We were lucky to catch up with Yi-Lun Chien recently and have shared our conversation below.

Yi-Lun, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

Carrying over 10 years of experience working in the costume department in my hometown of Taiwan and having just received my MFA from the Costume Design program at CalArts, I felt more than ready to dive into the dream of working in the Hollywood film industry, but I also carried huge anxiety because what we had heard was that the flourishing days of Hollywood had gone.

The connections I made from student films introduced me to Vertical Dramas, a new form mainly viewed on mobile devices that tells soap-opera stories in a very fast-paced format (2–3 minutes per episode), and this trend had landed in L.A.

The art of traditional Mise en scène, the mood created by shadow and lighting, the atmosphere crafted by production design might all be sacrificed, because those details won’t translate by the screen of the smartphone. However, the billionaire CEO, the Alpha werewolves, the Cinderella and the villain characters heavily rely on Costume Design to make these characters believable and compelling (or even intentionally exaggerated).

Although not the kind of fulfilling projects I had dreamed of working on, with the fast pace and turn around for each vertical project, l met several talented people from these productions, which I feel is an invaluable connection and milestone for future opportunity.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

These vertical dramas are definitely not an easy job for the costume department. Depending on the story, they often involve several script days, multiple costume changes, and a large number of supporting actors and day players. With only a few days of prep and micro-budgets to work with, each project becomes a true test of creativity and efficiency. Although I tend to be ambitious when putting together the lookbook and costume references, many compromises unwillingly have to be made during execution.

The trust from directors and actors is one of the most meaningful parts of working on these projects, and I’ve genuinely enjoyed the process of crafting characters alongside them. One particularly special experience was collaborating with director Vivian Ip on the murder mystery “Love, Lies, and Alibis”, streaming on Vigloo. The team pushed boundaries in exploring the visual language of vertical dramas, which gave me a safe space to contribute creatively, expressing my vision through color and silhouette, and helping to shape the story’s mysterious atmosphere.

Working with director Yun Xie on the comedy “The Heiress and Her Three Princes”, streaming on Dramabox, was my very first experience with vertical drama, and I’ve been fortunate to continue collaborating with her since. Her sharp, to-the-point insights into character always lead me to consider new dimensions I hadn’t originally seen, allowing me to contribute more thoughtfully as a costume designer.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Working as a freelancer, especially with 12-hour shooting days, has taught me invaluable lessons about finding balance between work and life. One thing I wish I had learned earlier is how important it is to consciously shut down my brain and allow myself to fully rest. Learning to pause without guilt has been essential for protecting my well-being, especially in the middle of fast-paced, high-pressure projects.

I’ve also realized how important it is to keep feeding my creativity so I don’t feel completely drained. I hope I never lose the ability to notice and appreciate the beauty around me. Building atomic, consistent habits, like going for a walk, watching a film on down days, or reading a novel for even just 15 minutes has helped me find some rhythm in a life that’s often shaped by unpredictable call times.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I feel I was too eager to prove something, to show that I’m talented, that I’m excellent, and that I deserve fulfilling projects, but I often forgot to be patient with myself and acknowledge my own growth. Looking back at my first year working in L.A., or even at the very beginning of my journey in the film industry, I can see that I’m gradually getting closer to the version of myself I once dreamed of becoming as a costume designer and as a storyteller.

Over time, my goal has become much clearer: to keep growing, keep experimenting, and keep discovering new ways for costume design to support the emotional depth and world-building of every story I’m part of.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yilunchien.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yilunlun.c/
• Other: IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7699467/
  Love,Lies and Alibis on Vigloo: https://vigloo.onelink.me/SrIM/opnset8p
  The Heiress and Her Three Princes on DramaBox: https://www.dramaboxdb.com/movie/41000104481/the-heiress-and-her-three-princes