"At a time when actors were expected to provide their own costumes and were often judged more by their clothes than their acting skills, young Morris spotted an opportunity to hire out his better outfits to actors looking for work. Now in its sixth generation as a family firm, they've been hiring out costumes ever since, and roughly twice a month, the public is invited in to have a look at their vast warehouse."
"Most of the clothes are customised for the actor, and there are rooms full of staff sewing and stitching, but rarely cutting, to adjust the costumes for the size or style needed. A lot of the skill is in being able to hide what needs hiding, while still letting it be unhidden later. On my visit, one seamstress was taking six inches off the sleeve of an army jacket, carefully reworking it so the hidden lengths could be restored for a taller actor in the future."
Angels Costumes operates from a Hendon warehouse and has hired costumes to actors since 1840, beginning when Morris Angel rented out second‑hand clothes. The company remains family‑run into its sixth generation and supplies stage and film productions. The public may tour the extensive archive roughly twice a month to learn how costume hire works. Most garments are customised rather than cut, with teams of seamstresses altering and concealing adjustments so pieces can be restored for future performers. Specialist rooms contain buttons, ribbons and medals, supported by documentation to ensure uniform and decoration accuracy across historical and contemporary productions.
Read at www.ianvisits.co.uk
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