Ankleider/Garderobier / Ankleiderin/Garderobiere

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Costume Assistants and Wardrobe Managers usually work in dressing rooms, behind or next to stages and sets, in workshops, at film shooting locations, and in storage rooms for costumes and props (Fundus).

Core competencies generally required in this profession include: Dressing and Changing Costumes (Theater), Ironing, Sewing, Laundry and Garment Care. Further competencies that may be significant for practicing this profession are: Alteration Tailoring, Costume and Fundus (storage) Management, Textile - Material Science, Theater Tailoring.

Costume Assistants and Wardrobe Managers support artists in putting on their costumes, check worn costumes, and perform minor repairs or alterations by hand if necessary. They work in workshops or the Fundus (costume storage), in performer dressing rooms, and at various shooting locations during filming. They also assist artists with costume changes during show intermissions or backstage, which must be completed in the shortest possible time. Close physical contact is unavoidable. Despite the rush and often poor lighting conditions, every move must be precise. Costume changes must therefore be carefully planned and rehearsed. Working hours are regulated by duty rosters or shooting schedules, and are consequently irregular. Especially in film productions, they must adapt to constantly changing workplaces. Their work requires discretion and sensitivity.

Example monthly gross basic salary (according to collective agreement): €2,099 to €2,497. Source: Collective Agreement Collection of the Bavarian State Ministry for Family, Labor and Social Affairs. Note: These figures are for orientation only. No claims can be derived from them.

Art, Culture, Museums; Operas and Musicals; Drama; Venues for Drama and Musical Theater; Variety Shows and Cabarets; Live Music Venues, Music Clubs and similar socio-cultural centers; Film, Video, Audio Production; Production of Films, Video Films and Television Programs; Radio, Television, Other Media Distribution; Television Broadcasters and Distribution of Video Content, e.g., TV channel studios.

Employers often expect an Ausbildung (vocational training) in tailoring.

Costume Assistants and Wardrobe Managers can find employment in theaters, opera and drama houses, film and television production companies, television broadcasters, and variety shows.

Ankleider/in / Garderobier/e. Job title in English: Cloakroom attendant (m/f).

Costume Assistants and Wardrobe Managers prepare costumes and assist with dressing and changing.

Job and Applicant Exchanges: Bühnenjobs.de, crew united, Der Theaterverlag, DTHG Stellenmarkt, kulturjobs.net, mandy.com, VioWorld.

Associations and Organizations: German Stage Association (Deutscher Bühnenverein) - Federal Association of Theaters and Orchestras, German Theatre Technology Society e.V. (DTHG), Cooperative of German Stage Members (GDBA), Artist Placement of the Central Foreign and Expert Placement Agency (ZAV), ver.di - United Services Trade Union.

Detailed Working Conditions: Manual labor (e.g., altering or repairing garments), close physical contact with people (e.g., helping artists dress during costume changes), irregular working hours (due to duty or shooting schedules), frequently changing tasks and work situations (constantly changing theater, film, or television productions).

Work Objects/Tools: Accessories and tools, e.g.: costumes, accessories, irons, scissors, needles, threads. Documents, e.g.: performance and shooting schedules, prop catalogs, material lists.

Compact Tasks and Activities: Dressers and wardrobe assistants assemble costumes and accessories according to the performance and shooting schedule. During costume changes, they keep the necessary costumes ready and assist with dressing to ensure the correct fit of the clothing. They check costumes for damage and cleaning needs. Additionally, they repair minor damages and forward more heavily damaged clothing to tailors. In case of cast changes, they also make alterations to the garments.

Entry Professions/Activities: Custom tailor, textile and fashion tailor.

Further Training (Professional Adaptation): Adaptation training helps keep professional knowledge current and adapt it to new developments (e.g., in the areas of clothing manufacturing, textile cleaning, warehouse management, or theater, acting).

Further Training (Career Advancement): Additional career and advancement opportunities arise through advanced training (e.g., as a costume master) or an undergraduate degree (Studium) (e.g., in costume design or fashion design). Under certain conditions, a university degree (Studium) is possible even without a general higher education entrance qualification. For more information: Access to higher education in the individual federal states (Bundesland).

Detailed Tasks and Activities: Assembling and preparing costumes and accessories for performers. Laying out costumes. Helping performers dress and change costumes. Keeping the next costumes ready during costume changes. Maintaining costumes. Receiving costumes after performances or shoots and checking for damage and cleaning needs. Repairing minor damages oneself, performing simple alterations oneself. Having soiled wardrobe items and parts not immediately needed cleaned. Handing over costumes with major damages or alterations to the tailor. Storing costumes and accessories in the prop/costume department (Fundus) after performances.

Direct Job and Staffing Alternatives: The following lists professions or activities that show similarities to the original profession. These professions represent a possible alternative for applicants. Furthermore, employers can consider individuals from these professions as alternatives for filling a position in the original profession. Some alternative professions only cover partial activities of the original profession, while others require an induction period, which can vary in length depending on the individual case. The following direct employment and staffing alternatives are available for the dresser/wardrobe assistant profession: Job and staffing alternatives for the overall activity (usually short induction): Custom tailor, theater tailor. In related professions: Women's tailor, men's tailor, costume design assistant. A list of all possible degrees of relatedness can be found here: Explanations of the individual degrees of relatedness.