PureDWTS Exclusive! An Interview with Randall Christensen, Part I
A few months back, we asked you guys to submit questions for Randall Christensen, the costume designer for DWTS from seasons 2-12. Well now that the holidays are over and we’re starting to get back into the swing of things, we’re sharing Randall’s responses 🙂
We’ve been lucky to get a chance to chat with Randall, since he has kept very busy since moving on from DWTS! He’s currently working a couture swimwear line with MiracleSuit (check out Vogue’s post on the Macy’s MiracleSuit fashion show last summer!), is working on a sportswear/ready to wear collection, and is still designing dancesport costumes for Randall Designs, Inc., his costume design company for the past 30 years. Let’s see what this dancewear icon has to say in response to some of your burning questions 🙂
At what age did you start designing?
Randall Christensen: I started designing for my professional partner and students back in the early ‘80’s, learning the craft with “hands on” experience. I am self-taught.
Who were your mentors?
RC: My first mentor (and still most influential) was Bob Mackie. He was designing for Carol Burnett as well as Cher for their (respective) shows. I was a pre-teen and tried to NEVER miss a single one of their shows, as I was mesmerized by their costumes!
Seems like things at DWTS run on a pretty hectic timetable. Can you descibe what a typical week was like for you at DWTS?
RC: A typical week at DWTS starts new on Monday/Tuesday with new designs for each couple. If we are lucky enough to get the music by Monday (instead of typically Tuesday) I try to get the couples up to the wardrobe department to discuss concepts for the next week’s costumes. I only get 15-20 (30 mins. tops) to listen to the music, research ideas, discuss, design and finalize. Then the entire show is shopped Wednesday by 5pm and delivered back to the studio, where I go over every women’s design with our cutter/fitter (the mens’ costumes are done off site, by our dance tailor in downtown Los Angeles). The costumes are cut/sewn/preliminarily fitted on Thursday, then I have celebrity fittings all day Friday. My assistant helps on Saturday with the professional women’s fittings, they’re altered and ready for the final fitting on Sunday, after the couples do their blocking for the camera. Adjustments are made and then are trimmed, beaded, crystallized and trimmed out to completion. Monday morning is time to review each costume before setting them in the individual dressing rooms. We have dress rehearsal only a few hours before we go LIVE on the east coast. During that time any last minute adjustments are made and redelivered to the couples’ dressing rooms, sometimes just minutes before they’re to go to the top of the stairs for their walk down – live! We have to design/shop/fit/finish each and every costume in 3.5 to 4 days!! Whew!
What types of fabrics are the best for ballroom costumes?
RC: Thank goodness for stretch fabrics, jerseys, lycras, etc.! These help the costume to be quite comfortable as well as flexible. We can then get a terrific fit with little to no wrinkles in the fabric. Chiffon (both silk and polyester) are great for the ballgown skirts, due to the wonderful movement. Charmeuse satin is a terrific vintage type fabric, reminiscent of some of Ginger Rogers’ gowns.
Are there limitations, or can you work with pretty much anything?
RC: I push the limits every chance I get! How else can you continue to come up with fresh ideas? That being said, some fabrics are VERY challenging! I try not to use brocades, as they are just to stiff and unforgiving for costumes. Not to mention the fact that they do not flow at all! I love using natural trims, for an organic vibe, still mixing in crystal rhinestones of course. We have to have a sparkle on almost everything.
What is the most extravagant costume you’ve ever designed for the show, and who wore it?
RC: I would say the most extravagant costume would have to be Toni Braxton’s Marie Antoinette-inspired Viennese Waltz gown (complete with powdered blonde wig and all). To be as authentic as possible, we went to a costume house and purchased a “cage” to make the silhouette as close to the look of the era as possible. It was almost all completely sewn by hand, on the dress form as there is no way to get that wide cage (for the hips) on the sewing machine to work on. Quite labor intense, but what a gorgeous look! And still, we did it in just under 4 days……I still break out in a sweat thinking about that one!
*photo courtesy ABC/Kelsey McNeal
If you could only pick one DWTS costume as your “all-time favorite”, which would it be and why?
