Her mission:  To Green Hollywood One Costume At a Time.

Kresta’s green crusade started when she was writing green articles for the Costume Designers Guild newsletter. Her research for an article about recyclable materials in the costume department made her realize how much waste was never recycled due to the lack of information and proper systems for disposal.   But she didn’t stop there, Kresta took her mission to the next level, and created a dress “The Costume Department” dress, that would start a campaign that aims to educate and inspire the members of the entertainment industry to use less, recycle more and make Hollywood a greener industry.

Meet Kresta Lins, a costume designer with a mission to help Hollywood become greener by telling a story of recycling and sustainability through the art of costume design.

MM -  Kresta, What motivated you to start on your mission?
KL - It all started with a link to the “LA City Department of Sanitation”, where I learned about the proper way to recycle and saw first hand how miss-informed I was about what can and can’t be recycled.  I’ve been working in the entertainment industry for over 12 years and the amount of paper and plastics we go through on a daily basis is shocking.  So much of what we use can be recycled but almost never gets disposed of correctly.

MM -  I know what you mean. As a Costume Designer myself, it bothers me the amount of trash we produce and although we try to recycle, sometimes I never know what to do with a lot of the waste. Why do you think Hollywood is not green enough?
KL - I think there is a disconnection between the people that organize the recycling systems and the actual execution of these systems.  Sometimes is as simple as not knowing where the recycle bins are, or not having the right information of what goes into which bin.  I think Hollywood wants to be greener, but there is a need for a department that coordinates the recycling program - green jobs so to speak, that helps the recycling process in the film industry with more PR and communication with the crew and employees.

MM - I can see that happening at some point.  So is that part of your mission, to green Hollywood?
KL - My main mission is to create awareness of what we could be doing to reduce waste and hopefully inspire folks to take action wherever they can.  That is why I created the first costume - The Costume Department dress.

MM -  I love the dress you created, how did you come up with the idea?

KL - A little after I wrote an article about recyclable materials in the costume department, as I was watching The Duchess for the 15th time, I realized that panniers look a lot like laundry baskets… “That’s it!” - The rest hit me like a bolt of lightning. My mind raced as I realized that my two greatest passions—costume design and recycling—could come together to make a difference.

So I started with what I know best, Costume Design, and the materials that we use in the costume department such as old scripts, shopping bags, and created the first dress after an 18th century, Marie Antoinette -style gown, entitled “Let them Recycle!”

All the items used for the construction of the gown are recyclable materials.I used shopping bags, scripts, fashion magazines, hangers, laundry baskets, ink cartridges and dry cleaning bags.

Each item was used to mimic the extravagance of the era, including a wig made of dry cleaning bags.

Old script pages of different colors are used as decoration as well as rosettes of recycled paper packaging and manila tags. The undergarments are also designed true to the period and incorporate a recycled denim corset and laundry basket panniers.

Once finished it was photographed and used for the cover of The Costume Designer magazine.

MM - I heard the dress has been getting a lot of attention. What happened next?
KL - Since then, I teamed up with Lauren Selman, the founder of Reel Green Media, an environmental consulting company for the entertainment industry, and together we put together “The Sustainable Sirens” campaign project.

The project is designed around 6 costumes, each of them inspired by a different department in the film industry.  The first one is The Costume Department Dress - “Let them Recycle!” which has been in display in several boutiques and events around Los Angeles, and will soon be available as a poster.  My hope is that the poster will serve as an inspiration to use less and recycle more.

MM - So from concept to creation, what is your approach when you design one of these costumes?  How do you get inspired?
KL - I start by interviewing each department and asking them “What kind of waste do you produce in your department?”  Each department has different needs and therefore they consume different products.
For example the second dress of the campaign started by interviewing the Casting Department.  When I asked what kind of waste they produced, the answer was quite interesting; it was all about information disposal.  For example, CD’s, DVD’s head shot pictures, tons of scripts.  There were actually 3 towers of DVD’s that they were going to throw off.   So the concept emerged for the second costume entitled “Cast a Change”. The concept is a mermaid and the subject is e-waste and information disposal.   I won’t go into details now, because it’s not ready yet.  The “Cast a Change” costume will be done by the end of 2009, and you will be able to see it here at Designed by Hollywood.

