From Barnyard Dress-Up to Netflix's Virgin River with Judith Feller

In this inspiring deep dive, Virgin River costume designer Judith Feller shares her journey from a wildly imaginative childhood—playing dress-up on a remote farm—to shaping the visual identity of one of Netflix's most beloved series. Feller unpacks how creativity, limited resources, and a hands-on upbringing fueled her passion for fashion, eventually leading her from fashion design into film and television. She reveals the realities of breaking into the industry—starting at the bottom, grinding through years of on-set roles, and even launching her own clothing line before returning to costume design with a sharper creative voice. The conversation dives into the art of character-driven wardrobe, exploring how she refreshed Virgin River in Season 7—balancing continuity with subtle evolution. From refining silhouettes and reducing visual repetition to crafting standout looks for destination episodes and Western-inspired storylines, Feller highlights the delicate dance between storytelling, actor comfort, and audience expectations. She also offers powerful insights into collaboration, resilience, and creative adaptability—emphasizing that success in film and TV costume design isn't about control, but about flexibility, teamwork, and letting go. This episode is packed with insights on: Costume design shaping story and character Breaking into film industry careers Fashion to film career transition Evolving style in long-running series Collaboration across film production teams Balancing actor comfort and visual storytelling Creative resilience, burnout, and adaptability   The "Voice of Costume" is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. A behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world. Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation with Catherine Baumgardner. Audio available wherever you get podcasts. https://voiceofcostume.com/