Kat Ibasco shares on breaking barriers from Broadway to beyond!

Kat Ibasco isn’t just designing for the stage or screen. She’s designing her future, and it’s global.

The ambitious Chinese-Filipino costume designer envisions a future where her work spans continents, mediums, and generations. She dreams of not only designing on Broadway but also becoming the first Chinese Filipino to win an Emmy, an Oscar, and a Tony.“I want to break barriers, redefine what success looks like, and use my work to challenge industry norms,” she says. But her aspirations don’t stop with personal accolades. She’s equally passionate about giving back and bringing world-class theatre to the Philippines. She also wants to mentor young Asian artists to thrive on the global stage.

An unconventional journey to success

Unconventional creative fire

That sense of global purpose is already evident in the unconventional and exciting paths she’s taken. In addition to theatre, Kat is diving into a cutting-edge medium: vertical film. As the entertainment industry continues to evolve with new forms of storytelling, she has found herself at the forefront of this mobile-first format, designing for stories intended to be experienced on smartphones. “It’s fast, it’s intimate, and it demands a different kind of visual storytelling,” she says. “It’s a new challenge, and I love that.”

This ability to adapt, and thrive, has defined Ibasco’s journey. Born in the Philippines and raised in a strict STEM-centric household, she moved alone to Hong Kong at age twelve. It was there, in an after-school theatre program, that she discovered a space to express herself beyond academics. That program would ignite a curiosity that eventually led her to costume design; a career she hadn’t even known existed.

“I applied to Boston University’s arts program on a whim,” she recalls. “I submitted my application in three days. I just trusted fate.” Initially intent on becoming a stage manager, she was encouraged by professors to try costume design. An introductory sewing class sealed the deal. From there, she taught herself to draw, overloaded her schedule, and networked relentlessly.

To Broadway and beyond!

Her work ethic paid off. Ibasco landed an internship at a Broadway costume shop, earned a scholarship for grad school in New York, and, even during the Covid-19 pandemic, secured consistent projects, including a role on the costume team for Here Lies Love, a musical she first encountered in school. That show also introduced her to Clint Ramos, the first person of color to win a Tony for costume design in a play and a major inspiration for Ibasco.

Since then, she’s worked on productions ranging from Cult of Love on Broadway and Urinetown at New York City Center, to regional plays like A Raisin in the Sun in Arkansasand Theatre People at Connecticut. Her costume work is known for its emotional nuance, cultural depth, and ability to amplify character and narrative without ever overwhelming them.

Turn challenges into triumphs

Overcoming challenges to success

But building that career has meant overcoming more than just technical hurdles. “People see the heels, the dresses, and they assume I’m high-maintenance,” Ibasco laughs. “But then they watch me handle 14-hour tech days on my feet, managing fittings and making decisions under pressure.” She’s learned to let others underestimate her, and then surpass their expectations with grace, grit, and impeccable detail.

Another major challenge has been navigating the unspoken rules of the theatre industry, where jobs are mostly unlisted and hiring is based on relationships. Moving across countries, from the Philippines, Hong Kong, Boston, and New York, without existing connections meant building a network from scratch. “There’s no roadmap,” she says. “You just have to show up, follow up, and make sure people remember how you worked around their space.”

Show up, stand out

That philosophy, of showing up and standing out, has guided Ibasco through every new opportunity, including her current collaborations at Much Ado About Nothing with The Public Theater’s Mobile Unit and upcoming Angry Alan, starring John Krasinski.

Her secret? Treating her career like both a business and a community. “Be kind. Be curious. Keep learning. Say thank you. Say yes when it’s scary, and no when it matters,” she advises.

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Unveil hidden potential

As she looks ahead to bigger stages, feature films, and global collaborations, Kat remains rooted in purpose. “Costume design is more than clothes,” she says. “It’s identity, memory, power. It’s how we see ourselves, and how we want to be seen. I want my work to reflect the depth of my heritage, the breadth of my experience, and the voices that deserve to be heard.”

If Kat Ibasco has anything to do with it, the future of costume design won’t just be stylish… it’ll be revolutionary.