Costume Design for Film and TV: Where Delight’s Fashion and Media Schools Overlap
By Delight Technical College | Cross-Disciplinary Careers | 2026
Costume design is one of the most exciting intersections of fashion and media- a career that draws equally on technical garment-making skills and visual storytelling sensibility. At Delight Technical College, where both a world-class fashion school and a media school operate on the same campus, the skills required for costume design are available under one roof. Here is how.
🎭 What Is Costume Design?
A costume designer is responsible for all the clothing and accessories worn by characters in a film, television production, theatre show, music video, or commercial. Costume design is not styling, it is a deeply researched, technically demanding creative discipline that serves the storytelling. A costume designer asks:
- Who is this character? What does their clothing say about them?
- What period is this story set in? What did people wear then?
- What is the character’s emotional journey? How does their clothing reflect that journey?
- How will these costumes look on camera in terms of colour, texture, and movement?
- How can I create these looks within the production’s budget and timeline?
🎓 The Fashion Skills Required
From Delight’s fashion programme, costume designers draw on:
- Garment construction- making period and fantasy garments that may not be available to buy
- Pattern making- drafting patterns for specific actors’ bodies and unique silhouettes
- Fabric knowledge- selecting materials that behave correctly on camera and in movement
- Tailoring and dressmaking- constructing everything from period corsets to contemporary suits
- Embroidery and beadwork- decorating garments to period or stylistic specifications
- Fitting and alteration- adapting costumes to individual actors’ bodies
🎬 The Media Skills Required
From Delight’s media programme, costume designers draw on:
- Film production knowledge- understanding how clothing reads on camera
- Colour theory- knowing how colours translate under film lighting
- Storytelling instinct- understanding narrative and character development
- Production workflow- understanding how costume fits into the broader production process
- Visual communication- reading and interpreting directors’ visual briefs
💼 Career Paths
- Costume Designer- leading the costume department of film and TV productions
- Costume Maker- constructing garments for costume designers
- Wardrobe Assistant- supporting the costume department on set
- Costume Researcher- researching historical and cultural costume for period productions
- Film and TV Stylist- styling contemporary productions and talent
“Every character you have ever believed in on screen was partly created by a costume designer. At Delight, we train the people who create those characters.”
💡 Kenya’s growing film and television industry is creating increasing demand for skilled costume designers, particularly those who understand African cultural dress alongside contemporary fashion.
📍 Delight Technical College | Muindi Mbingu Street, Opposite Jevanjee Gardens, Nairobi | +254 722 533 771 | www.delight.ac.ke