MM - It seems that each dress has a story behind it doesn’t it?
KL - Yes, each dress has a story to tell about what choices we can make that are better for the environment.
When I became aware of what I could recycle, I reduced my trash to 50%, and I took those best practices to a show I just finished.  Yes it’s work, but it pays off at the end.

"Recycle This" Poster Photography by © Jason Holmes, Model Mather Louthe.

MM - What did you do exactly? I know a lot of us want to do something and don’t know what or how.
KL - We eliminated the use of tons of plastics and kept our paper use to a minimum.  When shopping, we used reusable shopping bags made of fabric.  We also used fabric garment bags to send clothes to the cleaners, and got them back in those bags as well, so we eliminated dozens of plastic bags, a day. Which translated to hundreds at the end of the show. We printed on the back of old scripts.  We also each had our own re-usable water bottles and coffee mugs - eliminating the need for single serving water bottles. We brought silver ware from home and used that instead of the plastic ones you get at the take-outs.  By implementing these changes we reduced our waste a lot.

MM -  What are the plans for the future?
KL - We are currently building an interactive website where site users
will be able to find information about the proper disposal of materials and alternative products in each costume.
Once the 6 costumes are finished, they will be on public display in a variety of venues, and then will travel as an art exhibition to museums, award ceremonies and
events to educate the general public about waste reduction and sustainability.  Posters will be made and distributed to prop houses, costume rental shops, guilds, studios, high traffic production areas as well as production trailers.

MM -  Kresta in the eve of the Holidays, there is always so much waste of paper wrapping, Christmas decorations etc. Do you have any suggestions that will help us keep our waste to the minimum?
KL - Yes I have a lot; here are a few of my suggestions for a green Christmas.

• Wrapping gifts in interesting newsprint, magazine pages or fabric scraps is a great way to reuse items that would otherwise get thrown away.  You can get super creative and decorate with items like bottle caps and the plastic netting from produce–look at your trash in a different way and get creative!

• Items that make sustainability easier and fun make great gifts–especially for kids–there is some fun stuff out there like zero waste lunch kits and cool reusable bags.

• What I like to do for holiday gifts is donate to a charity in the name of my family members.  I also request that in lieu of gifts that they do the same for me.  I have so much; I don’t need anymore “things.”  Giving to a cause you or your loved one believes in is the best gift–and it doesn’t require any boxes or gift-wrapping!!!

MM - Thank you so much Kresta.  I look forward to your next costume in “The Sustainable Sirens” campaign, and hope that each one of them helps our world last longer.

KL - My Pleasure!

The Sustainable Sirens is a creative public service project designed to promote the most effective ways that the entertainment industry can reduce their waste and become more sustainable, through the design and promotion of six unique costumes made from the waste found in various departments of film, television and theater production.
Kresta Lins has been working in the film industry for over twelve years. She has worked on hit shows like Greyʼs Anatomy, Criminal Minds, Power Rangers and Hank. A graduate of Otis College of Art Design, in Fashion Design, Illustration, Costume History and Textile, Kresta is a member of Costume Designers Guild 892 and Motion Picture Costumers 705.
Lauren Selman, is the Founder of Reel Green Media, LLC, an environmental consulting company dedicated to environmental responsibility in the entertainment
industry. She is also an actress and producer. Lauren draws on her entertainment experience and environmental knowledge to frame decisive sustainability initiatives and goals for her clients.

Can you imagine a world without DaVinci and Michelangelo?

As a Costume Designer, I don’t know where we would be if we didn’t have all that art.  A vast amount of our work is based on the research we do from paintings, sculptures, etchings, manuscripts etc..

My gratitude goes to those courageous men.

For all of those art lovers out there, this is a must read.
” The Monuments Men” by Robert Edsel.

