Today we’d like to introduce you to Tad Klenske.
Tad, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have been a Scout since I was in 1st grade, and my mom told me I had to sew on my own patches. So, hand sewing has always been in my repertoire (it has most definitely improved since then). I first became interested in using a sewing machine in late high school when my advisor had a class for sewing during an experimental project my school was trying. I jumped on the opportunity because I had always wanted to learn but didn’t have the opportunity since my school had discontinued our Home Ec program. We started off with some basic projects like coasters and pillow cases, I found that these came easily to me and that I had a natural talent for it. I still had a big portion of our week left and decided to tackle a much more in-depth project. I sewed my first article of clothing, a patchwork vest made of scraps that were patterned off of a vest I already owned. After that, my interest kept growing and I kept teaching myself more.
In college, I enrolled in a theatre program, and although I was in the program for acting, I had plenty of opportunities to take costume classes, hang out in the studio with the professors, and learn more advanced techniques. I learned how to draft homemade patterns, how to program an embroidery machine and more. It was also in college that I had my introduction to burlesque. I joined a troupe as a crew member and did a lot of costuming that challenged how I made costumes. We used a lot of non-traditional and recycled materials, and we had to make hidden quick releases for the garments too. The mechanics required to pull this off is something I still experiment with today and have a lot of fun playing with.
At this point, I was making costumes for myself and a couple of friends. Once finished with college I moved down to Atlanta where there were better prospects. Upon getting here I joined the Georgia Renaissance Festival where I learned a whole new set of skills in relation to historical costuming. The structure of garments from history is completely different than anything in the modern age and are very demanding in terms of labor. Working on these costumes have been strong challenges that have improved my precision and ability to tailor garments. I also joined the Candybox Revue and have been performing burlesque with them which has kept me exploring more in the way of costumes and performance in that genre.
I am always experimenting with new techniques and love utilizing them in garments in different ways than the average person might. I just kick-started my own costuming business called Gallant Tailoring a few months ago and am hoping to eventually be able to be a costumer and performer full time.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I think everyone’s path as an artist is never that smooth and has its own inherent struggles. It took me a long time, and a lot of people telling me, that my costume work was good enough to sell. So, getting up the nerve to actually start working on commission was a big jump for me. I moved from Cedar Falls, Iowa where I had lived all my life to that point, down to Atlanta, Georgia. The culture adjustment was thrilling but took time. Cross country moves are never easy and are a battle all of their own. I would say my current biggest hurdle is time, which I feel like a lot of artists face. It’s a constant battle of giving yourself more time for your craft and doing your day job to survive. Most artists I know are always juggling at least three major things in their life if not more, which makes being able to commit fully to your craft a difficult task.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My business is called Gallant Tailoring, I specialize in historical, cosplay, and burlesque costumes. I will be starting up a line of corsets in the next half a year which I’m very excited about because the fit and durability of a corset is everything. Currently, I am most known for my historical costumes because I’ve made more of those than the other things due to my connection to the Georgia Renaissance Festival. However, my burlesque and cosplay categories have been slowly growing.
I am most proud of the durability of my costumes, and the precision of their construction. I believe in creating a stress-free performer experience. I do this by creating costume pieces that are durable, sustainable, and low-maintenance while being tailored to the performer’s specific needs. All the things I make are designed for the rigors of repeated use and performance, however, they can be enjoyed just as well by the casual con-goer, or someone who wears it once a year to the Renaissance Festival. Durability and not having to fix a piece to me are the things that are most important for a person to enjoy a costume piece. They should not have to worry about it all day and miss a part of their experience, and it should be something that can bring joy for a significant amount of time and not a few uses only.
Another thing that sets me apart from others and that I believe in is a tailored fit. The fit of a garment can completely change how nice it looks. You can take the same costume and on two people it will look completely different. I like to custom tailor costumes to a customer for the highest amount of comfort, and for the costume piece to look it’s best for them.
What were you like growing up?
When I was growing up, I practically lived outside and turned the backyard into my imagination’s playscape. One day I might be a Power Ranger, the next a cowboy in the old west, the next Robin from Teen Titans. I still live in my imagination. Anything from lost boys to Disney princes. That’s why I’m a performer, and why costuming is important to me. I love having the ability to transform myself into completely different people and live another experience than my own. It is something that has fascinated me as long as I can remember.
This imaginative need of mine has manifested in different forms in my life. Theatre, burlesque, costuming, short film creation, cosplay volunteering, and more. I have always looked for different ways to experience other people’s worlds.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://klensket.wixsite.com/tadklenske
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thaddeusthehandy/ & https://www.instagram.com/bustervonstrapp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gallanttailoring/ & https://www.facebook.com/bustervonstrapp/
Image Credit:
Kim Groninga, Jessica Kray, Wes Carter
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