Welcome to Bespoke 19, the Horror Issue. 

Join us as we uncover the sinister stitches, blood-soaked fabrics and eerie elegance our incredible Canadian costume talent use to bring horror’s most iconic characters to life, from cult classics to modern masterpieces.

In horror films, costuming is a crucial element in crafting the narrative’s eerie atmosphere and character development. A well-designed costume can instantly convey a character’s vulnerability, sanity, or malevolence, setting the tone for their eventual fate.

From the tattered, decaying attire of the undead to the unsettling elegance of a villain’s wardrobe, costumes can evoke a sense of foreboding, dread or unease, drawing the audience into the world of horror. By carefully selecting fabrics, textures and colours, Costume Designers, Breakdown Artists, Stitchers and others can create a visual language that complements the film’s themes and enhances the overall sense of tension and fear, making the horror more palpable and immersive for the viewer. 

This issue of BeSpoke gets us behind the scenes and into the creative minds of CAFTCAD members who create these magical and horrific designs. We’re showcasing many talented Canadian costumers and artists, as well as celebrating our lengthy contribution to the genre with our Canadian Horror Timeline overview. There’s so much to explore and learn in this issue of BeSpoke!

As we reflect on the past year in the film industry, I want to share my thoughts on the challenges we’ve faced and the resilience we’ve shown. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside an incredible community of talented individuals who bring characters to life through their craft, and had the chance to meet so many amazing new members who’ve joined our wonderful CAFTCAD community.

The start of the year was slow for many, but as our industry picks up from the cutbacks in filming seen across Canada and the U.S. we have begun to thrive again, seeing many more productions as spring turned to summer.

As CAFTCAD is still climbing out of the tough financial times of the past few years, we have also provided resources and support to our members, offering fantastic workshops both online and in person, as well as great networking opportunities in Toronto and Vancouver to help our members stay ahead of the curve. We also celebrated our members’ talents with the phenomenal CAFTCAD Awards this past March. It was so wonderful seeing everyone’s accomplishments and meeting so many new people; kudos to Joanna Syrokomla and her team for all their work and dedication to such a spectacular event.

I am so thankful for all the incredible work Allisa Swanson, her executive officers, Board and committee members, along with Yuxin Shi and Brett Cormier, have accomplished. They have paved the way for CAFTCAD to continue to flourish as an organization. I am excited to continue the work with our talented and eager new Board, and so grateful to Farnaz Khaki-Sadigh and Elizabeth Kowalczuk for working so diligently to move CAFTCAD forward.

We dedicate this issue in loving memory of Loretta Chin, whose passion for BeSpoke and CAFTCAD will live on through the pages of our magazine and the countless stories she helped bring to life. We are richer to have known you.

As we look to the future, I’m optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead. The film industry continues to evolve, and costume design remains an integral part of storytelling. I’m proud to help represent our community, and look forward to continuing our work together to promote the art and craft of costume design in Canada.

Thank you for your dedication, creativity, and perseverance. I look forward to seeing the incredible work that our community will produce in the years to come. Please enjoy the fabulous Horror Issue!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Stroud

President, CAFTCAD