Ladies makers, mens tailors and alteration hands make up the team in the costume workroom. Karen Smith tries to give her staff a feeling of ownership of a costume by letting them see a piece through from beginning to end, rather than dividing one item of clothing up between numerous colleagues. The division of work between staff members will depend on how many items of clothing for a show are being made from scratch, and how many are alterations of stock items of clothing, or of bought items.