Costume Designers Guild (IATSE Local 892)

Overview

The Costume Designers Guild (CDG), operating as IATSE Local 892, is the union representing costume designers, assistant costume designers, and costume illustrators working in motion pictures, television, and commercials in the United States. Founded in 1953, Local 892 is one of 22 Hollywood union locals under IATSE. The Guild's jurisdiction covers creative design leadership of the costume department: the costume designer who develops the overall costume concept for a production, the assistant costume designers who execute specific design work under their direction, and the costume illustrators who create visual reference art.

The CDG is distinct from the Motion Picture Costumers (IATSE Local 705), which covers the broader costume department workforce including costumers, set costumers, and wardrobe supervisors. Together, the two locals cover the full range of costume department work on union productions, with the CDG covering design-level creative work and Local 705 covering the operational and execution roles.

The current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) runs from August 1, 2024 through July 31, 2027. The agreement covers studios including all AMPTP signatory companies. Separate agreements exist with Western Costume Co. (January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2028) and Mavencraft Studios (February 1, 2026 through January 31, 2029).

Membership Requirements and Costs

CDG membership covers costume designers, assistant costume designers, and costume illustrators working on theatrical features, episodic television, movies of the week, miniseries, commercials, and new media. Applicants must meet qualification requirements under their specific classification and provide independent documentation (deal memo, crew list, call sheet, DVD screenshot with credits) plus 3 signed letters of recommendation from costume designers or working professionals familiar with the applicant's skills. An in-person interview may be conducted after application review.

Costume Designer membership costs (2026):

Assistant Costume Designer membership costs (2026):

Three payment options are available: (1) pay the full total upon acceptance, (2) pay half plus the remainder within 45 days, or (3) pay an initial amount with the balance charged monthly over 3 consecutive months (3% convenience fee applies to credit card charges). Quarterly dues fall on January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1.

The Guild does not find work for members or act as an employment agency. Members become eligible for health insurance and pension benefits through the IATSE Motion Picture Industry Health Plan and Pension Plan after accumulating qualifying on-the-job hours.

Wage Minimums (2024-2027 CBA)

The CBA increased wage minimums effective August 3, 2025, with further increases scheduled for August 2, 2026. Key studio minimum rates for the period August 3, 2025 through August 1, 2026:

Rates effective August 2, 2026 through July 31, 2027 increase to $1,344.39 daily for theatrical costume designers and $1,032.66 daily for television costume designers. A 3% reduction applies to Wage Schedule #2 rates for certain production types. Low-budget theatrical productions operate under a separate agreement with reduced minimums. Pilots, 1st season, and 2nd season productions revert to the previous year's rates.

The full wage schedules are published at costumedesignersguild.com/contracts. Producers should consult these documents directly when budgeting a signatory production.

CDG Awards

The Costume Designers Guild Awards (CDGA) are the most significant peer-voted honors in costume design. The 28th CDGA ceremony was held on February 12, 2026, at the Ebell of Los Angeles, hosted by Courtney Hope. Nominations were announced December 12, 2025.

28th CDGA winners (2026):

Since the CDG Awards launched in 1999, the Academy Award for Costume Design has gone to a period film every year except four. The CDG Awards are voted on by Guild members, making them peer recognition from working costume design professionals rather than a general industry electorate.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For productions hiring a costume designer, IATSE signatory status is required to access CDG members. The costume designer is a key pre-production hire whose work begins with character and story analysis well before principal photography. Their rate is governed by CDG minimums for the applicable production type and budget tier. A theatrical costume designer earns a minimum of $1,298.93/day or $4,796.83/week under the current CBA (August 2025 through August 2026).

Independent productions frequently underestimate the costume budget, treating costume as a minor department when it is often one of the most resource-intensive aspects of period and genre productions. A single period feature can require hundreds of custom-built garments, extensive fittings, and a costume department staff of 10-20 people. Understanding CDG minimums and what a professional costume designer brings to a project helps producers plan realistically.

For costume designers seeking membership, the $6,500 entrance fee (plus first quarter dues and fees totaling $7,028.84) can be paid in installments. Membership requires documented work experience and 3 letters of recommendation. The Guild office handles classification disputes, dues questions, and contract enforcement. Contact information and application materials are available at costumedesignersguild.com/join-membership.

See Also

For the broader IATSE structure within which Local 892 operates, see IATSE in this directory. For the wardrobe and costumer local that works alongside CDG, see the Motion Picture Costumers (Local 705) entry in this directory. For budgeting union productions and estimating costume department labor costs, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator.