My name is Guia Macapaz and I am a Filipino-Irish costume designer and maker. Drawn to costume construction, I am interested in bringing stories and ideas to life through innovative design using high-quality technical skills. As a firm believer that costume and clothing help form our identity, I am eager to represent different people, characters and communities authentically and beautifully in film and theatre. For my Major Project, I chose to take the novel, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, and adapt it for stage. Wanting to explore the beloved story of Santiago and his journey of self-growth and self-fulfilment, I decided to set her adaptation in the 16th Century during the Renaissance Period, a time of enlightenment and exploration. I chose to base it in Mindanao, Philippines as a way to maintain the religious aspects yet explore new perspectives, as well as see what the Renaissance Period would look like in Southeast Asia during a time of colonisation. However, instead of colonial rule, it would be a cultural marriage. I wanted to achieve the ‘cultural marriage’ of the two cultures by designing and creating costumes inspired by silhouettes of the Spanish Renaissance with influences from the Philippines through their textiles and prints during the 16th Century. I have gained valuable experience in film and theatre, having worked with the NFS, and RIAM on two operas in the Samuel Beckett Theatre and the Project Arts Centre, and the Irish National Opera in The Gaiety Theatre.