*Disclaimer: I bring you this book suggestion because I read it and like it. I did not receive any money to give my opinion about it.  I will receive a little tip if you buy it with my link at Amazon.com.  Thanks

The costumes on display are the original ones worn by actors: Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Melanie Laurent, and Julie Dreyfus.

For a limited time you can see them up close at the Landmark Theaters in Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, and the West Side Pavillions in Los Angeles.

For those of you that can’t come to see them, here are some pictures so you can see how splendid they are.

Inglourious Basterds
Studio: The Weinstein Co
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Producer: Laurence Bender
Starring: Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Eli Roth, Christoph Waltz, Julie Dreyfus,
Melanie Laurent, Mike Myers
Costume Designer: Anna Sheppard
Production Designer: David Wasco
Special Effects Make Up: Greg Nicotero

©2009 Designed by Hollywood® All rights Reserved

Amor Vincit Omnia - Key Ring

Father’s Day Special.
Show your Dad, how much you care for him with this sterling silver and enamel key ring, featuring - “Love Conquers All”, in Latin “Amor Vincit Omnia”.

The key chain is made of 925 sterling silver, and one of the balls unscrews to let the keys in.
The disc pendant is also sterling silver and measures aprox. 3/4 of an inch in diameter and features the motto “Amor Vincit Omnia”, (Love Conquers All) surrounded in black enamel.

* by Costume Designer Michele Michel

Erin Lareau, Emmy Award Winning Costume Designer, is the artist creator behind the “Objets de Fantasie” – everyday and vintage objects paved with thousands of individually placed crystals, turning vintage cameras, computer mice, toasters, chairs, etc into unique works of art, glamorous masterpieces.

Her dazzling work of art has been adopted, and commissioned by many celebrities including, Madonna, Elton John, Jamie Lee Curtis, Christina Aguilera, and have appeared in numerous shows like “Friends”, “Sex and the City”.

Now for a limited time, you can get your own “Objets de Fantasie”
Magical Tiny chairs for parties, weddings…as special invitations.
Chic business card holder, Photo holder for your desk.

Fun, elegant, unusual. Presented Singly or in Sets in a Black Velvet box like the jewelry that they are…$25.00 each, at our store.

A former dancer and choreographer, Erin Lareau, is a multi-faceted Emmy Award Winning Costume Designer, and acclaimed Fine artist.
Possessing both fascination and gift for transformational art, Erin Lareau is also the artist creator behind the “Objets de Fantasie” – everyday and vintage objects paved with thousands of individually placed crystals, turning vintage cameras, computer mice, toasters, chairs, etc into unique works of art, glamorous masterpieces. “Rather than decorating with a few crystals I create a solid wall of shimmer.”

Erin’s “Objet de Fantasie” have been exhibited in many museums, such as The Orange County Museum of Art, The Peterson Automotive Museum, Long Beach Museum of Art, The Arclight Gallery, and lately an installation opening in May 2009 on Lankershim Boulevard, in North Hollywood art’s district, showcasing “Walk of the Glass Slippers” a series of three permanent six foot tall shoe sculptures.

Her dazzling work of art has been adopted, and commissioned by many celebrities including, Madonna, Elton John, Jamie Lee Curtis, Christina Aguilera, and have appeared in numerous shows like “Friends”, “Sex and the City”. She has been invited to participate with her pieces on several installations like the Swarovski pavilion for the Academy Awards, and her installations have been displayed in brand campaigns for prestigious names such as Tiffany & Co, and Neiman Marcus. In addition her work has also been part of philanthropic events and have helped to raise awareness of world causes in charity events such as Project Angel Food to name a few.

Let me introduce you to a real Hollywood trendsetter, Costume Designer Erin Lareau, whose story is as sparkling and multi-faceted as her art.

Here is our conversation:

MM - Erin, tell me about your background, Where are you from? How did you end up here in Hollywood?
EL - I was born in Northern California, the daughter of two teachers. As a child I dreamed about traveling the world. My glamorous life, began on the stage, as a child, a dancer. I had my small town dancing class as a toddler, dropping ballet class at the ultra – sophisticated age of eight, but dabbling in folk dance, belly dance, junior cotillion in junior high and early high school. I then studied Environmental Studies in college and graduated early on the Dean’s List. I applied to law school.

