“There’s this story and theoretically it’s from a Ballet, but I don’t know whether it actually happened, kinda like a costuming legend. But, um, it’s, it’s the kind of moral of the story is why you shouldn’t leave pins in costumes.
So, this is the story of uh, well I guess a ballerina. And there was a pin that got left in her costume, uh, near the waistline, where I assume the tutu attaches the leotard or something like that, or maybe it wasn’t a tutu or leotard, I don’t really quite know. um, but, they left a pin in it and the, uh, the male dancer who was supposed to be lifting her put his hands on her waist to lift her, um and actually was so surprised when a pin pricked him that he dropped her, she broke her leg and never danced again. And this is why you should not leave pins in, in costumes.”

This is a piece of folklore one would only expect to here in the particular occupation of costume and clothing making. All types of jobs have risks due to oversight and this legend is no exception. In this type of clothing production, producing top quality clothing by hand with little or few imperfections are of utmost importance. Particularly in costume design where the customer is often in the realm physical performance such as acting or dancing, the design and structure of the outfit is even more important. In any employee-customer relationship, the customer expects a top quality product for the exchange of their money. This legend highlights a worst case scenario of a bad mistake; a small, beginner-like mistake having a terrible impact on the performer and customer.

Claire told me she heard this legend from her supervisor at the costume shop where she works. Her supervisor told Claire that she heard the legend at the Los Angeles Opera where she used to work.  Perhaps by telling this legend to new employees, the hope is that they will take heed and not make a similar mistake.