Vicky Avery(I)
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
- Costume Designer
Vicky Avery was born in Battle Creek, Michigan and knew from the time she was five that she wanted to create beautiful clothes. After being taught how to sew by her grandmother and taking sewing in high school she furthered her education at the Institute of Merchandising and Design in Lansing, Michigan studying Fashion Design and pattern making. She received an Associates degree and embarked on a career in fashion, working in bridal shops as a seamstress and designer of custom gowns. She also worked as a tailor in menswear stores and tailor shops. Then she went to the theater and was hooked by the creativity offered in live entertainment. She started in community theaters designing and sewing for local productions throughout Michigan. This lead to a gig at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio working in their costume shop. It was the next job, working at the beautiful Santa Fe Opera in Santa Fe, New Mexico that cemented this love of theater and a passion for the Southwest region. She also worked at Studio Arena Theater in Buffalo, New York. While the theater was dark during the winter months she received an offer to work at the Los Angeles Opera in Los Angeles, California. While she loved the crew in Buffalo and the opportunities at Studio Arena Theater to create a wide range of costumes, the sunny climate of California beckoned. Opera also afforded her the chance to further her skills in corset making, leather work and other interesting materials like paper and plastic. Like most people who come to California, she got stars in her eyes and joined the Costumers Local 705 to pursue film and television work. For the lion's share of her time in Los Angeles (since 1999) she has worked at Muto-Little costume shop, owned by Antoinette Muto and Kim Little. While there she has worked on costumes for films such as I, Tonya 2017, The Greatest Showman 2017, Sweetwater 2013, Star Trek 2007 and The Island 2005. She has also made costumes for television including shows Timeless, Westworld, Grease Live, Deadwood, Glee, The Thundermans, Mad Men, Castle, Transparent, American Horror Story, My Name Is Earl, Star Trek: Enterprise (the list is a long one.) She has made costumes and clothes for a number of people in the music industry like Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Cee-lo Green, Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas, Boy George, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Pink, Rhianna, Miley Cyrus, Madonna, Cher and the late Michael Jackson's back-up dancers for his last tour. She has worked on commercials to numerous to mention but has enjoyed the challenge of working with materials such as plastic, leather, vinyl and silk velvet. It's never a dull moment in the world of commercial costuming. Vicky has also made costumes for many animal species including cats, dogs, monkeys, a boar, a turkey, a sloth and a stuffed beaver. Needless to say, the beaver was as challenging as any live animal. To relax from all this work, she relishes a quite evening of quilting, beading, knitting or crocheting. She plans on learning to spin and weave now that she has a new floor loom. She has two grown sons and a wonderful retired firefighter with whom to share her life.