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| COCO FRAMBOISE Photo: Tess Francis of Iron Horse Productions |
The next edition to the costume series is an interview with someone incredibly inspiring. If you haven’t heard of Manuge et Toi Design, firstly, where have you been burly fans??? Secondly you have probably cooed over some of her work already without knowing it! Christina is the sole proprietor of Manuge et Toi Design and all her items are created in her home studio in Toronto Canada.
Manuge et Toi is the agency of an artisan: Canada's #1
Burlesque Costume Designer, Christina Manuge. Manuge et Toi proprietress,
Christina Manuge is a talented Toronto-based corsetiere, designer, drafter and
seamstress; collaborating with each of her clients
to make sensational, high quality costumes and bespoke corsetry. Christina specialises in the
collaborative design and production of unique burlesque costumes, corsets and
special occasion lingerie. Since 2008, her creations have been proudly taken
(off) on stages all over the world. They can be found in the top drawers of
committed waist trainers, brides and even a few lucky lingerie
enthusiasts!
Canada's
#1 Burlesque Costume Designer. Ranked #3 in the world by "21st Century
Burlesque Magazine's Top 50" for 2013 and 2014, Christina hopes to
continue contributing to the international burlesque community for many years
to come.
I have interviewed Christina about her Manuge et Toi Design
business and all things costume related. I hope you enjoy!
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| ROXI D'LITE Photo by Camera Jesus |
How did you become involved in
burlesque costuming?
I
fell into
burlesque costuming suddenly, and without warning. In January of 2008, I received a
special request from a friend of a friend. It was Coco Framboise, and she
needed new costumes, fast! My background was in fashion design, although I was
pursuing a completely different career at the time. I met with Coco, and she
inspired me immediately! I
left our meeting with tons of exciting ideas. Her request became my mission. It was also my
first corset, my first burlesque costume, and my first inkling that costuming
was for me! I dropped what I was doing, and have never looked back.
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| Copyright Christina Manuge |
What are some of the challenges of burlesque
costuming?
Burlesque costuming can be incredibly challenging.
Every performer is unique, and their costumes have to follow suit. As a
burlesque costumier you have to be versatile, and proficient even at things
you’ve never tried before. Innovation
is inevitable. Every
commission is a new challenge, and you don't often get to spend a lot of time
developing each piece. Fit garments aside, you have to get close to perfection
with every first attempt. When you succeed, it can feel as though you've worked
some kind of magic!
Describe some of your favourite
projects?
I
fall in love with almost every project I take on. But you have too, you know?
At this moment, my all-time favourite is the costume I created last year
with Kalani Kokonuts. She had a very distinct vision of the pieces she
wanted, but let me go wild on all the design details. We ended up with an art
deco cowgirl costume (yes, I said Art Deco and Cowgirl in the same sentence!)
in a honeybee color scheme. It's intricately colour blocked, dripping with
hand-beaded tassel fringe and Swarovski elements - right down to matching hat,
holsters, guns and rhinestone bullets. What, I ask, is not to love about
that?!
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| KALANI KOKONUTS Photo by Alvarado Pinups |
Which
performers can we see wearing some of your work?
Plenty!
Roxi D'lite firstly, owns more Manuge et Toi costumes than anyone else in the
world (10, last time I counted!). If you've seem her perform, chances are
pretty good that you've seen my work. ;) My client list also includes Kalani
Kokonuts (USA), Ginger Foxx (Australia), Madria, Lou Lou la Duchesse de Riere,
Scarlett James, Coco Framboise, Miss DD Starr, Mitzy Cream, Ava Noir, Tanya
Cheex, Delilah Dynamite, Obskyura... It goes on. I'm always surprised
when I sit down and think about it, how many performers I've worked with over
the last eight years! I am also selling on Etsy, so you can catch my pasties
and g-strings on a wider array of performers - even Dita Von Teese owns a
couple of my g-strings now, I'm proud to say!
Who
would you love to make a costume for?
I have
a life-long love affair with bombshells who can move with musicality. I've got my
eye on several, but I learned long ago that it's best to wait for people to
come to me. I'm keeping my lips sealed until they do!
Have
you always had a design in your head that you would like to fulfil?
Of course! Mainly, I have "spare parts". Things I've come up with that are just waiting for the right opportunity to be used. Innovative measures that I'd like to take further. When it comes down to it, every commission is based purely on what my client wants, and the inspiration they bring to me.
What
aspect of costume making do you enjoy the most?
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| Copyright Christina Manuge |
The moment when inspiration
hits, and when each part of a design is fulfilled. Everything in between - for
me - is pretty much torture! Haha
If
a new performer was looking to get a costume commissioned/constructed, what
should they consider?
Before: What do you need from this
costume? Who is capable of helping you realise your vision? Can you communicate
and understand each other well? What
kind of budget can you justify? Have
you considered how much labor will go into your costume? How realistic are
your expectations? Are you committed to your idea? What is most/least
important to you (speed, quality, cost, how it looks on stage, how it looks up
close)?
