Australian Costumers Guild

Community
Name:	Australian Costumers' Guild
Date(s):	1990s-
Type:	costuming
Fandom:	Various
URL:	Official Page (via archive.org), Facebook
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Australian Costumers' Guild Logo

The Australian Costumers' Guild is a non-profit organisation whose aims are to encourage development of skills and sharing of knowledge in subjects relating to costume design, construction and care.

It provides opportunities for costuming-related discussion and networking via online forums, local workshops and social events.

The styles of work by Guild members are unlimited; from detailed historical reproductions to eye opening science fiction styles; fantasy and fantastic costumes; there's recreations of theatre, film and TV designs; Fursuits and Mascots; Military Uniforms (historical and futuristic); Japanese forms of animé and western cartoon characters. All varieties of costumers are welcome – from research through to construction.

The guild's goal is to provide a resource group in which costumers can find inspiration, technical help and new experiences, and to promote friendly communication and cooperation among costumers of all styles. It also provides an outlet for exhibiting costuming talent at costumed events, displays at fairs and conventions, and the National Costumers' Ball held annually.

History

The Australian Costumers' Guild was formed by a group of costumers in Melbourne during the mid-1990s as an excuse to formalise their costumed socialising. In those pre-internet days, the word was spread by attending various conventions, primarily science fiction events throughout Victoria, Australia. As such the majority of membership was based in Melbourne with a scattering of other members around the nation.

With any social group, membership grows and wanes over time, and shortly after the turn of the millennium, membership was waning.

World Costume Con 2002

To boost interest, the faltering ACG successfully lobbied to host The World Costume Con in 2002, a boon for costuming in Australia as it was the first time that this particular convention had ever been held anywhere but the USA.

Because of the interest in this event, membership grew for a period, and it was at this stage the current National President joined as a member. South Australia really hadn't had an 'all genres accepted' costume group, so enthused by the concept of this national club, she started a chapter in South Australia.

Around this time movies like The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and the Star Wars prequels were released, which in conjunction with the rapid growth of the internet, brought serious costuming to the masses and an upsurge in interest.

National Committee relocation

In 2004 the National Committee shifted to Adelaide, with the state chapter president now becoming the national president. This new National Committee was committed to the idea of an 'Australian Costumers' Guild' heavily promoting and driving a push to get other groups happening in other states. With this drive and the creation of a new website in 2005, complete with forums for the sharing of ideas, there are now full chapters in South Australia and Queensland, with small, but growing, sub chapters in the ACT, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

Throughout there has always been cOZtume - the Australian Costumers' Guild newsletter, which has always been provided free to financial members. This too has grown along with the Guild from a black and white photocopy to today's full coloured e-magazine style newletter.

Today the ACG has many members and are active at events across the nation. They can be found at large national conventions like Armageddon and Supanova, to local events like Way We Wear fairs and Historical Society events and to Guild specific events like quiz nights, movie premieres and the National Ball.

National Australian Costumers' Guild Ball

The National Australian Costumer's Guild Ball is an event held annually, hosted by the Australian Costumer's Guild, and is an opportunity for costumers to socialise, display their talent and compete for awards.