Carni Closet

Costume Library

Carni Closet is dedicated in loving memory to
Tomek Mankiewicz aka KEMOT (1978 – 2009)
performer and designer, FRIEND AND INSPIRATION
Photo: Hadas Hinkis // Models: Adrienne Teicher and Mad Kate

Who We Are

Carni closet is a costume library, an archive, a costume exchange and work space based on the idea of collective ownership and reuse. WE are a local and global community of travelers, punks, performers, artists outcasts freaks queers and penny pinchers … we work for little money or for free and we make what we wear and use onstage.

We hope to encourage re-use and re-creation instead of consumerism, to use and reuse the THINGS we already have. We know that we can make beautiful THINGS out of the THINGS and resources we already have. Many of us don’t have the luxury to buy new costumes for every performance or new art supplies and materials for every work of art. We also know that our planet cant SUSTAIN the amount of trash that we generate when we always buy new. We must re-purpose what we already have. We hope that we can put our heads and our resources together so that we can collectively own some of the THINGS we tend to need often … wigs, crayons, metal scraps, paints and much more.

We believe in a communities that are committed to sharing resources. We believe that fashion is art worn on our body and does not have to contribute to a consumerist society. As artists we have the resources we need at our fingertips. As creative people we can share and re-use these ideas and materials to our advantage!

How the library works

You can donate costumes and resources to or borrow costumes and resources from Carni Closet when you need them. Please consider other artists when you decide how long you might need costumes and materials. Costumes can be borrowed for a long term basis or traded for a donation. Negotiations are made on an individual basis.

Carni Closet is a place that you can keep your costumes long term. They’ll always be yours if you want them back, but while they’re at the library they’ll be in our family of artists and will remain in our family.

If a costume is damaged or lost during its use, please consider how you can repair it yourself. If need be, please pay or trade work to have someone else repair it. If you lose a costume, please offer a suitable trade in replacement in a timely fashion. If you are borrowing art supplies and cannot replace them, please consider offering a trade.

Carni Closet is not a costume rental nor based around monetary exchange. However, if you feel that you can best donate to Carni Closet in a monetary way, and especially if your film / video / production has a costume budget, monetary donations WILL go towards rent of the space and the time it takes to maintain the closet.

Carni Closet welcomes donations including, but not limited to: Fabric, dresses, pants, wigs, jackets, shoes, fake food, Velcro, fetish gear, stage props, boas, metal objects, art supplies, string, rubber bands, scissors, crayons, paints, brushes, glue, wood, wire, cardboard, shiny things, hats, masks, plaster, paper, jackets, fake jewelry, leather, wings, glasses, papier-mâché, half-finished art projects, half-baked ideas, deconstructed outfits, t-shirts, handcuffs, wig heads, crowns, pencils, beads, and just about anything you can dream up.

Photo Studio

Carni Closet’s resources and space can be rented on an hourly basis. Included are costumes, accessories and some makeup (glitter and extras) that you may use for your shoot. There are three available backdrops and basic studio lights. The space can also be organized to suit your needs. Studio rental is 15 euro an hour. Please inquire about prices for additional help with styling / artistic direction.

Carni Closet is located at EXIT, Wienerstrasse 32, in Berlin Kreuzberg. Please contact Kate at madkate <at> alfabus.us for more information or to make an appointment.

All photos thanks to photographer HADAS HINKIS and models: ADRIENNE TEICHER, LULU RAFFANO, CLEA CUTTHROAT, MAD KATE