Episode 27: Justine Seymour
Born in the United Kingdom, Justine began her first career as a model at 16. From created performance art costumes for artists, plays, and television commercials while earning her master’s degree in Design at the Australian Film, Television, and Radio School.
Seymour designed the wardrobe for the Apple TV+ adaptation of The Mosquito Coast. Her award-winning costume design in the Netflix hit miniseries Unorthodox, was nominated for an Emmy and won the German TV Award for Best Costume Designer.
She did the costuming on many films including Mission Impossible II, Moulin Rouge, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Son of the Mask, The Sessions, Backtrack, All-Nighter, and Destination Wedding. And she’s designed episodic television shows for various networks including Netflix’s Messiah and Medal of Honor; TNT’s I Am the Night; and Amazon Studios’ One Mississippi.
Justine begins by telling the story of how she began to sew at age four because of her grandmother. (3:00). Sewing was something she took too quickly through sewing costumes for her dolls.
The Waldorf school curriculum had a profound effect on her creativity (5:59). There she sewed entirely by hand perfecting her craft. It gave her the ability to think outside the box and quickly find solutions.
Listen to her fascinating story about her modeling career and her costuming for artists, plays, and television commercials throughout the 1980s and early 1990s (7:30).
Justine talks in-depth about her costuming experiences for two features Women of the Movement follows Mamie Till in her fight for civil rights and True Spirit, which is based on Australian Jessica Watson’s memoir about her journey as the youngest person ever to sail solo, non-stop around the world (11:30).
Justine treats us to a behind-the-scenes explanation of the processes she uses to costume for a production. Her meticulous approach to detail and inclusion of the actors in the final look. While in grad school she was the only costume designed but worked in the art department and learned the technique of aging fabrics. Enjoy her story about Moulin Rouge and her contribution to the soft furnishings in one of the key scenes. She also shares her experience on-set on this film...and the moment at which she knew that costuming was what she wanted to do (18:29).
Known for authentically building character through costume (29:30) Justine talks about how she earned this reputation through her costuming work on Unorthodox on Netflix. Travel with her into the Satmar community of Williamsburg, The Bronx New York as she shares her adventure in preparing for this production for which she won many costuming awards. (29:54)
Justine has words of advice for those who are interested in following in her footsteps (36:55). A road that she’s traveled for the past 22 years...she’s learned that observing is the most important skill to have. What makes an outfit fantastic?!
And finally, what’s next for her...what’s her dream? Listen at (40:10)!
If you’d like to get in touch with Justine, you can learn more at www.justine-seymour.com and connect with her on Instagram, @justineseymourcostuedesign.