Black, Queer, and Designing Costumes for Broadway

There’s something magical about getting dressed
up, rushing to beat curtain call, and slipping into a red
velvet chair holding a Playbill as the lights go down, the frigid
air cloaked with anticipation. In a matter of moments, all your
senses melt away into the world of characters; you’ve arrived at
the theater. You’re not sure what’s in store, but like all art
forms, it takes you to another world where the combined ingenuity
of plot, characters, and costumes leave you on the edge of your
seat. But what exactly goes into these productions—specifically,
what goes into creating the many iconic costumes for them—can be
as elusive as what you’re getting into when the curtain
lifts.

To shed some light on this essential backstage component of
professional theater, we reached out to costume designer Jérôme
Lamaar, who is currently working on As Much As I Can at Joe’s
Pub. This was the first time Lamaar, a fashion designer who has
been at the helm of his own line as well as designed custom pieces
for Beyoncé, has
branched into costume design. Ahead, he will be sharing what
exactly goes into creating costumes for a show and why fashion
isn’t limited to the runway, but in many ways plays a critical
supporting role in other art forms. But first, a bit about the
play…

Did you know that if infection rates don’t change by 2020, one
out of two black men who have sex with men will contract HIV in
their lifetime? Not many do, which is why director and writer of
the play
As Much As I Can, Sarah Hall, wanted to bring this conversation
to the forefront through experiential theater. Throughout the play,
which runs at
Joe’s Pub from September 12 to 16, you follow the lives of four
black gay men to not only explore the relationships they have to
all aspects of their life but to destigmatize the taboos around
treatment and HIV itself.

For those who don’t know, what does being a costume
designer for a show entail? What makes it different from designing
a clothing line?

I did all of the looks. What’s awesome about it was using color
to express the energy of each situation and how it floats in space.
It’s so important to highlight how significant each storyline is
for the community, so why not apply color into the mix to stimulate
the senses?

You’ve designed your own collection, worked with
brands like Baby Phat, curated pop-ups, and have even created
pieces for Beyoncé. What initially attracted you to creating
costumes for a play?

It made perfect sense to gracefully transition into costume
design after so many years of telling stories through my brand. The
timing of the play and the topic simply resonated with me as a
creative.

What goes into creating costumes for a play? How is it
different from how you currently go about your creative
process?

For me, it was understanding the backstory and complexity of
each character. I actually prefer to work this way. I think
everyone should look past the surface when creating.

What is one of the biggest challenges of creating
costumes for a play that most people wouldn’t
expect?

The biggest challenge is really understanding how a character is
moving within each scene. I discovered that some ideas that look
good in theory simply don’t work in reality when the actor is in
character.

Which character was the most challenging to create
costumes for? Why?

Ms. Hope Chest (above), for she has multiple looks in a specific
color that needs to elevate his nuance of being one’s self in
public and private. She is larger than life, and I wanted to make
sure you felt the magic in each scene.

What are you hoping your costumes add to the
production?

I simply hope my perspective on the costume will highlight the
many flavors of being a gay male of color. We are complex, lovable
and creative. Everything we wear should be a reflection of
ourselves. While fashion plays a huge role for us, we do take pride
in our health, education, success, and families. That’s what I hope
will it will add to the production.

As a black designer, and now a costume designer, who
occupies predominantly white spaces, what do you want your art to
say to the world?

I am not just a “black designer.” I am A DESIGNER. Once the
world stops labeling and putting everyone into a box, we can all
move into a more enlightened state of existence.

What can we expect from you after this?

Well, maybe you will see my return to fashion design. Or maybe I
will produce a capsule. Or maybe I will publish a book covering the
last 18 years of my fashion career and life lessons. You just have
to stay tuned…

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