Mila Livoni Zidel

Mila Livoni Zidel is a New York-based costume designer whose work blends classical structure with contemporary cultural influence. She holds a BFA in Costume Design and Technology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2024), and recently completed the prestigious Costume Design Apprenticeship at The Juilliard School. From 2024 to 2025, she also trained with the Santa Fe Opera through their acclaimed apprenticeship program.

Mila’s designs explore storytelling through bold visual language, often transforming everyday materials into evocative, character-driven costumes. Her work is rooted in narrative and shaped by her interests in film, feminist history, and dramaturgy. Known for merging traditional silhouettes with unexpected textures and vibrant color palettes, her aesthetic balances the timeless with the experimental. Each design is guided by the emotional truth of the story, creating pieces that are as resonant as they are visually striking.