We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jasmine Herbert. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jasmine below.

Alright, Jasmine thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

It all started with my grandma. She was a quilter. When I was in preschool we had to do a project where we add decorations to a paper Christmas tree. Most kids glued sequins and rhinestones on, but I was made to hand sew them by my grandma. I did a little bit of sewing here and there growing up but once I got to college I found my calling in costume design and continued my learning journey of sewing there. I think that the only thing that held me back from learning more sooner was the fact that I just didn’t feel called to sewing before I got to college, but it’s good that my journey happened when it did because I’ve learned so much. I had a boss, and friend, right after college who is an amazing sewist. She told me to deconstruct old or thrifted clothes and put them back together as often as I could and it would give me a better understanding of how clothes are built. That piece of advice was the best and most helpful because it’s so true.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started out in theatre. I did community theatre and school theatre starting at 13 years old. I love the environment, I still do. I decided to go to college for a theatre degree, but I was lucky enough that the program at Western Carolina University is called Stage and Screen so I was also going to learn about film. I quickly found the place that I felt I most belonged in the costume shop. I spent three and a half years working and helping out in the shop, as well as designing 4 shows, 7 thesis films, and a webseries. I costume design. That’s my thing. I can source items that need to be purchased and I can help alter them to fit the actor. I can also build garments specific for film or theatre. Basically anything in the realm of costume design, I can get it done. I collaborate with directors to bring characters to life. I think that the whole point of costumes, other than to have actors clothed, is to help tell the story. If you need someone to look like they just came from the beach, they shouldn’t be wearing a henley and slacks… unless that’s the picture you’re trying to paint. We want to know more about these characters and a great way to do that is what is in their wardrobe.
Not only do I costume design for a big story, I also design for characters that already ecisy. A great example of what I do is building cosplays. Recently I had the pleasure to be commissioned by Erica Schroeder, renowned voice actor, to build a piece for her cosplay for her character Mai Valentine from Yu-Gi-Oh. I was commissioned to make the vest that her character wears out of faux leather. There are not many sewing patterns for a vest like hers out there, so I designed my own. I am particularly proud of this, not only because I got to build for a person who actually voiced the character I’m building for, but also because it really felt like it is one of the better things I’ve made that can showcase my talents. I have information and photos for all of this on jasmineherbert.com

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Once I was working on an indie feature, and it turned out great, however it definitely had some bad days, as all sets do. There was a particular day where we were shooting in a movie theatre. In the scene one character pulled a prank on another character by throwing fake vomit over a balcony and it landing on him. We had rented a lot of the costumes so the night before I made a concoction of a bunch of random food items that would not stain his shirt, all we had to do was add water to it right before we were about to shoot. The scene was to be shot right after lunch, but during lunch I heard a PA say to another PA that they made him run to the grocery store for the vomit scene. I turned and asked him what they had him buy and he said “vegetable soup for the vomit”. The production designer immediately got heated and rushed towards the producers. I followed slowly behind, definitely thinking we were going to just have a conversation. I finally reached them and they were already having a minor screaming match of sorts. I got the production designer to walk away and let me deal with it. The producer immediately starts trying to scream at me as he was now heated because he had been being yelled at by the PD. I calmly asked him to stop yelling at me and let’s just talk it out. Finally we had a cordial conversation. He started that what ever I had made was too thick so he had a PÁ get something more liquid. I explained that we just needed to add water to my mixture, plus my mixture wouldn’t stain the clothes. He wasn’t convinced. So I made the proposition to try it my way first, and if he doesn’t like it then we can try it his way and I have the actor immediately give me his shirt so I can stain treat it. It was a compromise that couldn’t be refused. We ended up doing only one take. My mixture looked awesome.

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

My goal is to create. I want to do what I love and I want it to be seen. I’m sure that’s what many creatives will say, but it’s true. I do as much as I can to get my work out there. Wether it is through costume design or my small sewing business, Moonlit Trends, I just want to create.

Contact Info:

• Website: jasmineherbert.com
• Instagram: jasmineherbert_
• Twitter: @moonlittrends
• Other: Instagram: @moonlittrends

Image Credits
Leo Lei, Amanda Mazonkey, Regina LaCarruba