HOLLY FIRKINS COSTUME

THE SUBLIMINAL MAN

This project was inspired by the short story ‘The Subliminal Man’ written in 1963 by science fiction writer J.G. Ballard, in which the population’s consumer habits are controlled by subliminal advertisement signs. From this story, I wrote a television screenplay but adapted it with the core of it being a critique of corporate power in our food system. This project was in reaction to the research of Dr Chris van Tulleken in his book ‘Ultra-Processed People’ about ultra-processed food (UPF) and how UPF companies manipulate our food environment.In this 1970s retro-futuristic dystopia, the volume of advertising is suffocating to the extent that there are advertisement robots wondering around. But they aren't quite the fun and friendly robots they appear to be.

HAMLET

This adaptation of Hamlet is reimagined in an alternative dystopian toxic Earth, polluted, covered with oil, dark, industrial and often raining heavily with acid rain. Despite the ruined state of the world, war and struggle for power ensues, both between nations and within the royal curt. This interpretation highlights destruction in a cycle of vengeance and war.The silhouettes are inspired by late Victorian through to Edwardian but uses waxed materials, rubber, foam clay and bioplastic to create ceramic and glassy looking elements. These are all inspired by the materials used by artists Lee Bontecou and Louise Bourgeois.

Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic

Studio bio

The brief for this project was to design costumes that would be showcased at the Edinburgh Science Festival as part of 'Growing Home', a showcase of creative ways of using biomaterials. Along side the inclusion of biomaterials, the rest of the costumes needed to be made from recycled materials. My designs were based around the use of punctured inner bicycle tubing which usually is thrown away. The design I made was a character based on fossil fuels. The main body is made up of inner bicycle tubing sewn together with panels of coconut malai and old computer fans sitting under the arms. The neckpiece is embellished with bark cloth and the trousers are made from old bedsheets donated from hotels.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

I have placed this adaptation in the 1960s, taking inspiration from Pierre Cardin and The Campbell Souper Dress to convey a strong sense of consumer culture through fad fashion designs. The tooth shape costume was made by carving a tooth shape from foam and forming felted fosshape around it.

MEDEA

MEDEA 1930 REDESIGN

Following on from the Medea design project, this short project was a fun challenge to redesign in a time period given at random with an assigned neon colour and reflective fabric. In this adaptation I imagined Medea as an aviator. I was able to draft the pattern by studying pictures of Amelia Earhart's flying suit.

TARTUFFE

DESIGN PROJECTS

TRAINEE, ASSISTANT AND STANDBY ROLES

NEXT IN LINE

An observation of the benefits system, Next in Line centres a refugee doctor who's seeking government financial assistance. At her job centre meeting she faces a harrowing decision -- either she works as a cleaner or gets sanctioned.Directed by Seyma Dag
Produced by Kit n' Kat ProductionsRaindance Open Shorts 2024 - Best Short Film Award
Norwich Film Festival 2024 - Women in Film Nominee - BAFTA & BIFA Qualifying
Glasgow Short Film Festival 2024 - UK Premiere - BAFTA & BIFA Qualifying
British Shorts Berlin Festival 2025
Bolton International Film Festival 2024 - BAFTA & BIFA Qualifying
NFFTY 2024 - US Premiere
Sunderland Shorts Film Festival 2024 - BIFA Qualifying
Shortest Nights Film Festival 2024 - BIFA Qualifying
Women X Film Festival 2024 - BIFA Qualifying

POPPER

In 1959, a new wonder-drug - Tesoteramide - is ready for testing, promising beauty to the unborn daughters of any woman who takes it. Pregnant housewife Audre heads straight to the clinic with her ecstatic Mother to sign up. But when Audre voices some last-minute doubts, it becomes clear that Tesoteramide - and so-called eternal beauty is no longer optional. Can she escape and maintain her individuality? Or is the cult of beauty standard conformity too powerful?Directed by Bonnie Sanderson
Produced by FlowerPunk FilmsWomen X Film Festival (2024) - Nominated for Best Student Film
Belfast Film Festival (2024)
Watersprite Film Festival (2025)
Final Girls Berlin Film Festival (2025)

ONE GOES ASTRAY

1870s, the American West. Vigilante Rose chases outlaw Charlie Digger to his hideout. But what seems like an easy job quickly turns into a confrontation with her sombre past.Directed by Marie de Roüalle
Produced by Matthias PachnerBirmingham Film Festival 2024- Nominated for Best Costume
North East International Film Festival 2024

MOSS DRAGON

Moss Dragon is a magical-realist film about a woman's attempt to reconnect with the childhood she had rejected.Emilie Norris and myself designed and made headpieces two cloaks made from foliage on a base of fleece.Directed by Georgia Tato
Produced by Joseph Flower
Costume co-designed by Emilie NorrisSt Andrews Film Festival 2023- Best Scottish Short
HB Film Festival 2023- Nominated for Best Costume
Screen Culture Film Festival 2023
Shortscape Film Festival 2023

RETURN

Grief blurs the lines of memory and reality as a young Scottish-Pakistani woman goes through her deceased mother’s belongings.Directed by Nazia Mohammad
Produced by Lothian Films
Costume co-designed by Emilie Norris

HAG

When James accepts a job as a live-in carer for the elderly Edith in a last-ditch effort to earn some cash, he soon realises not everything is right with the house or its owner.Directed by Ema Kmecl
Produced by Shannon Schroer

FOXGLOVE

Foxglove follows three childhood friends who attempt to summon a mythical creature during a sleepover.Directed by Nicole Helms
Produced by Dina Fagerbakke
Costume co-designed by Faye Grant

KINGS OF THE COURT

When a small town basketball tourney is impacted by a larger than life event, a stubborn teenage girl must come to term with a stark reality to mend her fractured friendship before it is too late.Directed by Joséfa Celestin
Produced by Margarita Veberaite
Costume Designed by Nazia MohammadRole: Costume and Props Trainee

NATURAL CAUSES

When downtrodden carer Carl finds his cantankerous bed-ridden Uncle Derek dead, he's finally free. He announces the death via a text but when Derek turns out to be playing another practical joke and family arrive to pay their "respects", Carl wrestles with whether to reveal the truth or...to make Derek dead again.Directed by Ryan William
Produced by Kit n' Kat Productions and Penny Bel
Costume Designed by Jessica RanaldiRole: Costume Standby

THE DEVIL IN HER EYES

Notorious witch pricker John Dickson accepts a contract to apprehend the feared witch Isobel Gowdie, but is forced to confront his own terrible deeds along the way.Directed by Isabell Baughman
Produced by Matthias Pachner
Costume Designed by Zofia KlimRole: Costume Assistant