Aed McMillian is a multi-talented professional with a diverse background in costume design, drag performance, and visual arts.
Their costume specialties include transformative stage costumes, costumes for folk celebrations, and the use of clothing for subversion. Their work has been commissioned by renowned institutions such as Mass MOCA, the ICA in Boston, the Museum of Sex in New York City, and the Wassaic Project. With over 15 years of experience, McMillian has designed costumes for celebrity clientele, commercials, film, and performance artists. They have also contributed to performances and theatrical productions at the Kitchen, Abrons Art Center, and the MOMA in New York.
Aed is the Costume Designer, Costume Shop Supervisor, and Costume Professor at Occidental College, a position they also held at the University of Montevallo and Randolph College. In McMillian’s courses, students learn practical skills, like sewing and pattern making, and mastery of conceptual ideas to create an expressive visual language through garments. When possible, their courses center on collaborative work for department productions.