Film crew hire/Brighton/Costume
Hire a costume designer or stylist in Brighton. A costume designer or wardrobe stylist chooses what people wear on camera, fits it and keeps it the same all day.
People book a costume designer or stylist in Brighton for offices at New England House, conferences at the Brighton Centre and shoots on the seafront. They buy or hire the wardrobe, fit the cast and keep every outfit the same until wrap. Our costume day rate starts at £519, and the stylist or designer gets all of it.
- 54 five-star Google reviews
- 2 hrs for our team to read your brief, in working hours
- £10m employers’ liability on every crew member we book
- 2,800+ freelance crew on our books, across the UK
Photos: Anna Rafal, Aubrey Odom, bovin wook, Here Now Films and Tim Broadbent
The role
What costume and wardrobe do on your shoot
A wardrobe stylist chooses and fits what people wear on camera. They buy, borrow or hire the clothes, fit the cast before the shoot and dress them on the day. A costume designer does the same for period or character work, and designs and sources costume to suit the story. On set, wardrobe keeps every collar straight and every outfit in continuity.
On a corporate interview, wardrobe is usually a note on the call sheet that tells people what to wear. On an advert or a drama, wardrobe can be a team of several people.
We book a costume designer or stylist who lives in Brighton or Hove first. If nobody local is free, or the shoot needs more people, we bring crew down from London. We add the travel to the quote before anything is booked. For contemporary looks, the stylist shops in Brighton. Period and specialist costume comes from the London costume houses, so the stylist plans fittings and returns around the trip. We can book one stylist for a morning or a wardrobe team for a week.
- The cast are dressed to the brief. You agree a mood board, the stylist sources the clothes, and nothing on camera clashes with the set or the brand.
- The cast are fitted before the day. The stylist holds fittings, makes alterations and deals with labels and logos.
- Every look stays the same. The stylist takes a photo of every look, so day two matches day one.
- Hires go back on time. The stylist tracks every hire and purchase, returns them and accounts for the money.
What’s included
What the day rate covers
In the day rate
- An 11-hour day, including an hour for lunch
- Sourcing, buying or hiring the wardrobe to the brief
- Fitting and dressing the cast
- Steaming, pressing and running repairs on set
- Continuity photos of every look
- Returns and the wardrobe budget, accounted for
On top, each on its own line
- Our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, on the whole quote
- The wardrobe budget, for purchases and hires, at cost
- Prep days for sourcing and fittings, and a returns day, which most jobs need
- A wardrobe assistant, for a bigger cast
- A van for collections and returns, and couriers for costume hired in, at cost
- Travel from London or outside Brighton, and mileage and parking where the day needs them, at cost
Read how our rates work and the two ways to book in crew rates in Brighton.
Two ways to book
Crew hire or full production
The price depends on who is the producer of record. That’s the company responsible for the shoot. You can book wardrobe for your own shoot, or ask us to run the whole production.
Crew hire
You run the shoot.
10% + 2% booking fee and insurance on everything we book for you, including crew, kit and travel.
We do
- Find, book and brief the crew, and pay them
- Book kit, travel and hotels too, if you want them
- Send the full price before anything is booked
- One person to call all day
- Employers’ liability for the crew we book, and insurance on kit we hire in
You do
- Run the shoot, or your producer does
- The plan, the schedule and the call sheet
- The location, its permission and its public liability
- You’re the producer of record, so the production is your responsibility
The 2% covers employers’ liability for every crew member we book and the kit we hire in for you. It doesn’t cover anything else on the shoot. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, which goes on the quote as its own line.
Full production
We’re the producer of record.
15% + 5% production fee, plus insurance and contingency, on the whole production budget. We quote it as a production.
We do
- Our producer plans it with you and runs the day
- Locations, permits, kit, studio, travel and hotels, booked and paid in our name
- Insurance for the whole shoot, public liability included, plus the risk assessment and the call sheet
- One contract and one invoice, so overseas teams need no UK company
You do
- The creative calls
- Signing off the plan and the budget
The 5% pays for our production insurance across the whole shoot, including £10m public liability, and the contingency.
If your own producer or director will run the day, book crew hire. If you want us to run the production, ask for a full production quote.
On the day
An example day with a wardrobe stylist
A brand film with four cast in a house in Hove, with two looks each and a fitting the week before. The times are an example. The call sheet sets the real ones.
- Prep The week before The stylist buys the contemporary looks in Brighton, picks up a few pieces at Snooper’s Paradise on Kensington Gardens and hires a period jacket from a London costume house. Each cast member has a fitting.
- 06:30 Wardrobe in The stylist sets up rails, a steamer and the labelled outfits in a spare room near make-up. The wardrobe van parks in a suspended bay, booked with the council 7 working days ahead. Brighton has no emission charge for vans.
