The next LCFMA16 Graduate Spotlight is MA Costume Design for Performance student Wendy, Wai Han Ho, a London College of Fashion student who studied BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring before MA Costume Design for Performance. Wendy originally moved over from Hong Kong to London in 2010, where studied tailoring at our Mare Street site before deciding she wanted to challenge herself and study costume design at Lime Grove. LCF News caught up with Wendy before the costume students take centre stage at Sadler’s Wells this Thursday 28 January.
MA Costume Design for Performance student Wendy Ho is a progression student who also studied her BA at LCF.
Where and what did you study prior to your MA at LCF?
I previously studied BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring between 2010-2013 at LCF, graduating with First Class Honours. I then went into the tailoring industry for one year before deciding to study my postgraduate at LCF.
Why did you choose LCF?
LCF MA Costume Design for Performance has a great reputation, I also previously studied at LCF, so I was very familiar with environment and the decision to continue studying here felt natural.
What made you want to study an MA?
I really wanted to learn something different from what I studied before, continuing my education at LCF was always what I wanted to do.
What are you producing for the MA Costume show?
I’ve designed and produced a set of costumes for the main character in Shakespeare’s Macbeth and three Witches.
Tell us about your final year project?
For my final year project I used an advanced level of innovative research focusing on the grotesque and the horrid. I wanted to create something engaging from all perspectives of the play to the theoretical analysis – development of the costume design, selection of material, production, and the final performance. I wanted to communicate with the audience through the characters costume in a different way, mixing the materials to create new interesting grotesque visual effects. Macbeth by William Shakespeare was the play I’m focusing on and reproducing the costume from my vision.
The idea of Macbeth being controlled by witches like a puppet through the prophecy is the main concept that I am trying to deliver to the audience. The performance is shaped through the puppet theatre and the transformation of the costume to show the moral changes of humanity. Through the transformation of the character, Macbeth has changed from a noble human into an inhuman mortal.
What did you find the most interesting things about your degree? What did you also find the most challenging?
For me, the most interesting thing was the structure and learning of the course. It encouraged me to develop my research and build my ideas step-by-step. This helped me to explore more and look at the creativity of the industry and outside the course, building up knowledge that I’d never find from textbooks. The most challenging thing was learning different skills from people you sometimes need to collaborate with, we’re all very different to each other.
What three tips would you give to anyone considering studying MA Costume?
- Study and watch as many performance as you can
- Work hard, and work harder!
- Make connections with a lot of people from different industries.
What are your future plans?
I am planning to move back to Hong Kong and start my career there, using all the skills that I have learnt from London College of Fashion.
- Find out more about MA Costume Design for Performance
- Find out more about other postgraduate courses available at LCF
- See more of Wendy’s work on SHOWtime
- Read more about the MA season of events
- Postgraduate Open Days at LCF
- #LCFMA16 on Twitter and Instagram
- Find out more about BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring