Salvador Perez’s work is very diverse. He has designed for many TV series including Castle, Moonlight, Veronica Mars and 6 Seasons of The Mindy Project where he was nominated for an Emmy for costume design. Salvador has also worked on movies such as Pitch Perfect 1, 2 and 3, Think Like a Man 1 and 2, Men of Honor and Drumline. Born and raised in Central California, Perez moved to Los Angeles to attend The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising to pursue a career in fashion design. Once other Costume Designers discovered his costume manufacturing talents, he began running the costume workrooms and assisting on films like Titanic, The Flintstones, and Barb Wire. Outside of film and TV, Salvador designed and developed the “Movie Legends Line” for the J. Peterman Catalogue, he designed a line of Jewelry for Bauble Bar, and designed a signature line of colorful coats for GILT.COM. He is currently the elected president of the Costume Designers Guild.

SALVADOR PEREZ

And then meeting somebody like Mindy Kaling who is a total fashionista, where I got to do storytelling through clothes, but I also got to play fashionista and design contemporary clothes and gowns for the red carpet. And then, even through The Mindy Project, I designed a line of jewelry for BaubleBar and I designed a line of coats for Gilt, so I've gotten to play fashion designer in that same sort of way, but with a nod towards costume design. But I think that every day we get dressed up we're telling a story. I'm happy today. I'm sad today, so whether you're telling a story for the people at work or you're telling a story for your character on camera, I think that we tell a story every day by what we wear.

This interview was conducted by Mia Funk with the participation of collaborating universities and students. Associate Interviews Producer on this podcast was Anna Chu. Digital Media Coordinator is Yu Young Lee. “Winter Time” was composed by Nikolas Anadolis and performed by the Athenian Trio.

This is an excerpt of a 7,000 word interview which will be published and podcasted across a network of participating university journals and national arts/literary magazines.

Mia Funk is an artist, interviewer and founder of The Creative Process.