MM – Law School, that’s interesting.
EL - But then something happened. I saw a jazz musical and was completely drawn in, completely entranced. I just wanted to do that, so I undertook to study jazz dance seriously for one year - as a graduation present to myself - pre- law school.

MM - What did your parents say?
EL - Oh – every single conversation with my parents contained the law school question - for years. Then, as a dancer I was offered a job in a movie and everything changed. Much to my parents dismay, the experience inspired me to move to LA to pursue professional dance. I figured, dance is a short career, law school could wait.

MM - So you moved to Los Angeles.
EL - Yes and my little girl dreams to go see the world began to come true. My first job took me to Japan, and after that I toured twenty countries. It’s the perfect way to spend your twenties. Performing and exploring in hundreds of cities, dancing on Broadway, Film and Television took me around the globe traveling with a pack of fun, creative people, window shopping and visiting art museums in my free time.

MM - That must have been fun.
EL - It was a blast. I worked on the movies “Grease”, “Staying Alive” the TV show “Dance Fever” and Broadway’s “Sugar Babies were a few highlights, along with “Dancin’ Machine” opening for Dean Martin and Ray Charles in Las Vegas.

MM - So from Vegas to LA, what happened?
EL – Then, not so suddenly, it was over. It came time to starting thinking about the next career. Law school was just not going to happen. I’d been spoiled forever by the fun and the creativity of the entertainment industry. After the rigors of professional dance, I wasn’t afraid of hard work, and over the years I developed another fascination.

MM - Costumes?
EL - I had the interest and the skills. When it was the time to make a change of direction, costumes became the natural choice. Dancers rehearse in black garb, in a bare room. A thousand times over I witnessed the transformational magic of costumes and lighting

MM - Quite a detour, how did you become a costume designer?
EL - My entrée into costume design came through styling commercials, over four hundred of them, working with scores of directors, including, Kenny Ortega and comedy director Christopher Guest. My colleagues from dance world enlisted me as well. Dancers are my sweet spot. I felt like I knew just what to do.
When a dance colleague recommended me for a PBS special. I jumped at the chance and was rewarded with an Emmy for Outstanding Costume Design for a Variety of Music Special 2006, for “Benise, Nights of Fire”. I also designed for sitcoms, and several series, beginning with Blossom, and Live shows, High School Musical, The Concert Tour and High School Musical The Ice Tour. I was at “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and have worked with hundreds of celebrities. Just now I am working with the Michael Jackson Tour upcoming in London.

MM - How you got here, is truly a Hollywood story. How did you start making your art?
EL - I was inspired by helping a close friend, and former professional clown with the Ringling Barnum and Bailey Circus, Keith Crary. We paved a pair of his clown shoes into a sparkling show piece. I was so taken by the effect of the paved shoes that I immediately began work on my first project.

MM - Which was?

EL - I began with a glass slipper, as I gave myself permission to make the most beautiful, extravagant, and magical things I could imagine, my childhood fantasy of living like a princess came true: My very own “Cinderella” glass slippers.

MM - What a great story, like a movie.

EL - It was then all like meant to be, really being in the right place, at the right time. As it happened with the debut of my vintage movie camera purse, “glamcam” carried by Jamie Lee Curtis at the Golden Globe Awards, and by nominee Rachel Griffths, at the Academy Awards.

The purse was named the “best purse of the evening” by the APA, and appeared in TV Guide, People, InStyle, The Hollywood Reporter, Entertainment Weekly, Movieline, and the LA Times

MM - I remember that, it was quite a buzz.
EL - After The Academy Awards, I exhibited my work at art galleries, museums and at Tiffany & Co. It wasn’t long after that my works started to appear on the sets of TV shows including “Friends” “Dharma & Greg,” “Will & Grace” “Sex & the City” and “The Tonight Show”.

