About the Artist
"You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it." - Edith Head
Cai is a costume designer working in theater, film, television, and live entertainment.
Steel Pier (2018)
Characters Come to Life
A costume does not truly come to life on its own. The costume is simply a key part of creating a whole person who comes to life for the audience. Through research and collaboration, I believe my job as the costume designer is to help create well-rounded people who fit into a narrative and setting.
3D Printing Project. Flux Delta.
Technology and Costumes
As technology's ability to create expands, so does its ability to make costumes. From digital artwork to 3D printing, I believe in pursuing new ways in which costuming integrates with technology.
Leather Armor Project (2015)
Experience
As a working costuming professional, I have experience in a wide variety of costuming needs including dance, walk around characters, branded properties, tailoring, militaria, and armor.
photo by Ken Morris.
About Me
I was born and raised in Southern California. I always had a fascination with characters and storytelling, but did not consider costume design as a career until I was pursuing my undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley.
After Berkeley, I worked in Entertainment and Creative Costuming for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts for 6 years, where I spent every day making magic happen at the Disneyland Resort.
While working for Disney, I pursued a freelance career in costuming for film and television, working as a designer, costumer, and production assistant for independent projects as well as major production companies.
In 2016, I was drawn away from Disney to pursue my masters degree at UCLA. I wanted to hone my craft as a designer, artist, and storyteller so that I could help shape the stories that come next. I graduated from UCLA with my MFA in Design for Entertainment Media in June 2019 and have been working and creating out in the wide world ever since.