Caroline and Michele met while working together on Thoroughly Modern Millie in Bronxville, New York. Caroline had fallen in love with costuming as a parent volunteer, and after volunteering for three years, decided to leave the practice of law and find out what it would be like to work full time as a costume designer. At that stage in her costuming career, Caroline was really good at sourcing costumes and finding clothing at thrift stores that would be up cycled into costumes, but didn’t know how to use a sewing machine! Luckily, she found Michele, a mom of one of the actor students. Michele, already a whiz at sewing, mercifully built Millie’s signature opening yellow 1920s silk dress. Since then, Caroline did learn how to sew, and Michele was always there to help Caroline with her sewing dilemmas.
While Caroline was working as a costume designer for local schools, Michele left her practice of medicine to earn her B.F.A. in Costume Design/Costume Technology from the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Purchase College. When the opportunity arose to acquire a high-quality, diverse collection of costumes from a well-known and respected costume rental company in Greenwich, CT, Michele and Caroline knew that this was their chance to start an online costume rental business. As a costume designer, Caroline had frequently rented from a number of theatrical costume rental companies to rent costumes that were one of a kind or too difficult and time-consuming to build in time for a production. However, she was frustrated with the challenge and hassle of finding and renting costumes. The mission of Exquisite Costumes is to make finding and renting theatrical-quality costumes online easy and enjoyable at a reasonable cost. They intend to make Exquisite Costumes a leader in the costume rental industry.
With years of experience in theatrical costume design and construction, Michele and Caroline have acquired the necessary skills and eye for design to provide well-crafted costume rentals. From shows like Annie, Legally Blonde, Newsies, Shrek, Guys and Dolls, The Wizard of Oz, Sound of Music, Addams Family, Hello Dolly, Curtains and Music Man to historical reenactments taking place in the Renaissance, Colonial, Victorian eras and the 18th century, we are sure to have the theatrical costumes you are looking for. Browse our catalog to see all of the vintage clothing and costume rentals we offer to theater directors, drama teachers, and costume designers throughout the country. Contact us with any questions regarding our wardrobe rentals or to schedule a free consultation with a member of our team!
Caroline has costumed over 36 plays and musicals, ranging from plays like 12 angry Jurors, Romeo and Juliet and Little Women to large scale musicals like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Into the Woods, Oliver, Grease, and Little Shop of Horrors. Caroline works for Greenwich Country Day School, Greens Farms Academy, and the Bronxville School as Costume Designer/Director and has extensive experience costuming grade levels from 4th grade through high school. Caroline’s most recent project was costuming a middle school production of Beauty and the Beast with 149 students. Caroline applies a broad knowledge of history and art to the costume design process, ensuring period authenticity and novel creativity for each production. As owner and manager of Exquisite Costumes, LLC, Caroline looks to bring that experience and knowledge to our customers and clients. Caroline grew up in the Foreign Service as the officer of a United States diplomat. After earning a B.A. from Brown University, and a J.D. from Columbia Law School, Caroline practiced law for nine years before making the leap from law to full-time costuming in 2018. Caroline is married to Drew Oliver, and is the mom of four wonderful children.
When not producing specialized costume designs for Caroline, Michele was sourcing and building costumes for the Concordia Music Conservatory. Dressing casts of up to sixty students for newly composed shows written each year became her specialty, but she was also responsible for costuming period pieces including A Christmas Carol. At Purchase College, Michele went back to the basics, completing studies in design, art and theater with lighting designers, scenic designers, technical directors, and stage managers. Now specializing in both costume design and costume technology, she has all of the skills needed to design and build costumes of all types. Michele was born and raised in the Midwest, and is married to Jeff Rohr. She earned a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as an M.D. degree from Washington University in St. Louis. After twenty years in the medical profession and raising three wonderful children, Michele decided to follow her true passion, art in the form of clothing. She will graduate with a B.F.A. from the Conservatory of Theater Arts at Purchase College in 2024.
