When Tarnished Frocks and Divas opens its five-show season and more than 300 garments take to the stage Robyne Dowdall will sigh with satisfaction at a job well done.
Robyne Dowdall is Tarnished Frocks and Divas' creative director of design, responsible for everything that is worn on the show, for ensuring the costumes enhance the script and thrill the audience.
Tarnished Frocks and Divas is described as "theatre on the catwalk'' which emphasises how important the costumes are to the show. It is equally vital they reflect the theme, this year a tangled thread. The actual storyline is a closely held secret until opening night.
Robyne will be the first to point out that while she gives direction she has a talented team working with her. "I am supported by an amazing group of people to whom I give an enormous amount of creative freedom because I trust them to surprise me in the best possible way," she says.
This fifth and most ambitious show has a design team of five including Robyne. She works with Kerry Funnel on the garments for the principal performers while cooperating with other designers working on their allocated sections of the show.