Overview
Katerina Lawton is a Senior Lecturer on BA (Hons) Costume course at Arts University Bournemouth; she has worked at the AUB since 2004. She is responsible for leading the curriculum relating to tailoring techniques.
Katerina’s successful teaching comes from continued research, experimentation and reflection that develops the ideas and offers solutions to technical issues. Using her considerable knowledge and experience, she employs a disciplined and focused methodology to convey traditional skills in an innovative and applied setting. Katerina formulated some complex pattern instructions for different periods to produce tailored garments used successfully by students in their learning program. Tailoring is a vital component of the course which has Katerina as the driving force, using much energy and expertise to provide structure and a set of standards relating to teaching and learning this element of the course.
Katerina is responsible for all strategic decisions relating to specific units' content and tailoring projects.
Post-graduation, Katerina worked at Glyndebourne Opera in the tailoring department and for the leading costume designer Annie Symons on the TV series, ‘The Crimson Petal and the White,’ where she made several Victorian gowns for the principal actress Romola Garai.
Katerina uses her experience of pattern drafting and garment construction to support the production of costumes for professional theatre productions at the National Theatre in London, The Theatre Royal in Winchester and the Oxford Playhouse. Recently Katerina worked for the BBC television series Father Brown, making several tailored costumes for the principal actress Sorcha Cusack.
Katerina uses her experience in pattern drafting and tailoring to support the production of costumes for live projects, including the 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony for the Sailing events, professional theatre productions at The National Theatre - London, The Theatre Royal - Winchester, Angel Exit Theatre Company, Dorset Corset Theatre Company, The Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, Oxford Playhouse and Arts University Bournemouth Productions
Contact:
Qualifications
Qualifications
- MA Creative Professional Practice with Distinction (Portsmouth University)
- BA (Hons) (First class) Costume for the Screen and Stage (Arts University Bournemouth)
- Diploma in Dressmaking and Tailoring (Polytechnic College)
Teaching Qualification
- Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE in HE) with Distinction.
Teaching
- BA (Hons) Costume: 2020-onwards
- BA (Hons) Costume and Performance Design: 2004-2022
Courses
Research
Research Interests and Projects
- Katerina is researching classical 1830s to 1900 pattern drafting in tailoring and interpreting this classical instruction to a modern-day approach while maintaining the classical authenticity of tailoring. Using modern tooling and fulfilling the void of knowledge that was assumed by tailors of that day in order for the patterns to be understood.
- Currently, Katerina is writing a book entitled ‘Drafting Historical Patterns for the Modern Body, 1850-1900’ This book will provide a method of pattern drafting to produce the most popular 19th-century menswear fashions in Britain used in film and theatre.
- Katerina’s research interests include female tailoring and the development of women’s wear. This research explored various pattern drafting for dressmaking and tailoring from the 1920s to the 1950s.
Professional Engagement
- Katerina uses her experience in pattern drafting and tailoring to support the production of costumes for:
- The National Theatre - London
- The Theatre Royal – Winchester
- Oxford Playhouse - Oxford
- Angel Exit Theatre Company
- Dorset Corset Theatre Company
- The Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds
- AUB Productions – Costume Project Manager for productions including:
- Jambusters – Flash Mob
- Bedlam
- 1930’s Wimbledon
- Glovers’ Travel
- Glass slipper
- La Passarella
- The Vampire
Awards and Prizes
Notable awards/prizes
The current BA (Hons) Costume and Performance Design course has been awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its ‘distinguished degree-level education in costume design for the UK’s leading creative industries.
- AUB Research Support Fund
- AUB Research Fellowship
| Award Name | Date Awarded | Details |
|---|---|---|
| AUBRIETA Gold award for teaching | 2019 | BA (Hons) Costume and Performance Design |
| The Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education | 2018 | |
| Podium Award | 2012 | Silver |
| Podium Award | 2012 | Bronze |
| HEACF volunteering awards for outstanding achievement and commitment | 2005 |
Memberships
Advance HE Membership
- Fellow (FHEA)
Professional Memberships
- Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy