Luís Sequeira

He began his career in the fashion world, but quickly took a different path. Let’s start our conversation by getting to know her journey through the world of fashion a little better.

My mother being a wedding dress designer in Lisbon, fashion was part of my life very early in my life. White she peddled her sewing machine using her trusted (pre-electricity) model, I played with sequins in glass beakers, often mixing them to create colour combos and patterns, which made my mother crazy! I remember making  simple clothing for my G.I. Joe ( male doll ) I recall once again making my mother nuts by cutting up a skirt of hers to make a long black cape! It was dramatic in many ways! This was the genesis of my fashion path.

Later I always had an opinion on other clothing my mother made for us including sprotwear and travel outfits ( yes that was a thing back in the day) . This love for fashion fueled my desire to become a fashion designer. Before any formal training, as young people with little money, high fashion was financially unreachable. Without having the fast fashion system of today the only other option was to make ones outfits. This became a angularity for my friends to have cool clothes and go to night clubs. These were always a bit fantastical with a haute couture/ club edge.

Supporting all this I decided to open an atelier and retail shop called ‘ Parallel’, featuring my own designed label ‘Collective’  and showcasing other young Canadian designers. This store is where I met wardrobe buyers and costume designers in film that were impressed by my vigor and my designs. They encouraged me to get into film and TV.

Years later, his passion for drawing merged with his taste for cinema and today he is one of the big names in the universe of costumes. How did you discover this passion for costume design?

As a teen, having always loved cinema –  i would play hookie ( skip school) and spend the day at the cinema watching 3-4 films. I never thought I could be part of this industry. This was a dream in the making.

I first started on a Horror TV series as a trainee. The project had various periods with witches, ghouls and dead villains. It was broad based project that tapped into many aspects of costuming .

With a department of only 3 – there were many skills that were taught/learned quickly./ One aspect that i loved was aging of clothing. This was a form of story telling through wear and tear.

My work ethic from my business enabled me to excel and learn at lightning speed. Beyond training on two productions, I had full time employment already lined up. With a few years of working in many of the positions including Assistant designer, set key and textile artist, I gained a position as a costume designer.

The creation of the wardrobe and the universe of the costumes has a laborious method. When does this process begin and how does it unfold?

It all begins with the script or outline. Upon my 1^st read, if the story is good – I can start to imagine the characters, the surrounding and the world around them. If it is not, then i makes it very hard to even finish the script.

From there – research becomes the opening avenue that I turn too to start to assemble ideas for the project. This essentially starts with image searching and collecting. Reading related books and articles also play a part in delving into the world the is depicted in the script. 

Mood board are then put together for each character and major groups that we will be having. This is the bases of communicating. Imagery both articulated and abstract with colours palettes help communicate both to the director but also to my team.

Despite having to follow some guidelines, a good dose of inspiration is necessary. Where do you find it?

I find inspiration everywhere. In art, photography, fashion, music. Anything that feeds the creative soul is food for my work. In the case of a period project. I delve into the timeline we are creating. I circle before and ahead to understand the momentum of design.

Born in Canada to Portuguese parents, Lusitanian blood runs through his veins. Do your Portuguese roots influence the way you produce your art?

Fond memories of my childhood trips to Portugal helped me to understand the context of history. Visiting my family village helped me understand rural life. I may have become a Portuguese citizen in my 40’s but the lifeline was there from as early as my 1st trip at the age of three which I remember distinctly.