I'm Domonique Sadé Stubbs, a new professional with training in Costume Design from Greensboro College. As a Metro Atlanta native, this vibrant city has been my playground and inspiration for my creative journey. 

Working on costumes for the past seven years has taught me how much costumes can make the story. I've also learned how costumes help actors get into character. Using costumes to set time period, place, emotions and energies allows the audience to be immersed in the world of the story.

One aspect of design I love is the inclusion of actors’ identities in character designs when possible. When I read scripts or see productions, I see them through my identities. It’s important to me to recognize the unique backgrounds, cultures and experiences actors bring to their roles. By incorporating these identities into the costume design, we are able to enhance the authenticity of the performance. The inclusion of actors’ identities also allows for actor’s to really make the character theirs. 

As a designer, I place a lot of value in cultivating a safe space for actors. I understand how vulnerable and personal the process of stepping into a character can be for actors. I’m deeply committed to creating an environment where actors feel supported, respected and free to explore their roles with confidence. This involves preemptive conversations about comfortability, creating collages of inspirations for performers to see, and fostering positive conversations about bodies and costumes. Collaboration, empathy, and open communication are imperative to ensuring the costume design process is a collaborative journey. 

My passion for costumes extends past the aesthetics of design. I believe in the magic that happens when clothing becomes a vessel for storytelling, emotion, and connection. I am committed to creating costumes that transcend boundaries of time, place and identity. Costumes are a tool of I want to be a part of what makes a story click for an audience member. I want to be apart of someone realizing that anything and everything possible. That no matter what anybody says, you can do it if you believe in yourself and have the passion to go get it. Moreover, I want to be a source of inspiration for my little cousins. In a career path that differs from the norm in my family, I hope to show them that pursuing one's dreams is not only possible but rewarding. That going into a field without secure pay and where the majority of the people in it don’t look like you, that you can still succeed and thrive. I want to be the representation that I wish I saw more of in the industry. 

Through my work, I hope to enhance the show experience for both audience and cast members. I want to bring that feeling of anything is possible and that they could be anything. I want my art to inspire people to do things they have never done before or never thought that they could.