Claudia Brownlee
Adjunct Faculty, Costume Design
Claudia Brownlee is a costume designer from the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. She is excited about projects that bridge cultural gaps and is interested in finding sustainable practices for the costume industry.
Claudia graduated with an MFA in Costume Design from CMU School of Drama in 2023. Before joining Carnegie Mellon, she earned an Associate’s degree in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York (2014) and a Bachelor’s of Art in Theater from the University of Maryland, College Park (2017).
Beyond academia, Claudia has held several professional positions and fellowships. She has worked as a stitcher and wardrobe head with WolfTrap Opera and The Washington National Opera [Years]; and as a freelance costume designer with Anacostia Playhouse, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis, and Pittsburgh Public Theater [Years]. From 2018-2020, Claudia was the costume shop manager and resident costume designer at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in St. Louis, MO. In the Summer of 2021, Claudia was the Costume Fellow with the Television Academy Foundation. She is currently the Costume Director for Pittsburgh Opera.