MM - I know that you have a lot of fans, many of them celebrities
EL - I have a lot of clients, from all over the world, many of them celebrities, such as Christina Aguilera, Elton John, Oprah, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Leno, Kate Hudson, and Madonna.

MM - I love your pieces, they are so unique and your technique – pave , is so perfect.
EL – It took me years to perfect the art of pave, and make my vision ready to share with the world. The ancient art of glass making is now in the machine age. To the naked eye, my crystal and titanium gems rival Faberge’s precious jewels, with all the magic of reflected color and light.

MM - What kind of crystals do you use?
EL - I use Swarovski crystals, they are the best quality and mostly the Aurora Borealis line because of the iridescence it makes the light twinkle. Each of the Aurora Borealis Crystals is gem-cut with twelve facets. Each of my “objets de fantasie” has three thousand to over sixty thousand stones, creating as many as half a million reflective planes.

MM - I love the motorized globe you have on your website.
EL - The piece you like is a 17” world globe, encrusted with 25,000 crystals, and is motorized so when it turns it’s reflecting light off 300,000 facets.

MM - Amazing. No wonder why it’s so magical, so much light, and color. Erin your work is fabulous, fit for a princess, really.
EL - Once upon a time, only the Czars could afford the shimmering radiance that is now part of our everyday life, for which I am deeply grateful

MM - How do people get your Objets de Fantasie?
EL - You can buy some pieces at Designed by Hollywood® -Store, and you can commission some pieces by contacting me.

MM - Thank you so much for sharing your career, and your art with us.
EL - Thank you for honoring me with your interest.

My dream is becoming a reality, and I’m thrilled.

Actor Ed Norton is the U.S. official ambassador for Earth Hour 2009. For those of you who haven’t heard, Earth Hour 2009 is a worldwide symbolic event on March 28 2009 , when everyone participating, turns out their lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time. (Local time, wherever you are)

This global effort hopefully will encourage our political leaders to take more action on the global warming effect, that is afflicting our lovely planet.

So here it is,  a fabulous opportunity to have a candlelight dinner, with friends and family and honor the planet that so graciously has given us hospitality.

matches anyone?

Last week I was lucky enough to have a conversation with Emmy Award winner, Randall Christensen on the eve of his now 7th season as costume designer of ABC’s, television show, “Dancing with The Stars”. If you missed part 1, go here.

Costume Designer Randall Christensen, Copyright ©ABC

MM – How did you get involved in designing?
RC – In 1976 I started dancing, and after a while I realized my body was not going to last, so I started concentrating more in designing, and I taught myself to sew and drape, when I was growing up that is what you do, you improvise. And you start listening to the fabric, and the fabric has a mind of it’s own, and it tells you what it needs to do, and I think because I didn’t know any rules I just made my own rules, that work for the criteria I have for the dance garment, and since then I supplemented but I just keep to my own rules that work for me. Is that crazy?

MM - Not at all, hey if it works, please don’t fix it obviously works. How big is your crew?
RC - I’d say 20 to 24 in a given week. 10-12 seamstresses, 2 cutter fitters, and 10 or so customers and shoppers. It’s a tight room.

MM – You must have a great team.
RC - Absolutely, my team totally gets me. I have a phenomenal costume supervisor, who anticipates all the needs, and manages the scheduling, which is a huge task. Trying to get all these people’s in scheduling, when they are rehearsing 6 to 8 hours a day dancing, and have their family, and have their show biz life, but yet he still finds time to get them schedule in for a half hour fitting with me. He has been here for the last 5 seasons.
My two assistants have been with me for the past 6 seasons, they are great, they anticipate everything that is needed.
It’s so easy when the season starts and we are doing 5 weeks of prep, there is almost no directing needing to be done because they all know what needs to be done, and they are such seasoned professionals.

MM –Did you have to train them, or was it their personality?
RC - A little of both, from the industry they came very experienced, but I was able to help them with the dance terminology, the cuts of the gowns, and why this is important and cut this way, or why it has to be structured that way.
They are like sponges, I’m giving them 25 years of experience, and every trick that is in the book, and then there is the novelty of the show, which is very intriguing to them.
I was very fortunate that they are so ready to do whatever needs to be done.