RC: Besides Toni Braxton’s Marie Antoinette gown, I would have to say Joanna Krupa’s “Futuristic Paso Doble.” We pushed the limits (again) of what we could do in just 4 days. The silver silk lame with electric lights (all wired into the dress) was sensational, but a nightmare to get done in such a short time. We had a lighting specialist up from San Diego for 3 days just wiring the darn thing.
*photo courtesy of ABC
Everyone has regrets. Have you ever looked back at a costume you’ve designed for the show and thought “What was I thinking???” If so, which one & why?
RC: Oh, I’m sure we ALL have regrets, but I have to say, we have a really good track record if you consider that from concept to completion is 4 days maximum. The discipline the couple has to have to stick with the original design, in spite of choreographing after the design is done, a procedure which is completely backwards! That being said, each and every week I look at the costumes, making mental notes as to what we could have done better, or what I would have done differently. The beauty is I get another chance 4 days later.
Who have been your favorite celebs and/or pros to design for, and why?
RC: I count myself quite lucky to have such a great rapport with the pro dancers, and we have such fun with (and trust in) each other. Our design sessions are quite intense and rewarding. I have enjoyed the trust that almost all of the celebrities have shown to me. I honestly think that they put their trust in me (and their pro partner) due mainly to the fact that they are in such a foreign and vulnerable area. They have not danced like this before, and really have to rely on our experience and expertise. The trust that Susan Lucci, Jennifer Gray, Florence Henderson, Chelsea Kane and Kirstie Alley (to name a few) showed me was quite humbling and really rewarding! This definitely impacts how wonderful their costumes showed on them.
Do you have an all-time favorite?
RC: I would have to say that as far as professional dancers, Edyta Sliwinska made ME look good! I wish I could take credit for her beauty, but she came that way!! That being said, I have to admit that Edyta was remarkably prepared each week, knew what looked good on her, and above all else, she left me to interpret her ideas and trusted me completely. What a dream lady to work with! Toni Braxton and Brandy both were appreciative, trusting and so lovely to design for.
What happens to the costumes after they’ve been worn?
RC: The celebrities have the option of purchasing any of their costumes, once the season is over. Kristi Yamaguchi and Shawn Johnson purchased all of their costumes, along with several celebs. buying their favorite one(s). We keep a great majority of the costumes from past seasons in a storage facility quite close to the studio. We also keep a few on hand right in the workroom, in case we need a last minute “fix.” We have NEVER had to use one of those yet!
We’ve noticed some get reused and others don’t. How do you decide which ones get reused?
RC: We reuse costumes based on the producers’ requirements/suggestions, as well as our guest choreographers’ ideas. Many times (most of the time) we re-work them so that their silhouettes more readily coordinate with each of the other dancers’ looks, for a more cohesive themed look. There is just not enough hours in the week to make ALL the costumes seen on Monday’s and Tuesday’s shows. That said, we ALWAYS make something new for our couples for Monday’s show. The pro numbers and (pro) group numbers may get previously worn costumes, but NEVER on celebs nor their partners for Monday’s competition!
*photo courtesy ABC/Adam Larkey
Do certain pros want specific kinds of alterations (i.e. shorter hems, lower necklines, mesh inserts, etc) on costumes that have been worn before by someone else?
RC: Again, it’s all about the overall theme/silhouette desired. Our pro dancers do have their specific preferences, and if we could accommodate them, we most certainly would. Some of those preferences are just going to be kept secret – no use spoiling the illusion……
Tune in later this week when we reveal part II of our exclusive interview…and Randall talks theme nights, panic attacks, and his love of princess seams (?) 😉 You won’t want to miss it!!!
Wow, just fascinating to say the least! I’m loving this!!!! He answered my question (on which was his fave costume and why) with Derek and Joanna’s Paso Doble costume which is one of my all time fave costumes too.
Wow, what I’d give to be a fly on wall to witness the whole weekly process go down!
Oh, and I can see what Randall means about Edyta. She’s just so beautiful and she has great fashion sense.
Excellent. Just excellent!! Thanks Randall!! I can’t wait for Part 2! Great pictures too!!
What a wonderful interview you guys got with Randall. The costumes are definitely one of the things I most look forward to seeing every Monday night. I can’t believe that Randall and the costume department created all those gorgeous costumes in like 3-4 days!!! Thanks for this interview PureDWTS team!
