
- The first stage involves determining the themes. This is done jointly with the artistic director and the establishment’s director. I then enter a research phase, primarily visual, and create inspiration boards.
- The second stage is creating the drawings. I draw inspiration from my boards to sketch the initial visuals, then I color them.
- The third stage consists of creating patterns, first in paper and miniature, then in fabric and full-scale, according to the dancers’ measurements.
- The next stage is sourcing fabrics. This is when I materialize my ideas. It’s the most interesting moment when the costume comes to life. The choice of materials must meet aesthetic constraints but also ergonomic ones. The costume must be visually appealing, but it is also a working tool, let’s not forget!
- The last stage is manufacturing, which is the practical step. A revue costume requires between 10 to 100 hours of work depending on the model, and extremely meticulous craftsmanship! The most difficult pieces to make are sometimes the smallest!
Do external contributors participate in the design of the Cabaret's costumes?
Rhinestones and other trimmings[/caption] That was the case before my arrival at the Cabaret as head costume designer. Today, all costumes are made on-site and handcrafted. The specificity of stage costumes lies in the rhinestones. We manually apply rhinestones to all our costumes using Swarovski rhinestones that we purchase from the greatest Parisian jewelers like Maison FRIED. We also use the services of a feather artist, Dominique, who is none other than the feather artist for the late LIDO de PARIS. For dance shoes and French Cancan boots, we will use Maison Clairvoy.
What training did you receive to create stage costumes?
I have been passionate about history with a capital H since my early childhood. I was a dancer, and I am proud to have obtained the DMA (Diplôme des Métiers d’Arts) specializing in fashion, clothing, and costume. My training is complemented by feather art training; I was trained by the Octave Feuillet high school, the only existing training today in the art of feather work.
How much does the most expensive costume in this revue cost?
The most expensive costume in the “Fantastic” revue is the finale costume. The “Ruby” costume features red feathers entirely hand-cut and handmade jewelry chains, valued at 2,000 euros each. In conclusion, since the birth of grand spectacles, costumes have played a predominant role in cabaret acts. They are an integral part of the revue’s creation, just like the staging, choreography, sets, and lighting. Cabaret de Licques perpetuates this tradition for the greatest delight of its spectators.
To discover our Fantastic revue, book your show date now!