- 07:00 Cast dressed The stylist dresses each cast member in the first look after hair and make-up, and checks it against the mood board.
- 08:00 Camera check The stylist checks the looks on the monitor. If a pattern strobes on camera, they swap it for a plain one.
- 09:00 On set Between takes, the stylist fixes collars, cuffs and lint, and takes a continuity photo of every look.
- 13:00 Lunch Lunch is an hour. The stylist steams the second looks and gets them ready.
- 14:00 Change The cast change in the order of the schedule, so the camera never waits.
- 18:30 Wrap Everything goes back on the rails with labels, ready to return to the shop or the costume house it came from.
We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Brighton and Hove City Council.
Types
Types of wardrobe role we book
We book wardrobe for every size of shoot. That can be a note for the call sheet or a full costume department.
Wardrobe stylist Contemporary looks, to a brief Card £519–647
A wardrobe stylist chooses and fits contemporary clothes for cast and contributors. They buy from shops, borrow from brands or hire.
Good for adverts, brand films, fashion and lifestyle shoots, and presenters on stage at the Brighton Centre.
Costume designer Period and character Card £519–694
A costume designer designs and sources costume for period, character or fantasy work. The costume comes from costume houses or is made to order.
Good for drama, reconstructions and heritage films. Period costume is hired from London and fitted before the day.
Wardrobe assistant Dressing and continuity on the day Card £341–398
A wardrobe assistant dresses the cast, steams and repairs clothes, and keeps continuity. They work to the stylist or designer.
Good for shoots with a bigger cast or several changes.
Wardrobe advice only Interviews and corporate Free with any booking
We send a note for contributors. It asks them to wear plain colours, avoid fine stripes, small checks and logos, and bring a spare top.
Good for interviews in offices at New England House or round the station, where people wear their own clothes.
What it’s for
What people book costume and wardrobe for in Brighton
Adverts and fashion on the seafront
The stylist dresses the cast to the brand for shoots on the beach, Hove Lawns and the piers, with no logos that shouldn’t be there. The Sussex Film Office handles the beach, and the pier’s owner handles the pier.
Conferences at the Brighton Centre
Presenters and hosts are dressed for the stage and the camera, often alongside hair and make-up.
Founder and customer films
Offices at New England House and round the station, where many of the city’s tech and games companies work. Contributors usually wear their own clothes, and the stylist checks that they work on camera.
University and research films
Films at the University of Sussex at Falmer and the University of Brighton often show researchers in their own clothes. The stylist brings spares in case something doesn’t work on camera.
The Downs and the coast
Brand films at Devil’s Dyke, Ditchling Beacon and Seven Sisters need clothes that work in the wind and the weather. The stylist keeps spares and layers in the van.
Recent work
Wardrobe on our jobs, and how we crew Brighton
Full production · Oslo, Norway · 2026
A stylist on a shoot in Norway
For the Oslo chapter of AI for Empowerment, the stylist was booked for a prep day, the shoot day and half a day for returns. Most styling jobs run the same way.
How we crew it · Brighton
Shopping in Brighton, and specialist costume from London
The stylist can buy a contemporary wardrobe in Brighton’s shops in a morning. They keep the receipts and return what doesn’t go on camera. Snooper’s Paradise on Kensington Gardens is a good place to buy props and one-off pieces. Period and specialist costume comes from the London costume houses, by courier or with the stylist. We add the hire, the courier and the travel to the quote before anything is booked.
Before you book
Things to know
The day
- The day is 11 hours, including an hour for lunch.
- Overtime is paid at card rates, and we agree it with you before it happens.
- Prep and returns days are quoted separately.
The wardrobe budget
- Purchases and hires go on the quote at cost, each on its own line.
- The stylist returns hires on time, so hire charges don’t run on.
- Costume hired in from outside the city is couriered or collected, at cost, and the trip is on the quote.
Brighton locations
- Filming on council land in Brighton and Hove, including streets, the beach and parks, goes through the Sussex Film Office. It prices each application, and the permit goes on the quote as its own line.
- The wardrobe van parks in a suspended bay, booked with the council 7 working days ahead. The council charges £51 a bay a day for removals, building work and events. It doesn’t list a filming rate, so we confirm the charge when we apply. Brighton’s low emission zone only covers buses, so there’s no charge for the van. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with the Sussex Film Office and Brighton and Hove City Council.
Paying and changes
- You pay nothing until you confirm the stylist.
- We take 50% by card when you book and 50% when you receive the final rushes.
- The quote shows every line, including the day rate, booking fee, kit and travel.
- Cancellation terms are on every quote.
What our insurance covers
- Our insurance covers employers’ liability for the stylist we book, up to £10m.
- Kit we hire in for you is insured. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, as its own line on the quote.