After: Consider arranging a photo
shoot with any big/important costume. It's a great way to promote your new
acts, and archive your achievements. Your future self will thank you! I would
also urge any performers
who are working with other creative professionals (designers, wig makers, prop
masters, make up artists, etc.), to give credit and share photos as much as
possible. There is no better way to show your appreciation for a job well done,
than to give your team some social media love, and something for their
portfolios! They will love you for it.
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| ROXI D'LITE Photo by Roxi D'Lite |
What
difference would a new performer find from off the rack to commissioned pieces?
I believe
the most important difference is uniqueness. As
an audience member, nothing can pull you out of the performer's spell faster
than recognising part of their 'costume' as something you have in your own
closet or lingerie drawer. So if a performer is working with off the rack
items, they really do need to get crafty, and customize as much as possible!
Aside from that, there is a
vast difference from costumer to costumer. I think what Manuge et Toi in
particular offers is a level of quality and attention to detail that ensures
our costumes will look good no matter the situation - on stage, on camera, up
close or from afar, new or old - for a very long time.
Do
you do courses at all from pastie making, general repairs, how to
embellish/crystal, etc or do you save you skills for your own work?
I
have done, in the past. I'm a big proponent of knowledge
sharing. I taught a 'Corsets 101' course out of my studio for a few
seasons. But my workspace situation changed, so I had to stop teaching. I did
love it, though! I intend to publish a full textbook on corset making,
eventually.
What
would you consider important performer must have items?
Talent,
dedication, and a sense of humor. ;)
How
long on average does it take to make a costume?
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| ROXI D'LITE Photo by Naked Lens |
That's
a tough question, as there is so much to consider with every burlesque costume. The time it really takes to
make a costume is dictated by the number and type of pieces, intricacy of
design, the caliber and detail of the work itself, and how quickly the maker
can achieve what is required. The ballpark is vast; for myself, it can be
anywhere from 75 to
750 hours.
What
are you most asked for/popular items?
When
it comes to custom designed items, Manuge et Toi corsets and bras are, I think,
the most loved pieces. From the Etsy shop, Starburst
and Stardust pasties are my most popular items, and my line of unadorned
g-strings are also a big hit. (www.Etsy.com/shop/manugeettoi
What
price range do your pieces tend to go between?
It's surprisingly difficult
to say, when it comes to exclusively designed costumes (which is my mainstay).
A full Manuge et Toi costume comes with a minimum price tag of $3000 CAD.
It can run as much as ten times that, if you want to get really *super*
extravagant.
My corsets currently range
from $650-2500. Pasties and g-strings, made to order or exclusive, range from
$120-$300 and $150-650, respectively.
All costumiers tend to have
a style of costume/way of making or presenting their work. Can you describe
what you think makes an obvious Manuge et Toi Design piece?
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| Copyright Christina Manuge |
I've been told my work is
very recognisable, but I'm not sure what the most defining characteristics are,
to be honest. If all else fails, I suspect any Manuge et Toi item could be
forensically authenticated - I sweat, bleed and cry over practically everything! Hahaha
My approach to design has
always been based on problem solving. Every detail has a reason for being
there. I like to accentuate curves, and create opportunities for dramatic
flourishes. I have an affinity for art deco, which seeps into a lot of
my designs. Pattern building and symmetry are important to me. My work is
always clean and meticulous. I like to think my designs embody a certain
amount of elegance.
How
should a performer care for their costumes?
With
love and respect. Check for wear and tear frequently. Learn basic hand sewing,
carry a sewing kit, and make repairs immediately. Air them out often.
Put fabric softener sheets in your suitcases, garment bags, etc, to help
keep your costumes fresh. Consider getting a travel steamer. Hand wash your
g-strings. Don't saturate your buckram or leather based pasties with liquid
glues. Use non-buckram, non-leather pasties for wet shows. Keep your pasties in
a hard box/case. Find a trusted dry cleaner.
What
costume faux pas do you hate to see?
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| ANDREA HEINS Photo by Andrea Heins |
My pet peeve is seeing a corset
worn too loose. I understand it can be stressful to wear a corset properly on
stage, and I know that most performers do wear it a little looser than it could
be, to make removal easier. But I've seen that
convenience taken so far that the performer may as well not be wearing a corset
at all! The silhouette
can be totally ruined by neglecting to lace up properly. It sets my teeth
grinding.
If
you're wearing a busked corset, please make sure you have the time - and the
patience - to loosen the laces sufficiently on stage. If you're afraid of
getting stuck, ask for a zipper* instead of a busk. Then you'll only need to
loosen the laces a little bit, before unzipping.
*One
caveat on zippered corsets: You need to know that one day, the zipper will need
to be replaced. Busks are designed to take the pressure of cinching; zippers
are not.
What
advice would you give to someone looking to design/create a costume?
Follow
your instincts. Know your strengths. Hone your skills. Experiment.
Use
the designs you admire as inspiration for your own creations; Nothing is original, but there are infinite possibilities for innovation and
creativity.
Know
that perfection is always a goal, and never a reality.
What
are your long term plans for Manuge et Toi Design business?
You'll
have to wait and see! ;)
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| COCO FRAMBOISE Photo by Sarah Thomson |
I would like to thank Christina for her time with this
interview. Make sure you check out more from Christina on the below:
Stay tuned for more fabulous posts in my costume series.
xoxo
what a great post xoxo sophia from..
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