Fox’s “The Masked Singer” is midway through its eighth season. The singing competition features celebrities whose identities are concealed behind elaborate costumes. This season’s eye-popping costumes include a pink dragon in a wedding dress, a multi-colored hummingbird with a giant prosthetic head, and an animatronic fortune teller inside a booth.
Academy and Tony Award-winning costume designer Tim Chappel is the wizard behind the outfits. He says each costume is tailored to the contestant, while taking into account what appeals to the audience.
“We have things that little girls would like. We had things that are more fashion-oriented. And we always have to include a couple of blokey costumes for the dads watching,” Chappel tells KCRW.
He adds, “I like to involve my celebrity in creative decision-making. And how I tailor things is that it depends on [if] they can dance, how good they are as a singer, and interestingly enough, how bad they are with claustrophobia. And it could be a very light and airy head, and they go, ‘Oh, my God, I can't deal with it.’ And then by the time they get to the camera, they're all good.”
One costume this season is a pink dragon bride, which Chappel says is one of his favorites. “Our pink dragon is about nine and a half big tall, and has a big toothy smile, and a lovely 80s style, Princess Diana wedding dress, and a giant engagement ring. But we don't know whether she's been left at the altar or not yet. Hopefully, she'll make it.”
“Our pink dragon is about nine and a half big tall, and has a big toothy smile, and a lovely 80s style, Princess Diana wedding dress, and a giant engagement ring. But we don't know whether she's been left at the altar or not yet. Hopefully, she'll make it,“ says “The Masked Singer” costume designer Tim Chappel. Courtesy of Tim Chappel.
Depending on the complexity of the costume, its production can take up to 16 weeks and about 30 people. That includes technology specialists who help design the costumes in a 3D space and actually build the outfits out of 3D printer materials and foam.
“When you put these flat pieces that are very random looking, you glue them all together, and then you've got this perfect head that's exactly a doll or a baby or a bear. And it comes out perfect and doesn't need any sanding or any special finishing. The new technologies are really helping,” he explains. “They're not that heavy. … I have to look after my babies, my casts are my babies. And I tried to make sure that they’re comfortable and as free to move as possible.”
Costume designer Tim Chappel says one of his favorite outfits to date is the mermaid. Courtesy of Tim Chappel.
Chappel adds that he appreciates how the costumes allow celebrities to completely hide their identity.
“This show really exemplifies that idea. And one of the real joys is watching the celebrity go through the process. We're giving celebrities an opportunity to be something completely bizarre and different.”
This panther is a design on “The Masked Singer.” Courtesy of Tim Chappel.
This corn is a design on “The Masked Singer.” Courtesy of Tim Chappel.
This gopher is a design on “The Masked Singer.” Courtesy of Tim Chappel.
This pirate is a design on “The Masked Singer.” Courtesy of Tim Chappel.