Bobby Soutar – Wicked Wednesday
From Wednesday weirdness and Wicked spectacle to Bridgerton elegance, Emmy-winning costume designer Bobby Soutar has stitched his way through some of the most iconic looks on screen. In our exclusive interview, he reveals how he went from acting to costumes, the chaos behind the seams and why 50s fashion is his dream playground.
Photography Christian Trippe Location Angels Costumes
Wednesday, Wicked, Bridgerton – you worked on some of the most iconic TV shows and films in recent years. How did you end up in the world of costume design? Was it planned or more of a happy accident?
Definitely not planned. I originally trained as an actor – went to drama school for three years and did all the usual training. I loved performing, but I was just as drawn to everything happening behind the scenes. After graduating, I did a lot of small fringe shows, and because we rarely had any money, I ended up designing too. That’s when I realised I might be enjoying the design side a bit more.
I fell out of love with acting quite quickly and drifted into the hospitality world – as most actors do at some point! Eventually, I realised I was missing out on my creative potential, so I quit and applied to Central Saint Martins to study Performance Design.
In my second year, a pattern cutter & costume designer called Cecile Van Dijk, who was supervising one of my projects, taught me how to sew – and that shifted things for me. I didn’t see myself as a costume person (I thought I’d be a set designer), but costume felt close to acting I suppose, so it came naturally. When I graduated, she gave me my first job as a trainee costume maker on a Guy Ritchie movie. I wasn’t formally trained in making, so I learned most things on the job, secretly watching YouTube videos at the back of the room and figuring it out as I went along!
Alongside the day job, I kept up my own design projects, often staying late to use the sewing machines to make my costumes. Jane Petrie, a costume designer I admire and was working for at the time, noticed what I was doing and eventually brought me onto her team as an assistant – that led to more assistant roles with other designers, and now, to designing in my own right.
“I learned most things on the job, secretly watching YouTube videos at the back of the room and figuring it out as I went along!”
Do you have a preference – theatre or TV?
I will always love theatre because it's where I come from, but my real love is film & TV. I love how specific it is, and how each project can be totally different in scale and style.
What's the creative process? How do you approach a project?
When I start a new project, one of the first things I do is research and break down the script. That initial stage is all about understanding the world of the story, the characters, and how costume can support both. I’ll spend time building visual references, sketching out ideas, and refining the overall tone and palette. From there, I work closely with my team to gather research and develop looks for each character. If we’re having garments made from scratch, I’ll often produce the technical drawings myself to make sure the details are right, but always collaborating and working as a team. It’s not always a straight line though – things tend to evolve naturally as you go.
During the process of a film production, do you mostly work with the directors, the actors or the wardroom team?
Costume is a really collaborative process. Day to day, you’re working closely with the costume team – the people actually making the pieces – and getting everything to a place where it’s ready to be tried on. That means fittings with actors, presenting to directors or producers, and making sure everyone’s on the same page.
After that, there’s a stretch – sometimes weeks, or days (or hours!) – where it’s all about making or more sourcing, tweaking, and getting everything camera-ready. There’s a lot of trial and error in that stage, which can be just as exciting as it is challenging.
Do you get to go on the set?
Oh yes. That first time a costume appears on camera, the designer and assistants are there to make sure it looks perfect (and to jump on any last-minute issues – which there always are!).
From that point on, each actor has a standby who looks after them throughout the shoot, making sure everything stays consistent and matches what we originally set.
“I think it's always important to really enjoy what you're designing, because you need to love the design to give the clothes life.”
Is there a project that still sticks with you, in a good or bad way?
So many! I’ll always be proud to have worked on Wednesday. Season one was shot in Romania during Covid – we were stuck there for seven months with no trips home. It felt quite isolating and uncertain; but working on a Tim Burton project, and especially with Colleen Atwood, who’s work is a massive inspiration to me, was a huge motivator. When it blew up the way it did, it was amazing – we thought it might be big, but not that big. Our team on the ground was small, so what we pulled off feels pretty special.
That said, Wicked was pretty special too. Contributing to something so iconic, with such a huge global following, is something I’m also really proud of. I learned a lot from Paul Tazewell and similarly working with our epic costume team. We had looms in-house, weaving bespoke fabric! – which gives an idea of the level of detail we were working with. I loved it!
But of course, I can’t leave out Better, the film I designed this year. It was great working with such a brilliant cast and crew, especially on a tight and demanding schedule. Designing for one actor playing multiple characters had its challenges, but I loved finding subtle ways to express each identity through the costumes.
Have you ever designed something you secretly wanted to wear yourself?
Yeah, probably lots of things. When you're immersed in a job you get exposed to all these great pieces – whether it’s a bespoke design being made in-house, an amazing designer find or something from the high street – there’s always something you wish you had in your own wardrobe. I think it's always important to really enjoy what you're designing, because you need to love the design to give the clothes life. I loved how Morticia’s costumes developed in season 2 of Wednesday, but I don't think her clothes would look good on me somehow!
You worked on quite a few iconic productions already. Do you have a dream project you would like to work on?
Like you said, I’ve been lucky to work on some amazing projects. But as I build my own design career, I’d love to do something really special like a high-fashion ‘50s period piece. Something I could go all out on and make absolutely stunning. I love that era of fashion and film making – the bold Technicolor, the tailoring, the craftsmanship and the escapism. It’s all so beautifully put together and I’d love to bring that to life. I’m a big fan of Wes Anderson’s work for that reason. But really, what I enjoy about working in TV and film is that every project is a new challenge and there is so much to learn from it, so in a way, every production has iconic moments.
How did it feel to win an Emmy for Wednesday – to get that kind of recognition for your work?
It was really exciting, which is why Wednesday has a special place in my heart. For such a big show, our costume team was pretty small, but we achieved some amazing things. I’m really proud of my working relationship with Colleen Atwood and Mark Sutherland, the co-designers of the show. It was super exciting – and totally bizarre. I’d never been to LA before, so we did all the touristy things too! But being at the Emmys was crazy, and winning was just the cherry on the cake.
“I’m at an exciting, and, if I’m honest, sometimes scary, stage of my career, as I carve out my own path as a designer. But I’m manifesting hard and feeling confident about whatever comes next.”
What's kind of coming up next for you?
I just designed a contemporary dance show for a company called Mobius Dance — a new piece they developed at their dance atelier in Italy, which just premiered back here in the UK. Wicked: For Good is out next month, and Better, the feature I mentioned previously, is set for release next year. I’m really proud of that one and look forward to seeing it finished.
I’m at an exciting, and, if I’m honest, sometimes scary, stage of my career, as I carve out my own path as a designer. But I’m manifesting hard and feeling confident about whatever comes next.
To find out more about Bobby and his work, visit his website or follow him on Instagram.
Many thanks for Angel Costumes for allowing us to shoot in their amazing warehouse.
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