Tess Schofield
Designers
"...The care that THE SECRET RIVER company realised is evident in the thoughtful and intricate choices and solutions of the costumes by Tess Schofield. The achievement in the designs and execution of the design is in the deft combination of period and contemporary resolution..." Kevin Jackson
Tess works across film, television, opera and theatre.
Tess has won five AACTA Awards for Best Costume Design in a Feature Film and been nominated for, and won, Green Room, Helpmann and Sydney Theatre Critics Awards for her costume design in opera and theatre.
Tess’s recent work includes feature films THIRTEEN LIVES, directed by Ron Howard, and THE DROVER’S WIFE which premiered at SXSW in 2021 and RAMS starring Sam Neill, Michael Caton and Miranda Richardson.
Tess designed costumes for television programs including TIDELANDS, HARROW, ABC’s THE LETDOWN and THE KETTERING INCIDENT.
Tess won the 2015 AACTA award for best costume design for THE WATER DIVINER, a feature film directed by Russell Crowe. Tess designed costumes on the feature film DANCE ACADEMY – THE MOVIE and received a 2016 AACTA nomination for Best Costume Design for this work. Tess designed the costumes for THE SAPPHIRES which had its world premiere at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and won the 2013 AACTA Award for Best Costume Design for her work on the film.
Earlier film work includes the AFI award winning Best Costume Design films SPOTSWOOD, DIRTY DEEDS and BOOTMEN and she received a further nomination for MR RELIABLE. Tess costume designed feature films COSI, RADIANCE, DIANA AND ME, SUBTERANO and GREENKEEPING and feature documentary UNFOLDING FLORENCE.
Tess’s theatre credits are numerous and include A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and THE DIARY OF A MADMAN both of which traveled to BAM in New York, THE SECRET RIVER which transferred to Edinburgh Festival and The National Theatre in London, NAMATJIRA, THE WILD DUCK, THE ADVENTURES OF SNUGGLEPOT AND CUDDLEPIE and LITTLE RAGGED BLOSSOM, CLOUDSTREET (including world tour), TOY SYMPHONY, THE JUDAS KISS, THE SEAGULL, RIFLEMIND, THE GREAT, FAR AWAY and VICTORY. Tess designed Big hArt’s HIPBONE STICKING OUT.
Tess’s opera costume design includes: LA TRAVIATA staged on Sydney Harbour by Opera Australia; SWEENEY TODD for the Lyric Opera Chicago and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and PETER GRIMES for Opera Australia and Houston Grand Opera. Tess’s musical theatre credits include SHANE WARNE THE MUSICAL, SPRING AWAKENING and CHESS.
