Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2012 - 64

A few of the molds for cutting out leaf shapes.

Debbie and Warren Brand in the workroom of M&S Schmalberg.

be used as set dressing for a production at the Metropolitan Opera. After looking at Schmalberg's options, the designer chose
a gardenia to create the poppy look he had envisioned. Seeing
the options can change a client's mind. "Sometimes someone
will come in here desiring a soft, closed, onion-type flower, and
end up with an open cascade of something else," Brand said. Of
course as often as changing a client's mind to a different existing
shape, Schmalberg's artisans will figure out a new combination
of their molds to replicate a client's research. Milliner Arnold
Levine notes that a colleague of his, Aaron Keppel of ID Design,
had great success having realistic flowers made using a combination of molds. For instance, not having a calla lily in the size
he needed, they used a leaf mold instead.
After selecting an array of molds and dies, the client will
often order samples before committing to a larger order. Sometimes the client just needs to double check how the fabric will
look in a chosen shape; sometimes the client wants to see a
range of options. Warren recalled a large order for Disney's
Animal Kingdom done years ago. The designers wanted to experiment, and brought a variety of fabrics to try as samples, in
a variety of shapes. The winning combination turned out to be ultrasuede leaves in a variety of colors. "Giant leaves, coincidentally, not flowers also in this case-big leaves-six and ten inches,
and we made them samples first," Brand said. "I guess they had
a meeting, and then they came back and ordered over 10,000

theatre design

& technology

spring

2012

ultrasuede leaves, which was a nice shot for us." The leaves were
used like scales to cover ants and turtles and other animals.
Why have flowers made? Costume shops and milliners can
certainly make their own fabric flowers in-house, and many do,
but subcontracting is often the best compromise between a completely custom job and settling for what is available pre-made in
stores. Between the complete realism of silk flowers purchasable anywhere and making your own simple ribbon rosettes lies
a huge range of décor options. Levine, the milliner and craftsman who runs Arnold S. Levine Inc. in New York, bemoans the
fact that "you can't find [variety] in stores anymore." Also, since
Schmalberg's molds are vintage, he finds it is much easier to duplicate vintage styles. He recalls using felt flowers for New York
City Opera's Intermezzo, (costumes designed by Martha Munn)
which was set in the 1920s. Felt flowers made from a four-petal
shape were transformed into what he called "art-deco buds dangling in a cluster on the side of a cloche hat."
Sometimes, using a specialty artisan may provide just
the infusion of inspiration or time a project needs. However,
in other instances it may be better to have interns spend days
hand-cutting shapes or custom painting purchased flowers.
And, many times, a flower from the dollar store will do just
fine, and often that is all that the budget will allow.
During my years working in costume design in New York,
I regularly made rounds to cobblers, pleaters, welders, and

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