Cinderella
Ohio Light Opera • 2022
Costume Design: Suwatana Rockland
The Cinderella transformation dress was a wonderful challenge of research, trusting my instinct, and trial and error. We wanted a true early Victorian bell silhouette for the white mother’s gown, while using that structure to hide the blue gown underneath.
Process
To create the correct silhouette while hiding the blue gown, I determined the skirt required two lower hoops to support the weight of the white satin. The blue skirt was created from thin blue organza and tulle so it could be bundled up into a pocket built into the top layer of ruffles.
The bodice is split along the sides, and the white sleeve flounces were draped to overlap and hide the blue poof sleeves. The actress was able to pull on the front of her gown and drop the bodice while spinning and a hidden tether held the bodice pieces out of the way under the skirts.
