Catherine Davies Cantú

 Trained as a costume designer/ artist and theatrical tailor, I have varied experience of working freelance and within theatre costume departments. 

As a theatrical tailor I've worked within the Men's tailoring department at Glyndebourne Opera theatre, Sherman Cymru, Talinn Opera Theatre in Estonia and Teatterikorkeakoulu Theatre Institute, Helsinki. As a costume assistant I've worked on short films and music videos.

Other experience includes designing and constructing costumes for performers with learning and physical disabilities (Hijinx and Taking flight theatre), and coordinating and running costume and art workshops for children and young people with SWICA Mas Carnival and NDCS (The National Deaf Children's Society). I have also taught sewing courses and worked as a part time lecturer and sewing technician at IED Design Institute, Barcelona.

Commissions include bridal wear, individual costumes and evening gowns. Costume art exhibitions of my work consist of residencies in Finland and an ACW funded exhibition in Cardiff ('Llun a Stori Adar').

My language skills include fluency in Welsh and Spanish and an advanced level in Swedish and Catalan. I have a qualification in Industrial Tailoring and Dressmaking from a Swedish Vocational college in Finland, and since 2011 have been living in Barcelona, achieving an MA in Costume Design for Theatre, Opera & Cinema and working in a bespoke Men's tailoring department, constructing suit jackets using traditional tailoring techniques.

Currently I'm designing, cutting patterns and sewing children's clothes for my own label, 'Haden'. Inspired by fruit, the garments feature screen-printed 'seed designs' and resemble the colours and textures of fruit.