GWEN MC GUIRK
Gwen Mc Guirk is an Irish costume designer. Born in Dublin, she studied fashion & textiles at the National College of Art & Design in Dublin and soon after graduation moved to Milan, Italy. There she became head designer of a menswear company, collaborating with menswear garment manufacturers and textile producers. She later left the fashion world and moved to Verona where she began working at the Arena di Verona .The switch from fashion to costume made sense and the Arena di Verona was a great training ground where as she put it "I saw real couture garments being made for performance". Among which was the legendary Franco Zeffirelli's majestic stagings of Aida and Carmen and the opulent costumes by Anna Anni. She also collaborated with smaller opera companies such Villaincanto, on productions of La Traviata, and La Boheme.
Her first opportunity to work in screen costume came with a collaboration with Teatro7 in Verona and the Franco-German TV channel Arte .
Later Gwen, moved to London and studied costume reproduction at Kensington and Chelsea College and took master classes at Morley College and Wimbledon College. She also trained as a theatrical milliner under legendary milliner of screen and stage -Jane Smith and later worked in her studio. While studying she worked backstage in the wardrobe department at Sadlers Wells Theatre.Other collaborations included Bromley Little Theatre on theatrical productions of Mary Stewart & The Threepenny Opera.
Her first opportunity work for the big screen was as part of the millinery team , creating hats and headpieces for the film Jack The Giant Slayer (2013).
In 2014 she moved to Austria, and worked with documentary drama film maker Hermann Weiskopf in collaboration with AVG Film Production
in 2019 she was awarded Best Costume Design for the feature film "Otto Neururer-Hope through Darkness at 3 European film festivals.
In 2022 Gwen moved back to her homeland Ireland where she now resides and is involved in community projects in West Cork. In 2023, working with local historian Michelle O`Mahony, the exhibition "The Dress -3 Centuries of Weddings was a great success. Listen to the Irish national radio interview
My Story
Gwen Mc Guirk is an Irish costume designer. Born in Dublin, she studied fashion & textiles at the National College of Art & Design in Dublin and soon after graduation moved to Milan, Italy. There she became head designer of a menswear company, collaborating with menswear garment manufacturers and textile producers. She later left the fashion world and moved to Verona where she began working at the Arena di Verona .The switch from fashion to costume made sense and the Arena di Verona was a great training ground where as she put it "I saw real couture garments being made for performance". Among which was the legendary Franco Zeffirelli's majestic staging of Aida and the opulent costumes by Anna Anni. She also collaborated with smaller opera companies Villaincanto, on productions of La Traviata, and La Boheme.
She moved to London and trained as a theatrical milliner under Jane Smith and later studied costume at Kensington and Chelsea College.
Contact
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