- On a crew hire, it doesn’t cover anything else. Public liability, the location and your own kit stay with you, and your venue will want to see your certificate. When we’re the producer of record, our policy covers the shoot.
- Private venues usually ask to see it. The Royal Pavilion, for example, asks for at least £10m public liability. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Brighton and Hove Museums.
£519 a day
APA/Bectu card: £519–694 a day, stylist to costume designer.
| Day rate, 11 hours | £519 |
| Booking fee, 10% | £51.90 |
| Insurance, 2% | £10.38 |
| One day, before wardrobe and travel | £581.28 + VAT |
The 2% covers employers’ liability for the stylist we book and the kit we hire in. What it covers
You won’t pay anything until you confirm the booking.
- 50% by card at booking, 50% on the final rushes
- Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours
- Every line on the quote before anything is booked
Or call us on 07412 543822.
Reviews
What clients say about our crews
These reviews come from our Google Business Profile.
Book a costume designer or stylist in Brighton.
Tell us how many people to dress, the look or the period, and the dates. Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. Or call us on 07412 543822.
Check availability
The whole crew
Every crew role we book in Brighton
Send one brief and we send one quote, with every role on its own line. These are our day rates in Brighton, and each crew member gets their full rate:
Production 06
- Director From £500
- Producer From £450
- Production manager £504–627
- 2nd AD £355–448
- Production assistant £400
- Runner £245
Camera 07
- DOP From £850
- Camera operator £529–656
- Focus puller £461–575
- Clapper loader £355–448
- Steadicam operator From £950
- Gimbal operator £529–656
- Drone operator From £750
Data and playback 02
- DIT £527
- Video playback £334–518
Sound 01
- Sound recordist £550
Hair, make-up and costume 02
- Hair and make-up £398
- Costume This page £519–694
Art department 02
- Art director £675–878
- Set builders £341–512
Post-production 01
- Editor From £350
See how our rates work in crew rates in Brighton, or start from one of our crew set-ups in Brighton.
Production support
Everything around the crew
Wardrobe works alongside hair and make-up and the props team, and the van needs a bay outside. Props, a studio and the Sussex Film Office’s permission each go on the quote as their own line, or you can sort them yourself.
01
Kit rental
Where to hire camera, lighting and sound kit for a Brighton shoot, and when the crew bring their own.
02
Locations and permits
The Sussex Film Office, private places such as the pier, filming on the beach and the drone rules.
03
Studios and set builds
Studios in Brighton for interviews and product shots, and where to go for a bigger set build.
04
Props and wardrobe
Where props and costume come from, and the stylists and hair and make-up artists we book.
Questions
Questions about hiring a costume designer or stylist in Brighton
How much does a wardrobe stylist cost in Brighton?
The APA/Bectu card puts a stylist at £519–647 for an 11-hour day and a costume designer at £519–694, and we pay that rate in full. We add our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, so a day starts at £581.28 + VAT. The wardrobe itself is at cost, and any travel from London goes on the quote as its own line. Our rates are the same in Brighton as anywhere else we book crew.
What does the insurance on a crew booking cover?
It covers two things. The first is employers’ liability for every crew member we book, up to £10m. The second is the kit we hire in for you. That’s what the 2% pays for. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, which goes on the quote as its own line. On a crew hire, you’re the producer of record, so public liability, the location, your own kit and anything you book yourself stay with you. If you want us to be the producer of record, we quote it as a full production, and our insurance covers the whole shoot.
Where do you source costume for a Brighton shoot?
The stylist buys contemporary clothes in Brighton’s shops. Snooper’s Paradise on Kensington Gardens is a place to buy props and one-off pieces. Period and specialist costume comes down from the London costume houses, about an hour away by train, by courier or with the stylist. The hire, the courier and the travel each go on the quote as their own line.
Where does the wardrobe van park?
In a suspended parking bay, booked with Brighton and Hove City Council at least 7 working days ahead. The council charges a £38 admin fee for each application. Its daily rate for removals, building work and events is £51 a bay. It doesn’t list a filming rate, so we confirm the charge when we apply. Brighton’s low emission zone only covers buses, so there’s no charge for the van. Check with Brighton and Hove City Council for the latest.
What should contributors wear for an interview?
Plain, mid-tone colours, with no fine stripes, small checks or big logos. Ask them to bring a spare top on a hanger.
Do I need a wardrobe assistant too?
Yes, for a cast of more than four or five, several changes, or period costume. One person can’t dress everyone and watch the set.
Are your stylists and costume designers from Brighton?
We book stylists who live in Brighton or Hove first. For a period job, a big cast or a date when the local stylists are booked, we book one from London, about an hour away by train. We add the travel to the quote before anything is booked. Our own base is London, at 124 City Road, and we have bases in Manchester, Bristol and Cornwall.