Jenny Beavan OBE RDI
Title
Honorary Doctor
Person Type
Honorary
Jenny Beavan is a leading British costume designer whose work spans film, television, and theatre. She studied theatre design at London’s Central School of Art and Design (now Central Saint Martins), where she developed the foundations of her distinctive visual style. With ambitions to be a theatre set designer, her first role was on an Arts Council Trainee scheme to the Welsh Theatre and Opera company.
Beavan first gained recognition through her long collaboration with Merchant Ivory Productions, creating historically detailed costumes that helped define their period dramas. Over a career of more than four decades, she has become one of the most decorated designers in the industry, winning three Academy Awards—for A Room with a View (1985), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), and Cruella (2021)—as well as four BAFTA Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and an Olivier Award.
In addition to her design work, Beavan is closely involved in arts education and advocacy. She is an ambassador for The Bright Foundation, a Fellow of Rose Bruford College, and a Companion of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), reflecting her commitment to nurturing future creative talent.
As of 2026, Beavan continues to work at the highest level of film production, contributing as costume designer to the forthcoming Elden Ring film directed by Alex Garland and produced by A24.