Jessica Van Essen

       Bring me your tired, your wrinkled, your piles of fabrics yearning to be costumes and I will give you characters!  20th century style, fichus, farthingales and petticoats. From Design to Finishing, I will tackle them all. I specializes in period costume as well as pattern making, corset making, millinery and jewelry making. Silk painting and dye fill in the spaces between designs and builds. Leather working and armor are also fun and a great addition to favorite Shakespeare pieces. Need a hat to complete the look? Of course you do! 

        Nineteenth century costume are my favorite, but a good cartridge pleat will not be frowned upon. Doublets or Bustles, all are wonderful and embraced. Bring me challenge, and I find a great deal of pleasure in creating unusual pieces and historically accurate costume.  

         I received my BA in Theatre from the University of Northern Iowa in 2009 and my MFA in Costume Design from Wayne State University in 2012.