Ann Walters
Nominated: Costume Designers Guild Award, Treme, *Season 3
(*Treme Season 3 Co-Costume Designer with Alonzo Wilson CD)
A little something about me....
A New Orleans, Louisiana native, I grew up in a world that had its own unique culture and fashion identity, not to mention a varied cast of characters. During day to day life growing up, my mother and grandmother made much of their own clothing. Some of my favorite memories involve designing my own dresses - with my mothers help of course. We would spend hours digging through fabric stores, viewing patterns, feeling textures and modifying patterns to get my outfits just so. Early on, I was also exposed to theatre, music and the arts. My favorite teacher was my Speech and Drama teacher. I had such fun creating my costumes for our school plays!
Many people ask if I went to school for design. As with all good adventures, it’s never that simple. I majored in Anthropology with a minor Sociology and a strong focus on Art History. It was an ironic and fortuitous educational path that led me to an eventual career in Costume Design, for which I am continually grateful. Anthropology and Sociology taught me to look at the whole picture. Part of which is the social, economic and environmental factors that effect the way people dress. Developing characters and the research involved in that process is one of the most fulfilling parts of my job as a Costume Designer. Did I mention that I love to do research?
After college I bounced around, trying my hand at a number of different jobs and careers mixed in with some traveling and exploring. From waiter to retail sales to wine sales, until one day I found myself working on a movie set. My first film job was in the Art Department; it was such a valuable introduction to the world of film and television. However, I quickly found myself drawn to the Costume Department. I started as a Costume Production Assistant and worked my way up to Costumer, then Key and Supervisor and finally Designer. Each project and position has presented, and continues to present, invaluable learning and growth.
*All images are not to be duplicated.