“With support from her teachers, Riah was able to develop the costumes as part of her Fashion & Textiles A-level and the promotional material as part of her Graphics A-level. Her confidence, maturity and professionalism enabled her to achieve this successfully within very tight time frames and against a strict brief. Hats off to her!”Â
Natalie Isaacson-Walsh, Fashion and Textiles Tutor
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- ‘Anne of Cleves’
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- ‘Anne Boleyn’
While at Loreto, Riah played a crucial role in college productions. Her endless talents truly shone in ‘Six the Musical’ where she took on the challenge of designing costumes for Henry VIII’s wives. Inspired by the original costume designer Gabriella Slade, Riah seamlessly blended historical accuracy with modern influences. Her designs, informed by her research into stained glass, churches and contemporary culture – including a nod to Beyonce’s iconic style – brought authenticity to each character.
Riah’s attention to detail brought the characters to life on stage, earning her praise from the Head of Performing Arts, Danny Price who said, “Working with Riah on Addams Family, Tartuffe, Six: Teen the Musical and Little Women has been superb. She is an incredibly gifted designer and is destined for great things. Riah undertook stage management duties and costume and design responsibilities and executed them all brilliantly. She deserves every success”. Mr Price goes on to say, “Her talents extend far beyond costume design. Riah also contributed to creating props, and promotional material, and even crafted a set of six bears, each adorned with mini costumes representing all six queens. Her motivation stems from a deep love for theatre, regularly attending shows such as ‘Legally Blonde’ and ‘Hadestown’.
“I love making something come to life for an audience and immersing them in that world’, adds Riah.
Riah’s commitment to her craft is evident in her participation in the LIPA Summer School and her enrolment in the Royal Exchange Young Company, where she honed skills in stage management and set dressing.
Riah received top A Level results at Loreto which secured her a place at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (the very same place Gabriella Slade attended), where she is currently studying Design for Performance. setting the stage for her creative future!
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- ‘Catherine of Aragon
Here’s Riah’s experience in her own words:Â
“It has been an incredible experience working with the drama department at Loreto creating costumes for Six the Musical – teen edition. Â From the very beginning, all the students and staff have encouraged me and been supportive of my ideas. As an aspiring theatre costume designer, the tutors at Loreto have allowed me to learn and showcase my designs and throughout all of this showed belief in my abilities.The costume fittings were such a highlight. Getting to see the actors bring my designs to life was amazing, and the support from the textiles department helped me with the construction. The staff involved not only helped me refine my skills in costume design but also boosted my confidence. Plus, they’re lovely people to chat with!This experience has helped me gain practical skills that I can apply to future projects as well as university applications, Â as well as having the chance to experience life working in a theatre. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and for the wonderful cast and crew I’ve had the pleasure of working with.”
We wish Riah the best of luck in her studies.