Renting Costumes

When a theatre company decides to rent costumes, the expectation is that the costumer’s workload will be significantly reduced. At least, that was my assumption until I had firsthand experience. Recently, while assisting a high school theatre company with their Fall musical production of “A Chorus Line,” we opted to rent the costumes, so we could devote our resources and time to creating custom outfits for the Spring production of “Chicago.” What we thought would be a straightforward process, turned out to be a valuable learning experience. Although most rental companies prioritize helping you deliver a great show, we discovered that some vendors are willing to compromise their integrity for financial gain. In the following paragraphs, I will share some tips that may prove useful if you’re considering renting costumes. 

Tips for Evaluating Costume Rentals: Interpreting Listings and Asking the Right Questions

Take care when interpreting the listing for the rental, and ask about the age of the costumes and the upkeep that has been performed on them. We had the opportunity to rent costumes that had been used in a run of the show on Broadway. While it’s a pretty cool experience for kids to get to wear original costumes, if that show was on Broadway eleven years ago, and there are many pictures online of theatre companies that have used them over that time, chances are that the costumes might not be in great shape. Ask very specific questions of the owner or rental company, such as: (1) When were the costumes originally created? (2) What kind of upkeep is done between each rental? (Quality upkeep should include not just cleaning, but repairs between each rental).

Clarifying Costume Deliverables: Why an Inventory List is Crucial for Rental Success

Be very clear about exactly what will be delivered – preferably an inventory of each piece/accessory with the number and sizes that will be delivered. Most rental costume sets were created for a specific company’s production, so the sizes will be custom to that company. While that is understood, the owner should be able to at least provide estimated/best guess sizes for each costume piece.

Protecting Yourself and the Rental Company: Tips for Documenting Costume Condition and Repairs

Take pictures of the details of each costume piece when they arrive, especially if there are pre-existing issues such as broken zippers, stains, etc. Some owners will try to hold you responsible for flaws that happened before you took possession of the costumes, so be sure you document their condition upon arrival. Keep detailed records of any repairs and alterations you make to the costumes. Make temporary alterations (use tacks and pins instead of regular seams) and remove those alterations before returning the costumes.

Behind the Scenes: Dealing with Costume Malfunctions On-Stage

Depending on the age and condition of the costume set, be prepared for last-minute and on-stage costume malfunctions. For example, the long front zippers on the male finale costumes were old, and tended to burst open when the actors were dancing. Given this, we had the actors wear garments under the costumes for modesty.

Know Before You Rent: Investigating the Reputation of Costume Owners

Find out as much as you can about the reputation of the owner of the costumes. We ran into a situation where the owner tried to charge us for repairs for issues that were present when we received the costumes. Luckily we had documented the condition of the costumes upon receipt and were able to show that we shouldn’t be charged for the repairs. After doing research, it became apparent that this owner had attempted this previously with other renters.