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All Dressed up and Ready to go
Nicole Kidman's hairdresser is very popular right
now with the people down at BBC Costume + Wigs.
On her recommendation, wig store co-ordinator Phillippa
Devon and her team are supplying hundreds of wigs to be used by extras
in Kidman's latest movie, Cold Mountain, in a deal that could be
worth in excess of £25,000.
It will barely dent the wig store's collection
of more than 10,000 assorted hairpieces, chest wigs, moustaches and sideburns
(mostly made from human hair, although yak hair is prized for its thickness)
which is often plundered for the powerdered wigs and flowing tresses seen
in BBC period dramas like the forth coming Daniel Deronda. It is also
used frequently by the makers of BBC sketch shows like The Fast Show and
The League of Gentlemen. Rory Bremner is such a frequent customer the
store has a plaster cast of his head!
Across the corridor from the wig store in north Acton
is the huge costume warehouse, where designers can browse through aisles
of monkey suits, togas, medieval gowns and hippy flares. A million costumes
are stored on four floors in zones: light entertainment, period, contemporary
and uniform.
The collection is constantly being updated, said Alan
Godleman, head of BBC Costume + Wigs:
"We are investing in our contemporary stock and
at the other end of the time-line we are taking possession of the Egyptian
costumes and jewellery soon to be seen in Pyramid"
The BBC Costume store is the second largest in the UK after Angels and
Bermans. It began its life on the third floor of TV Centre as a store
for the collars and cuffs worn by early TV presenters and newsreaders,
but now hires out 15,000 outfits a year, with a turnover of around £1.3m.
"We are a one stop shop for many dramas and films
and we are constantly looking to enhance our catalogue to attract more
custom, especially the larger productions" said costume co-ordinator
Steve Bone. Forty percent of business comes from BBC productions and then
rest from indie production companies and films.
"We have been talking to executive producers to
get awareness of upcoming programmes. Most designers are freelance, and
we need to make sure they consider us. A lot of people still don't
know we are here" said Alan Godleman.
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