Q&A w/”A Black Lady Sketch Show” Costume Designer and CDGA Nominee Michelle Page Collins

“A Black Lady Sketch Show” found a remarkably untapped space in television and ran with it. For four seasons, millions of viewers have been entertained by a hilarious ensemble cast and celebrity guests. The stamp the show has made will live on for decades in TV history. Michelle Page Collins is the Costume Designer behind the looks in the sketches for the final season of the show.

This year, Michelle is nominated for a Costume Design Guild (CDG) award for masterful work in the “Peek-A-Boob, Your T***y's Out” episode - the first time she ever designed as the head of her own department. I spoke with Michelle to get insight into her brilliant artistry. Below, she shares her life-long love for fashion and design, the importance of body inclusivity in costume design ,and what it means to be nominated by and amongst her peers. Pour up a cup and enjoy our conversation.

You've had a remarkable career - most recently as Assistant Costume Designer of the remake of White Men Can't Jump, The Wonder Years, Mixed-ish, and Dear White People. When did you know that costume design was the path for you?

I’ve always had a love and passion for design. My great-grandmother was a well known milliner in New York City and my grandmother was a fashion model. I would say it’s a part of my DNA and always my destiny. As I approached my senior year of college, while pursuing a degree in fashion design, I interned on a film for costume designer Sandra Hernandez. I worked unpaid16-17 hours every day that summer. As exhausting and laborious as it was, it never felt like work. I knew then I wanted to make it my career and dedicate my life to becoming a master of the craft.

2. Congratulations on your CDGA nomination for your remarkable work in A Black Lady Sketch Show "Peek-A-Boob, Your T***Y's Out" episode. Was that your first time as lead Designer?

Yes! I have spent years working alongside some of the best costume designers in the industry. I am humbled to have partnered with costume designers I’ve always admired. I am so grateful for the opportunities they have given me and the knowledge they have all instilled in me to further develop my creative process as a costume designer. I am so proud of the work my team and I were able to produce in season four. The contributions my team made through their custom-making skills, curated fashion knowledge and attention to detail, really helped elevate this season. Their support truly made my first experience leading a department unforgettable.

3. If you had to describe your design style in 3 words, what would they be?

Fresh, Resourceful, Refined.

4. You've worked on a few shows with live audiences including The Ms. Pat Show. How is designing for a live audience? What are some of the challenges and rewards?

I worked as an assistant costume designer on the pilot for “The Ms. Pat Show” and it was my first experience with a live audience. The process for costumes is similar to filming on a closed set. We design, source, fit, and prepare the costumes ahead of the scheduled tapings. The main difference with live audience tapings is that we have rehearsals in full costume so that we can forecast any potential issues or concerns ahead of the live show. There are always challenges that will arise, but proper preparation is essential when running a costume department. The pilot was directed by Debbie Allen, and by far the best reward was seeing her dance and perform for the audience to get their energy levels up. It’s a tradition during live audience tapings and it was truly a special career moment to witness.

5. In the opening sketch, Robin is wearing a beautiful burgundy leather dress. Where was it sourced from?

Robin’s character “Aquaria” is wearing a dress by designer Johnathan Simkhai. As with all costumes, more particularly in sketch comedy, the costumes not only assist in telling the story, but most importantly compliment the comedy.

6. The nominated episode deals with the trend of stripping down to sheer, barely their clothing. What are your personal thoughts on the fashion trend? Have we overdone it or could we see more of it?

It’s a trend that I believe can be adapted to match a range of personal tastes. Something sheer doesn’t necessarily need to be provocative, it can be a simple and subtle detail. I’ve noticed that many designers have incorporated more translucent fabrics into their spring/summer 2024 collections, so I believe we see will more of it.

7. This episode also touches on the popularity of fast fashion brands including Shein. I love the "this is what I ordered vs. what I actually got" moment. Tell me about the two pink and purple dresses. Did you build both of those?

We built both dresses. Gina Torres plays “Lady Lewis” in that particular sketch and during her costume fitting we took fabric and made the dress directly on her during the fitting. It was so much fun but interestingly challenging, because as much as we tried to make it look awful and ridiculous on her, it kept translating as couture and avant garde! Designing something to look awful isn’t easy, we had many laughs creating those dresses.

8. I noticed a lot of beautiful color play - pink/purple in one skit and at the hotel there are hues of blue and orange. Is there a color story behind those pallets?

I’m so glad you noticed the intention behind the color story in sketches “Front Desk Mess/Hotel it like it is”. We had a unique and refined color palette in those connecting sketches. They were inspired by the Wes Anderson aesthetic so we wanted to use color theory to help tie in that reference. Every principle, guest star, and background actor were meticulously dressed within the color palette and it became one of the most visually striking sketches we’ve ever done.

9. Who designed the floral suit Robyn wears as the auctioneer selling the picture perfect life?

Robin’s character “Bidibidi” wears a floral suit by the designer brand, Alice + Olivia. We collectively wanted this character to feel vibrant, and artsy with an eye popping look. I especially loved how our hair and makeup departments elevated her characters look. We collaborated seamlessly through every character this season and that is such an important part of the character development process.

10. For the Real Housewives BC, did you build those costumes? Where did you source the leather and fur? Also - Was the stone-age jewelry made in house or purchased?

Yes! Despite budget restraints, I really wanted to custom build as many costumes as possible this season. The leather and fur fabrics were sourced at various costume houses and fabric stores in LA. They were reworked and constructed into our own unique designs. Every piece of jewelry was handmade using bones, rocks, repurposed leather, and fur. My team worked tirelessly to bring every single detail I envisioned to life, and it resulted in a remarkable body of work.

11. The entire episode has an overall theme of body positivity. How important is it for Costume Designers to shed light on that message when designing?

I can’t stress enough how important body inclusitivity is when designing for television and films. Everyone deserves to feel confident and comfortable in their bodies and the productions we create and share with the world can be such powerful symbols of what is fashion and what is glamorous. The push for body diversity in hollywood is extremely important. I can’t express how it feels as a costume designer the overwhelming feeling of gratitude when an actor/actress leaves a fitting or set feeling confident and happy with their character transformations through their costumes. As designers we have influence over the societal view of how people are characterized, and it is our responsibility to embrace these opportunities with the stories we tell.

12. Lastly, what would winning the CDGA mean to you?

It is an honor to be acknowledged amongst my peers in this industry. To be mentioned in the company of so many amazingly talented designers is overwhelming and leaves me quite speechless. Doing what you love is winning and I live my life every day grateful for that victory.