Meet Yuwei Hu | Costume Designer

Yuwei Hu, an experienced costume designer based in Los Angeles, is flourishing in the early stages of her career, consistently showcasing her intricate designs in the entertainment industry. Reflecting gratefully on her fortunate journey, this award-winning designer continues to push the boundaries of costume design with each project with her unique artistic vision. Her early projects quickly garnered attention for their meticulous detail and innovative approach, earning her accolades and opportunities to work on high-profile productions. Yuwei’s designs are celebrated for their ability to elevate storytelling, turning costumes into pivotal elements of the visual narrative. Today, she shares insights into her journey, the inspirations behind her work, and the challenges she has overcome to achieve success in this competitive field.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yuwei Hu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yuwei, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
From my earliest memories, my grandmother has been a constant presence, sewing and crafting fabric creations with her vintage sewing machine and handknitting. I would often spend hours by her side, carefully observing her every movement with threads and needles. Little did I know, this early exposure gradually ignited my passion for designing and crafting garments, while considering the impact they have on the people who wear them. The warmth of textiles, the sincerity of stitches, and the sophisticated cultural background of garments have drawn my interest in designing what we wear, transcending their roles as mere protective and decorative pieces.

Growing up in Beijing, China, amidst a diverse tapestry of stories, behaviors, and attire among the city’s dense population, I developed a fascination for human observation. This environment led me deeper into exploring the performativity of garments and the textures surrounding individuals or groups. After graduating from Parsons School of Design in Fashion Design, I pursued an MFA degree in Costume Design at California Institute of the Arts, School of Theater. Centering on the occupiable spaces around oneself, my practice has expanded to encompass performance art, fashion, and costume design. With a focus on fostering immersive experiences, I emphasize the transformative power, which flows seamlessly from performers and wearers to engage audience in observation or participation. I am intrigued by the dual experience of emotion and rationality inherent in this interaction, endeavoring to craft designs that resonate on both emotional and intellectual levels.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
From garments, body spheres, sound-embodied wearable sculptures, hammered sound installations, sensor-embodied interactive wearable pieces, and home soft goods, to costumes for different productions in film, dance, and theater productions, my designs seek to intertwine the current status of socioeconomic with the attention to nature in its multiple socio-natural occurrence. Through this synthesis, I delve into the relationship of ontological hybridity between costume and performance. By exploring the intrinsic fusion of identities and sensations that exist within each layer, I seek to enrich the depth and complexity of a unified and multifaced experience.

Costumes, to me, are powerful communicators of characters, knowledge, understanding, and cultural significance. They transcend mere garments, embodying symbols imbued with meaning that reflect social norms, historical contexts, and individual identities. Molded with progress and evolving through time and space, the construction of costume identity within a series of actions supports shaping both self-perception and external impressions, to embrace the different facets of their identity through the outer layer of their bodies. At the core of my approach lies a foundation of intensive research and collaborative effort. I work closely with directors, producers, fellow creatives, and scholars to ensure that the design choice aligns seamlessly with the intended purpose of the production. This collaborative process enriches the depth of character portrayal and contributes to a more profound understanding and appreciation of the narrative, which brings designs to resonate deeply with underlying themes.

The designs of costumes come to life in performance, as they are dressed and inhabited by actors, dancers, or collective identities. Each look embodies different roles, emotions, and narratives with the expressive mediums of movement, gesture, and interaction. Employing a symbolic language comprising colors, fabrics, motifs, and styles allows me to effectively convey messages and enhance the depth of character portrayal within a performance. In the theater production of “The Water Station”, a Japanese, slow tempo, silent play about the plight of refugees written by Ota Shogo, I utilized costume design to portray the backgrounds and individual journeys of each character. Through meticulously crafted costumes, I aimed to articulate the pressing issue of homelessness. Each costume was carefully designed to capture the struggles, resilience, and humanity of the characters within the narrative context. By infusing the costumes with symbolic elements and subtle details, I sought to evoke empathy and deepen the audience’s understanding of the characters’ experiences, contributing to a more impactful and thought-provoking theatrical presentation.

As an Asian costume designer, I feel a strong sense of responsibility to support Asian filmmakers and artists. I believe in using my platform and skills to amplify their voices, stories, and perspectives through costume design. Through authentic and nuanced representations in costume design, I aim to challenge stereotypes and celebrate the richness and diversity of Asian cultures and experiences. By collaborating, I aim to celebrate our shared heritage while also highlighting the unique perspectives and stories within the Asian community. Designing costumes for “A Better Place” was a truly enriching experience for me. It is a short film based on the story of a first and second generation Asian-American family and their journey toward understanding the value of their lives resonated deeply with me. I aimed to authentically portray the characters’ cultural backgrounds and personal identities while also reflecting the unique difficulties and experiences they face as part of the Asian-American community.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The love, the vibrant energy of the city, and the gentle whispers of the nature in LA.

Stop by The Getty, The Broad, The Museum of Jurassic Technology, and Brand Library & Art Center to be immersed with art.

Take a brunch at Manuela and grab a coffee at Maru.

Get on a trail, hit the beach, road trip to Joshua Tree.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My design journey has been profoundly shaped by the unwavering support and guidance I have received along the way. My grandmother first introduced me to the world of textiles with her meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail. My mentors, Ellen McCartney and Camille Benda, expanded my world of costume design with their insights and experiences from the industry. My directors, Héctor Alvarez and Ziyuan He, trust in my abilities and foster a collaborative spirit that pushes me to new heights in my designs and productions, providing me with invaluable opportunities for growth and development within the industry. Lastly, I am thankful for the unwavering support of my friends and family, who have stood by me with endless love and support.

Website: www.yuwei-hu.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yw.hu/

Image Credits
Zixuan Li, Héctor Alvarez, Alejandro Caminos, Shih-Chun Hsiao, Ryan Nebreja