How a commission unfolds.
A commission begins with a character, a custom costume, or a piece of wearable art that needs to be built. It begins with a story.
The studio’s process is unhurried. Each stage exists to make the work better, not to move it along.
If you have something in mind — a character, a moment, a feeling that’s been waiting for a shape — we’d love to hear about it.
Conversation
This is where we listen.
The brief is where we begin. It can be a custom costume, a piece of wearable art, or a character world that needs to be made real.
We reply within three business days with an honest answer about what we can and cannot do — including, when needed, not yet or not us.
Discovery
This is where we meet the work.
We listen for what the work is for. The character. The silhouette, materials, styling, wardrobe, and atmosphere that will give it a life.
The first conversation about scope and cost happens after Discovery, when we understand enough to talk about it honestly.
Design
This is where the visual world begins to take shape.
References, materials, silhouette, styling, wardrobe, and visual direction are gathered and refined. This is where the Character Couture piece begins to take shape.
Nothing is final until you’ve felt right about it. If a fitting is part of the work, it lives here.
Refinement
This is where the work gets honest.
Costumes and wearable objects often reveal what they really want to be halfway through making them. We build time into Refinement so we can listen to the work itself.
We will not cut Refinement short for a deadline. If the shoot, styling, or piece needs more time, we tell you, and we work out a new path together.
Making
This is where the studio is quiet.
The studio closes its doors during Making. We send updates when there is something meaningful to share — not on a schedule.
This is the longest stage. It is where the character becomes a finished piece made to be worn — with imagery added when it belongs in the commission.
Delivery
This is where the work arrives.
Images are delivered with care. Pieces are delivered in person whenever possible; for distant clients, they are shipped insured, with the studio available for anything that comes up after the work has been seen and worn.
A commission doesn’t end at delivery.
What you can expect
We don't promise a delivery date before we understand the work. We promise honesty, communication, and craftsmanship.
We share a written estimate before Making or photography begins.
If the project isn't a fit for the studio, we say so. If the studio isn't a fit for the project, we help you find who is.
You'll work directly with the studio throughout.
A commission begins with a story. Tell us the world you want to enter.