The magic of Los Angeles and the story of how I was lucky enough to explore one of the oldest costume houses’s in the world!

My dream had always been to visit LA.

All my friends knew it. All through high school that was what I worked towards. It was a my goal. It was what got me through all the hardest moments in the years leading up to me actually going.

Los Angeles is exactly what you see in movies. Almost. It feels magical. Magic things happen to you.

You meet amazing people. Who tell you about secret entrances to 200-year-old costume houses. So, you drive to the next suburb and ignore the ‘do not enter’ and ‘no public access’ signs throughout the parking lot and hallway. You stride up to the small front desk.

Not the kind in a public waiting room. The kind in a backlot building where a young, kind but startled guy who isn’t used to knew people approaching stands.

You hastily explain your Australian, you’re not here for a job, you just want to look around.

You look to the left, the first office you see has a plaque above the door that states “head of women’s department”. Odd that someone so important would have their office right next to reception (one lonesome desk, only for industry professionals to briefly sign in).

A older, established well-dressed woman walked out of the office. The young guy at the desk took some kindness on us. He caught her attention and introduced us to her. She was the head of the women’s department for Westerns, I believe her name was Christina.

She told us to come back in an hour as she had a meeting to get to. We jumped in the car and raced to Portos. A bakery in Burbank, filled a box of pastry’s for her and a sandwich for us. We arrived back with our bribery portos box. She loved it. She said no one had ever asked for a tour before, she seemed honestly confused at how we even found it. She was so kind. Showing us through the largest rooms, filled to the roof with rails of clothing, 100s of brown jackets all colour organised with specific time periods.

This is one of the most special moments of my life. It felt magic to me. Like a small glimpse into the life of a costumer in LA that I hoped I could be one day.

Surrounded by over 100 years of Hollywood costume history, I longed to be part of it.