Marie Antionettes costume handsewn in 4 days!! Masterful indeed.
I thoroughly loved this article and hearing the behind the scenes preparations. The end results are always spectacular. Can’t wait for Part II.. Thanks Courtney.
Randall is one of the most talented designers of our day. The fact that he can produce couture in only a matter of days (hours sometimes) is a skill that no one else has. His work is so beautiful and I remain a fan for LIFE. I can’t wait to see what he is designing next!
Great questions!
I know it’s too late, but I’d like to know how many people work with him… did he answer?
I love the costuming on this show. Top quality with only a couple of “misses” here and there, and that most likely had to do with the “wearer” objecting to suggestions or insisting on certain things that weren’t the most flattering.
Costumes, and I think especially this past 2 seasons the stagng and lighting, 2 of the most fun things about the show.
Courtney, thank you so much for this fascinating post. The costuming is also one of my favorite parts of DWTS – the staff does such an incredible job in their allotted time.
Could there perhaps be this same kind of interview with the makeup and hair design people at another time?
I forgot about that Marie Antionette dance! Perfect example of great costume bad dance idea. I think my fav costume ever on the show had to be Brooke Burke’s freestyle one. It envoked “Grease” off the bat and worked well with the whole on the desk thing.
But Ricki’s tango costume was great too.
Thanks Courtney for such fun behind the scenes insider information!
Thanks Courtney, what a fabulous interview! You did it again. A+++!! Its fascinating to learn about Randall’s herculean efforts to insure all the dancers and pros look amazing in their costumes. I can’t wait for Part II of his interview. I thought he did a great job on the show. Does anyone know why he is no longer there? As usual, a huge thanks to the wonderful Coutney and PDWTS team for this great site.
I was so thrilled that there would be another “Halloween” show this past season. I thought both sets of group dance costumes were great and so moody……the black varigations and texture on the mens paso costumes and the hoods, brilliant touch. Also loved Karinas “skeleton”, unique interpretation (the feathering) of a ghost costume. I spent years being a “trunk model” for a clothing designer. Making designer, couture (one of a kind creations) or costumes….. INSANE amount of work. They have to have a huge staff of seamstresses for so many shows so close together.
Glad everyone enjoyed part I of the interview 🙂 Part II is just as fun! I feel blessed that we had the opportunity to pick Randall’s brain about the show’s costuming, and that he was gracious enough to provide such insightful, intriguing answers.
@Deena – I would absolutely LOVE to interview someone from the hair and/or makeup departments on the show, but that unfortunately may involve quite a bit of red tape – since Randall is no longer with the show, he has the freedom to give interviews with whomever he pleases, whenever he pleases; the hair and makeup folks, however, I believe are still bound by ABC publicity policies, so they may have an agreement to only give interviews to a few select media outlets, and ABC publicity may have the right to edit whatever they say – a process which I quite frankly think SUCKS, but I can understand where they’re coming from. I personally would much rather have the freedom to speak freely like Randall does 🙂 But I will see what I can do about getting an interview with the hair & makeup folks…where there’s a will, there’s usually a way 😉
@DW – I can’t speak for Randall personally, but I think he just was ready to pursue other ventures and explore other avenues as a designer. Working in the DWTS costume department is very taxing (as Randall explains above), and having to move at that breakneck speed for 6 months out of the year would likely take it’s toll on even the most resilient individual. And doing it for 10 seasons??! Crazy. I’d need to sleep for a good year to recuperate from that. But Randall has definitely got some exciting new things going on, which he will go into further detail about in the 2nd half of the interview 😉 We wish him the best.
What a joy to read! Thank you, Courtney, for always going above and beyond to cure our DWTS “fix.” This was a special treat and beyond interesting. Can’t wait for Part 2!!!
Thanks Courtney for answering my question about why Randall may have left the show. He did such a wonderful job and has left a great legacy and I also wish him the very best as he continues with his amazing career! Can’t wait for Part 2! Thanks!
Excellent interview! He’s so talented! Thanks for sharing.
[…] week, we gave you part one of our exclusive interview with Randall Christensen, the costume designer for season 2-12 of DWTS. Now read on for more insight from the man behind […]