We provide exquisite handmade costumes that seek attention, be it in the delicate embellishment of a bodice or the outlandish proportions of a winged codpiece. Working alongside brands & agencies, venues, festivals and publications, we create immersive Prangstascapes to get lost in.
Alice in Wonderland, creatures of Narnia or Gatsby socialite, we dress you down to your briefs to knock you out of this world, into any era. Enter our world of fantasy costume.
We are textile artists and we make clothing to be worn. We use skills, resourcefulness and creativity to combat the manufacture of mass-produced throwaway fashion.
When we stitch something, it’s done with the intended use in mind. Our pieces are rented hundreds of times and worn by performers, hardcore party goers and mad hatters on horseback. They need to be fitted to their wearer, and they need to stay in one piece. We build properly, the slow and hard way, not to throw away.
Not afraid of paradoxes, our garments gain in strength and value as their age. Once an item has been designated as needing major surgery, it is sent to our engine hub of mad crafters, and more often than not it gets a complete overhaul, acquire a new layer, creating depth and adding soul to the garment.
Our process revolves around the relentless hunt for discarded items to re-home and breathe new life into. Our pieces are predominantly made using high-quality reclaimed materials, vintage garments and discarded accessories. This adds character to the costumes, as well as contributes to the cyclic economy.
Melanie, our creative director, is often asked what inspires her creations, and she always comes up with a different version of the same answer:
“It’s an old discarded item that speaks to me, that tells me it wants to be the shining centrepiece of a new garment, that it wants a new lease of life”
Big, small, average, plural, colourful, human, flea, beast, freak, princess, tycoon, amoeba, rectangle, you are alive, you are involved, we are you. We hire costumes for you to create your world around, and shapeshift whenever you feel like it. That’s all we have to say about that, really.
We believe in crafting as a tool for mindfulness and good mental health. The power of the crafting process to help quiet the mind in ever increasing noisy times. Crafting as therapy is the tonic that works for us, and we’d love to convert you too!
We strive to relieve our boundaries and yours. Our studio is a playground, your spark makes each creation a new experiment. You, tiramisu jellyfish you. There’s nothing we love to see more than a jaded banker act like a kid in a candy shop.
We created Prangsta’s showroom as a fantasy realm, where each and everyone can become their most flamboyant selves, express their innermost desires without the fear of being judged. On a daily basis, we entice warriors, tickle your feminine energy, whisper spells to your inner witch, cross boundaries and bend a rule or two. Help us, help you, allow yourself. A teetering push towards freedom. Enabling you to say “Hey! How about…”. Our answer is yes.
We believe in the transformative power of costumes, and we see our styling process as therapy. We recommend surrendering to the expert hands of our stylists, who’ll channel your assets and help you get out of your comfort zone. And if you ‘just’ want to see jaws drop to the floor, we can do that too.
Prangsta was founded in New Cross in 1998 and has ever since remained faithful to its South London turf. Everything that we produce is entirely made, designed and embellished in our New Cross studio, by our in-house team, using traditional British craftsmanship blended with a healthy dose of experimentation.
We strive to source all new materials from local providers, most things we buy can be found within a bike ride. That stunning jacket, in our latest editoral shoot? Entirely adorned with beads found at a local junk market.