das gewand was founded in 1994 by workshop director Angelika Nowotny, back then Angelika Sproll. Today, the company produces costumes for the opera, ballet, musicals and film from its 700-square metre studio in Düsseldorf-Flingern.

After training as a dressmaker and working for a number of years as a dressmaker and costume design assistant in the theatre, Angelika Nowotny graduated from the Fachhochschule für Gestaltung in 1989 with a degree in costume workshop management.

She worked in this capacity until 1993 at the Staatstheater Kassel, at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf and at the Staatstheater in Stuttgart.

Structurally, das gewand is optimally equipped to produce extensive, elaborate and artistically sophisticated costumes. A large team of experienced workshop managers and dressmakers work there with production assistants and the studio's team of administrative staff.

 
About das gewand
By Volker Hermes

For me, das gewand is a place that is characterized by expertise, character and an idea.

When an idea for a stage costume is introduced to das gewand by the costume designer, it has ideal conditions to grow and evolve there. As an artist, I am constantly amazed at the enthusiasm and ambitiousness with which the visions of costume designers are shared and understood. Whether it is a historical costume or a fanciful stage invention. I can sense the magic that evolves when people really love their work and aspire to carry this out with the utmost perfection.

But first of all, das gewand has an in-depth knowledge of historical and modern fashion. It not only masters the technical skills needed to create costumes, it also has an understanding of the character and essence of different historical epochs. This exhaustive knowledge enables das gewand to play with nuances, associations and abstraction, and ultimately to create something new. das gewand staff guarantee outstanding workmanship and bring with them many years of experience in stage costume production.

I also sense that this place is inspired and driven by an idea. Within the coordinates of stage effect, the requirements of the production and of the performers' movements and bodies, not only designs are realised. The production process at das gewand is always simultaneously a source of inspiration. Ideas are associated with reality and based upon reality, new ideas are born.