PC Williams is the proud winner of the Costume Design award, at the BAFTA Craft Awards 2022, for her work in the highly acclaimed TV series, We Are Lady Parts.
Williams graduated from Central Saint Martins: UAL, where she currently holds a position as an Associate Lecturer. A stylist and creative consultant working across advertising, fashion, music and moving images, her obsession with youth culture is evident throughout her work and has led to her forming relationships with leading brands. She regularly contributes to a vast range of publications including British Vogue, Hunger, Wonderland, The Fader and Twin Magazine.
Thank you for taking the time to have a chat with us and congratulations on winning the award for Costume Design at the BAFTAs! What made you pursue costume designing as a career?
I didn’t really choose it, it more of chose me. I wanted to tell stories, and clothes and fabrics were how I best shared a narrative. I believe I’m in the place I need to be to live to my fullest potential.
How do you begin work on a project of this size (We are Lady Parts)? What is your research/preparation process?
It all starts with the scripts and the story. What do we want to say? Who are these people and how do I help to make them real? I research the characters’ backstories and how that might affect the way in which they want to present themselves to the world. I then develop the characters’ wardrobe and pull looks from that.
Do you have a specific colour palette for each character?
Yes. I also collaborate with the production designer to make sure that my thinking aligns with theirs and that we’re creating a cohesive world.
Where do you draw your inspiration from? Where do you source your costumes?
Everyday life. People on the street. Art. Films. Music. Instagram. Pinterest. You name it, I probably look at it, take it in and dissect it in my own way into my work.
Throughout your career, what has been the most challenging costume to source and create?
Wedding dresses are always the hardest. It’s not about my aesthetic but the character’s aesthetic. So far, I’ve designed three wedding dresses and they couldn’t be more different from one another, but equally, they all feel (thankfully) that they’ve come from my mind. The textiles are very me.
What advice would you give anyone desiring to pursue a career in costume design?
Don’t be scared to make mistakes and to fail. The lessons and growth aren’t always in the highs but in how you get up from the lows. Also, remember that we play dress up for a living, so enjoy it!
Follow PC Williams on Instagram and read more about her work