MM - You have a wonderful karma, it’s really fabulous that you can have that level of trust from your team, the dancers, and your producers.
RC - I really think that the planets lined up to make the perfect match it’s wonderful. I feel very blessed,

MM – How do you nourish all this creativity, and amazing energy? How do you charge your batteries and maintain your Zen?
RC - Quiet for me works. I hardly ever turn my radio on, and I commute a lot, so I have that quiet moment to let the peace wash over me.
We have music, images, and attitudes, and everything flying around and dancers, there is an edge to everything that is going on, so I really relish the quiet. This season, I go to my stock room and meditate. I just enjoy the solitude and quiet and let my thoughts wash over me, and un-wine, and I love to watch old movies. I’m always taking in, as a costume designer, I always analyze every garment I see. The old Hollywood movies are great, I have boxes of DVDs, so I just play them and, let the movie wash over me and energize me. I know it sounds like a cliché but it works.

MM - Hey, you have to have your entertainment too.
RC - Absolutely, and other than that I love to see the view of the harbor and the ocean from my place, and that is very relaxing. I’m on 16 and off, 10weeks, and my 10 weeks off, I take trips, to Europe, and cruises, and completely turn it off, that is the only way I can get through the next 16 weeks.

COPYRIGHT © ABC, DANCING WITH THE STARS - "Episode 801" -KARINA SMIRNOFF, STEVE WOZNIAK

MM - Did you watch a lot of movies from the old days, and did you get inspiration from them?
RC - I was nothing but an old movie freak, I was always drawn to all the old movies, and even the black and white the way the light and shadow work with the costumes and the hair and make up.
I’m really literally a country boy from South Carolina that sits outs on the farm, and then there was always Carol Burnett and The Sonny and Cher Show, always every single week and I had to watch what was coming out, and I was totally just hypnotized, by what they were able to do each week. Never did I dream that I would do it. I didn’t know how to sew, I didn’t know any of that, but I had an eye to detail, and that helps a lot.

MM - I recently visited the FIDM fashion Show where the students had a Dancing with The Stars number on the runway, for their costume category.
RC - Really? I wish I had known I would have loved to see it.

MM – They were very good, had professional dancers performing in their costumes, and it was very exciting.
Do you have any suggestions and words of advise that you want to give to the new generation that is following your steps?
RC -I learned early on to ask questions that you will never, look uneducated or dumb, except when you don’t ask the questions.
Question asking is imperative. It’s the only way to make sure you get as many details as possible. Which of course as costume designers we all know that but when you first start you think you need to come in knowing everything. In this industry you need to really pick people’s brains, to really get to the point of what they want to do, so I’m not shy about asking questions all the time.
Secondly, my team, it’s absolutely imperative that you have the right team. If they are not working, I found early on don’t let them last the season, it’s not fair to you or the show, so replace that person and find the one that will be your right arm.
It’s so important to have the right people. To have the person that understands and gets me, and understands what’s important in the show.

MM - So is everything made in Dancing with the Stars, or you purchase some?
RC -Everything that is made for the dance world, you can’t buy, all of our shirts, all our vests, and suits, nothing is store bought, because of the dancers cut for raising their arms, to keep the sides clean and not sloppy. So I got used to making everything from scratch. So every week we shop everything: from the bolts of fabric on.

MM -What happens to all this costumes after the Show?
RC - The celebrities can buy their costumes if they want to, and we also have an agreement with ABC and BBC, to sell them on their behalf at my company (Randall designs) in Phoenix, AZ. We also take some to Clothes of Our Back, as well, we take a lot of the women gowns to Phoenix, because a lot of the dancers, love to buy some and use it for their competitive gowns. We also bring them to fashion shows, and do auctions of tickets for Dancing with the Stars, that the studio donates.

MM - It sounds to me like you are having a wonderful time
RC - We’re laughing all the time, and it’s absurd what we have to do sometimes, so we might as well just laugh.