Costume buyer
Also known as: buyer of costumes, costume purchaser, costumes buyer, costume and composite effects buyer
About this occupation
Costume buyers work with the costume designer in order to identify the materials for the costumes. They buy and rent fabric, thread, accessories and other items needed to finish the wardrobe. Costume buyers may also purchase clothing items "off the peg", ready made. They base their purchases on the sketches of the costume designer.
Essential skills and knowledge
- manage budgets
- film production process
- analyse costume sketches
- aesthetics
- mark differences in colours
- maintain relationship with suppliers
- identify suppliers
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Costume Attendants (O*NET 39-3092.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Create worksheets for dressing lists, show notes, or costume checks.
- Provide dressing assistance to cast members or assign cast dressers to assist specific cast members with costume changes.
- Arrange costumes in order of use to facilitate quick-change procedures for performances.
- Design or construct costumes or send them to tailors for construction, major repairs, or alterations.
- Examine costume fit on cast members and sketch or write notes for alterations.
- Distribute costumes or related equipment and keep records of item status.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Artistic, Conventional, Realistic
Top skills: Active Listening, Speaking, Monitoring, Coordination, Social Perceptiveness, Reading Comprehension
US median pay: US$50,400 a year (2025), 6,510 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- Fine Art or Music or Drama and TheatreO*NET: Fine ArtsVery important (3.6)
- Technical DrawingO*NET: DesignImportant (3.2)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.1)
- PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyImportant (3.1)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Fashion Designers
- Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers
- Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance
- Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers
- Set and Exhibit Designers
- Sewers, Hand
- Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers
- Interior Designers
- Sewing Machine Operators
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.