Many people in the fashion industry have interesting stories about their influences and motivations for getting into design and alterations. It was no different for Amanda Doughney who’s own passion for sewing began by watching wanting to emulate a supernatural fashion designer on the Disney Channel show, “That’s So Raven”. Today, that passion, born so many years ago, was responsible for creating the costumes used Woodland Drama Club’s production of the classic pirate tale, Treasure Island.
“This is gonna sound really cheesy, but I started watching “That’s So Raven” when I was a kid,” said Doughney. “She loved fashion, and sewing and I was like, ‘That looks really cool, mom! I wanna do that’.”
Doughney does it all, from design, to fittings, and last minute adjustments. Her ability to sew and make costume alterations on the fly are part of what set her apart and traits that she has had for a long time.
“I’ve known how to sew since I was 7 or 8,” said Doughney. “It was already a skill I had.”
Her job surely is not easy, and includes its fair share of difficulties. It’s difficult work creating costumes for Woodland’s Drama Club, from colorful feathers, menacing trench coats, intriguing eye patches, bizarre peg legs, and everything in between, but it’s a task that Amanda Doughney, Woodland senior, decided to take on for her Capstone project.
“Communication’s a big one,” Doughney said, “People not fitting into certain costumes we want to use for them, the deadlines we need to meet…”, but besides the occasional roadblock, she gets the job done.
When talking about her favorite part of Drama Club, she expressed her fondness for the people. “A majority of the group is very fun, and I love them a lot,”. She has done Woodland Drama since her freshman year, and was even involved with Long River’s drama program since her 6th grade year, so the stage is nothing new to her. On top of costumes, Doughney is playing the part of Shoreditch Sal.
The show was exciting and action packed, with the costumes being one of the highlights of the show. Doughney plans to also create the costumes for Drama Club’s next show, The Wizard of Oz, which will feature some iconic costumes, such as Dorothy’s blue dress, and cherry red shoes.
