Crafting Notting Hill Carnival: The costumes that light up London's annual street party

‘The experience became a pivotal moment in my life: it ignited my creative spark and set me on a path to strengthen my skills in costume design,’ says Melissa Simon-Hartman. The designer’s creations have been worn by the likes of Beyoncé, appeared in music videos for Burna Boy and Wizkid, in theatre productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company and on the red carpet of the 2023 Grammys. But she’s speaking now of discovering the ‘magic and artistry’ of carnival costume design as a child, when attending a summer camp.

Today, she creates award-winning carnival costumes through Legion Mas. She is among several trailblazers in the art of carnival costume design – invited, alongside designers such as Marelle Steblecki, Mahogany Carnival Design and the late Lincoln Rahamut to produce masterpieces in the UK and beyond, preserving traditions and creating new ones.

Making costumes for events such as Notting Hill Carnival takes immense skill, time, resources and creative flair. Some designers are self-taught, while others have backgrounds in fashion and costume design. The London event, which takes place during the final weekend of August, is a culturally significant event in the British calendar, celebrating the lives, traditions, and contributions of Caribbean people through a weekend of festivities, food and music. The carnival is a major and lasting contribution of the Windrush generation to UK life and holds special meaning this year, which marks 75 years since the HMT Empire Windrush arrived on British shores, carrying Caribbeans who had come to the UK to work and live. It was first held in 1966, arising as a response to racial violence endured by Black Caribbean people in West London.

And carnival itself, also known as ‘mas’, began as an act of resistance. French colonisers in 1800s Trinidad held lavish masquerade balls which enslaved Africans couldn’t attend. This led to Black Caribbeans holding their own private carnivals at which they would often mock enslavers and dress up in similar wear. Later the events became a celebration of freedom from slavery, and a way to depict personal journeys through physical storytelling using characters and costumes. The term ‘mas’ derives from these masquerades.

Today, carnivals remain an act of celebration, liberation and resistance. Costumes play an essential role in the festivities across the globe and of course on the streets of West London every August bank holiday. There are different types of mas all with their own themes, styles of costume, and there are recurring characters such as the Midnight Robber (dressed in a cloak and wide-brimmed hat), and Jab Jab (wearing a jester-inspired costume, or as a devil to representing the evil of slave owners). Messy (or dirty mas), also known as J'ouvert, is where participants cover themselves in mud, chocolate and oil, and 'pretty mas’ costumes take inspiration from a Vegas or Rio show-girl style of costume.

The modern pretty mas costumes, of which you’ll often see at Notting Hill Carnival, are usually composed of sparkling sequins, colourful feathers, beading and bikinis. These vibrant costumes often represent empowerment, liberation and autonomy for women. In Carnival is Woman by Frances Henry and Dwaine Plaza (2019), the authors describe how Caribbean carnivals differ from ones in Rio, Brazil as they ‘celebrate ordinary women of all ages, all skin colours, all ethnicities and most of them are far from slim’.

There are many elements that go into designing and creating a successful pretty mas costume, according to Simon-Hartman. ‘A modern carnival costume should clearly represent a theme, and have an appealing aesthetic, durability and functionality,’ she says. ‘It should also have considerations for movement and being worn in an outdoor environment.’ The typical components of a pretty mas costume are: ‘the base/bodywear (which should provide options for various body types and offer coverage options), a headdress, decoration and embellishments, accessories, a backpack, and feather-work.’ Common techniques are: hand beading, placing individual rhinestones and gems, and sewing or gluing ostrich, turkey or pheasant feathers onto a bikini or leotard base and matching head pieces.

Designers with Caribbean heritage, such as Simon-Hartman, are preserving the traditions of carnival costumes not only through their creativity but through their own identities, in a way that mass-produced costumes can’t. With a legacy of tailoring and dressmaking running through generations in the Caribbean, they conserve and enrich an established aspect of the culture. Yet, just as mas has evolved over the last two centuries, so have the designs and costumes. From traditional characters played out in mas to a more modern and globalised take on costumes leaning into aesthetics – although both are still represented. ‘We live in an evolving world, so I support maintaining a deep respect for tradition and heritage while embracing new ideas and approaches,’ she states. ‘Tradition and innovation can coexist in carnival costume design, resulting in visually stunning and culturally significant creations.’

The craft’s versatility and capacity to evolve has an impact that goes beyond Carnival itself. ‘Seeing Beyoncé wearing a mas-inspired costume of mine for her Renaissance album artwork was an absolute honour,’ she says. ‘It’s a validation of the transferability and impact of my carnival costume experience to other prominent platforms.’

Amid the Windrush anniversary celebrations, Notting Hill Carnival holds even more gravity this year. Simon-Harman explains why the event represents more than just festivities: ‘The Windrush generation faced numerous challenges and hardships, yet they persevered, building new lives while retaining their cultural pride,’ she says. ‘Carnival became a powerful symbol of resistance, resilience, and unity, serving as a space where individuals could come together, support one another, and create a sense of community and belonging.’

Notting Hill Carnival takes place 27-28 August 2023. simon-hartman.com