But Amartia how do I know? How do these designers get discovered to begin with?
Word of mouth is the first line of defense/marketing. Ask dancers that you know, see what their experiences have been. In terms of fit, there are two options: you can either bite the bullet and fork out the money and the wire transfer fees and see what you get OR you can purchased a well-loved costume from another dancer. There are a lot of groups on Facebook to do this, my favorite place is BHUZ. Dancers from all over the world put up their costumes for sale. You can get photos and detailed measurements as well as an idea of quality. How does the costume hold up after already being worn?
Originality is another thing that I crave in the designers that I work with. I love coming up with a theme or a design (not the best sketch artist) and seeing it come to life. I enjoy collaborating with a designer on a vision and the end result being a magnificent costume. I have also had the most beautiful and unique costumes come out of just letting the designer go for it. I have said something as simple as, I’d like to look like Jade and tada! Gorgeousness!
