To the CAFTCAD community,

It is with both sadness and gratitude that I write this letter in place of our late Editor-in-Chief, Loretta Chin. 

This is not how I envisioned introducing BeSpoke’s 19th issue. In the last few months we shared with Loretta, I often thought about asking her to write one final message to the costume and styling community; almost like a farewell in her own words. But I could never bring myself to make that request: to ask would have meant acknowledging that our time with her was drawing to a close. 

Loretta chose to keep her illness private. Those of us who knew respected her wishes, and in doing so witnessed the quiet strength with which she carried herself. With great humility, I now write this letter in her place. The responsibility feels weighty; Loretta was a formally trained journalist whose words carried elegance and wit, and for over eleven issues she set the standard for what BeSpoke is. This 12th issue – and her final as Editor-in-Chief – is dedicated to her legacy.

Issue 19 of BeSpoke is a particularly special one. With Loretta’s approval, we have decided to transition away from the PDF format we adopted during the pandemic to a full digital presence on the CAFTCAD website. This change allows us to better connect with our readers; to understand which stories resonate most deeply by being able to track metrics and to shape future issues in response. We have also implemented shoppable affiliate links to products our members use and endorse in our articles to make our readers' experience convenient. 

With a theme chosen unanimously by the BeSpoke committee, the horror issue celebrates Canada’s longstanding contributions to horror cinema and television – a genre that thrives on imagination, atmosphere, and the artistry of costume design. In these pages you will find a brief timeline of Canadian-designed horror productions curated by Mariana Sandoval-Angel; my interview with Toronto’s own Linda Muir, whose costume design work on last year’s box-office success Nosferatu spooked audiences worldwide; Ginger Martini’s interview with various breakdown artists across Canada, who talk about their techniques when going about blood, stains and gore and Marcia Scott’s interview with 2025 CAFTCAD International Costume Design Award recipient Carlos Rosario who discusses  his costume design work on Alien: Romulus. Timed just ahead of Halloween, we are excited for our readers to learn more about the costumes created by our Canadian talent, and perhaps even be inspired to recreate some of these looks for this year’s Halloween festivities. 

Loretta believed in the power of storytelling – not only the stories we see on screen but the stories of those who bring them to life behind the scenes. On behalf of all of us at BeSpoke, we dedicate it to her memory. Thank you for everything, Loretta. 

Sincerely,

Jo jin

creative director, bespoke