Behind the Seams, an Interview with Sarah Bowern MBE

Sarah Bowern is a highly-respected costume supervisor in the UK and internationally. She explores with Jonathan how her experiences as a design student in the Young Vic wardrobe department gave her the technical insights to embark on a career that spans the NT, RSC and West End, amongst others. This journey led to a role as Costume Production Manager at the ENO, where she is currently Deputy Head of Costume.

Her creative and leadership skills - combined with recent efforts to mobilise teams of makers to manufacture PPE for key workers during the COVID19 crisis - were recognised in the Queen’s 2020 Birthday Honours list with an MBE for services to opera and charity. 

Sarah’s ongoing focus on supporting many of the industry’s most influential designers makes her an integral part of the creative process, a role she describes with eloquence and passion.