As Minnesota Opera prepares for the exciting season opener of Così fan tutte, we’re taking you behind the scenes of the creative process that goes into designing the stunning costumes you’ll soon see on stage. Costume Director, Corinna Bakken, recently traveled to New York City to source the perfect fabrics, working in tandem with Costume Designer Amber Brown, to bring the opera’s characters and themes to life.  

In this blog post, join Corinna as she takes us through her fabric-sourcing journey. From the stunning views of the Garment District to peaceful evenings in Bryant Park, follow along as she and Costume Designer, Amber Brown, select fabrics that will soon transform into the dazzling costumes for our upcoming production of Così fan tutte.  

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DAY 1

Views from the Hotel 

View from hotel on Monday morning. This is where I start my day checking work email prior to heading into the Garment District. You can see the Empire State Building on the far left of photo #2. 

A Walk to Breakfast on 5th Avenue 

Looking north up 5^th Ave. on my walk to breakfast. 

Morning Coffee  

Generally, I start my workday with a bite to eat and coffee at Culture Coffee on 38^th. They have delicious coffee and comfy tables to sit at and get myself organized for the day.  Photos are swatch kit prior to being organized for the day. I started on one table and moved to a more comfortable one. Thus, two photos.  

Swatch Cards 

Swatch cards are assembled. Added notes of what I am looking for, and my ring of renderings and fabrics. 

First Stop 

First stop of the day – B&J Fabric. 

Coffee Break 

Coffee break at Grumpy’s with morning’s work. 

Afternoon Swatching  

Afternoon of swatching at NY Elegant Fabrics. 

Wrapping Up the Day at the Park 

Day one’s collection of swatches. I like to end my workday in Bryant Park. In the summer they have games set up for communal play. The folks who play Pétanque are super serious about it. I like to find a table near their playing area and watch them as I wrap up the day. 

A Stroll Back to the Hotel  

Chrysler Building on my walk back to the hotel after dinner. 

Day Two 

Views

Looking south on 5^th Ave. on day two’s walk to breakfast. 

More Swatching at Breakfast 

Getting organized for the second day of swatching while enjoying breakfast. 

A Routine Lunch 

Lunch.  I eat the same thing every day.  Swatching is such an overwhelming task that I am pretty rote about meal choices.  

A Surprise Find 

Random taxidermy bear in Spandex House.  

End of Day Two 

End of day 2 with swatches from Mood Fabrics.  Bryant Park again.  

DAY THREE

A Little Chaos 

Start of day 3.  Chaos of disorganized swatches 

Ready to Go 

Swatches sorted and ready for meeting with the costume designer, Amber Brown. 

Choosing Swatches with Costume Designer, Amber Brown 

First the designer chooses their favorite options from the large rings of swatches. Then they work with the color of the scenery to finalize their fabric choices. They are looking for color, drape of the fabric, and how everything looks together. These are the first and second looks for Fiordiligi and Dorabella. 

Hotel Elevator Selfie 

Who doesn’t like a selfie? 

Day Four

The Buying Day 

Day 4 morning view from the hotel rooftop.  Did the buying this day.  

Going Home 

View from airplane window.  

What’s Next? 

Now that we’re back in Minnesota with all the fabrics in hand, it’s time to shift into the next phase. First, everything gets unpacked and documented, just in case we need to order more. Then, the fabrics are handed off to the teams who will build the costumes. The designer meets with team leads to work through the costume details, and we start by making mockups (test versions with cheaper material) to troubleshoot any issues before cutting into the real thing. After fitting the mockups and adjusting the patterns, we move on to cutting the costumes with the real fabric, followed by final fittings and, at last, packing everything up for the big move to The Ordway.