Formal wear origins

©Jürgen Hartmann
That’s not the only reason why
endurance is important. Feeney-Beaton,
at the Royal Opera House, says: “As most
of the Royal Opera House productions
stay in the repertoire for many years, the
life of any of our costumes will be long
and unforgiving. It therefore goes without
saying that good quality fabrics are a
prerequisite for each and every one.”
There may also be times when pieces
from a previous production will be
recast in a revival. Occasionally, new
costumes will have to be made and
that’s where Scabal can help. “We
have the opportunity to work together to
find a fabric that is so similar it will fit in
perfectly with the production,” she says,
adding that this was the case with a
recent revival of La Traviata.
Werner Pick, Head of Staatstheater Stuttgart’s
Costume Department
Verdi’s Rigoletto (left), Puccini’s La Rondine (middle) and Mozart’s Don Giovanni (right), three shows at
La Fenice in which actors wear costumes made from Scabal fabrics
All in all, it’s a question of quality
of the fabrics and this accounts for a
thriving business even during times of
tight budgets. Verheyen in Germany
explains that Scabal’s reputation for
high quality and its insistence that it
only works with the best materials has
kept its working relationship with the
sector healthy.
Quality of service plays a role
too. Tieppo says: “We have a good
relationship with the people who work
at Scabal. The sales agent is always
available and if we do not have the right
material, the agent will always help us.
For some people, it doesn’t matter but for
me this is very important.”
INTERVIEW
Staatstheater Stuttgart is one of the
most prestigious theatres in Germany.
This cultural institution was built from
1909-1912 by the Royal Court of
Prussia and is now considered as
the world’s largest tri-discipline
theatre, which stages very successful
performances of opera, theatre and
ballet. Creating costumes for this
kind of institution would appears to
be a dream job, and we wanted
to know more. Scabal’s German
representative, Rudolf Verheyen,
introduced us to Werner Pick, who
has been the head of Staatstheater
Stuttgart’s costume department since
2000. The designer talks about his
passion for cloth and drama, and
opens the curtains on his profession.
It may be a market which is highly
competitive, cost conscious and facing
budget cuts but for theatre, the whole
package has to be there to create the
dramatic effect required to delight the
audience – and that includes dressing
to impress.
Emma Portier Davis
BESPOKEN: Head of the costume
department of Staatstheater Stuttgart
– was this a childhood dream?
WERNER PICK: No, it was not. I had quite
different plans. Costume design came to me
more or less as an after-thought.
How did you get here? What is your
background?
After school I was not sure of the route to
take. I took an education in a pedagogical
profession and, after this, I participated in
independent theatre productions backstage
and was responsible for the costumes. Art
had always been interesting for me, so I
could see myself working in costume design.
In order to become more professional,
I started to study at the Universität der
Künste in Berlin. After that, I achieved
my first contract as head of a costume
department. In Stuttgart, I have held this
position now for eleven years. I like leading
people on the one hand, and I love theatre
and costumes, so this position is ideal.
How many costumes are made each
year in your workshops?
We do not manufacture all our costumes;
sometimes they are bought, some are
second hand or we reuse older costumes.
In our workshops, we produce around
5,000 costumes per year. Beyond that, we
produce shoes, hats, jewellery, weapons,
armour and we are responsible for makeup
and wigs.
How many metres of fabric do
you need, on average, to create a
costume?
That depends on the costume, starting
from 50cm for a vest or accessory. Huge,
historical costumes can need anything
from 20 up to 30 metres. For a tutu, we
need many metres of tulle, for example.
How many people work in your
department?
It’s like a company within the company –
our staff comprises around 200 people in
15 sub departments, with an additional 20
trainees in five different professions.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Art itself provides the inspiration, and
the variety of tasks that demand different
perspectives for opera, drama and dance.
Maybe it is the most beautiful professional
work, when you can always co-operate with
artists. Personally, I draw energy from
nature, visual arts and music.
How and when did you first encounter
Scabal?
I have been working with Scabal for a
long time, but I only visited the company
for the first time in Brussels in 2009. I was
fascinated by the combination of steady
innovation with the knowledge of tradition.
Scabal embodies both in perfect harmony!
What kind of Scabal fabrics do you
prefer?
As to the colour – classic black, as to
the material – smooth, comfortable and
cuddly. Scabal Velvet fabric meets all my
requirements!
‘OUR STAFF COMPRISES AROUND 200
PEOPLE IN 15 SUB DEPARTMENTS AND WE
PRODUCE 5,000 COSTUMES PER YEAR.’
Staatstheater Stuttgart
Off-stage, what is your daily sartorial
style?
This can be very variable and I do
not make a huge difference between
professional and private life. As I am
working in an artistic environment I can be
casual in my own style. I like comfortable
knitted jackets, as to the pants it can be
jeans or something more extravagant.
Lately, I have rediscovered traditional
garbs as an inspiration. I like to renew
combinations every day.
What will be your fashion touch for
next winter?
Especially in winter, I have to care for
multiple layers as I stay in different rooms
with different temperatures at work and I
normally come to work by bicycle! I will try
out knitted layers, but never without sack
coat or other jackets. My basic colour is
black and I shall not change it, but mix into
it gray, green or rust.
Interview by Jérôme Stéfanski
40 I BESPOKEN BESPOKEN I 41
© Martin Sigmund © Martin Sigmund