Issue/Publication: CRAFT Magazine

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Halloween is the first thought that comes into most minds when you mention costumes. Vampires and superheroes, ghosts and princesses; living in a fantasy world one day of the year is a treat for the multitude - but not for one 25-year-old. “I’ve always loved costumes for the sheer joy of getting decked out and parading around; costuming once a year wasn’t enough for me!” Living in San Francisco since 2005, Annie Weinert has since moved away from the ghouls and goblins of that infamous October night. After she began working with the HoopGirl Allstars, a hula hoop performance troupe, renditions of candy corn and neon cyber geishas have become the norm. Frequently performing at Ruby Skye nightclub, Annie’s absorption into the hooping world all started on an innocent day in the park. “[Christabel Zamor, founder of HoopGirl] was walking by and approached me when she saw the hoops and we connected.” Fast forward three years and she is now making all of the stage costumers for the seven-girl attraction.

Performing regularly at one of San Francisco’s biggest nighttime venues has given Weinert an unprecedented opportunity to showcase her most unique creations. Unlike your traditional movie or theater professional, designing costumers for hopping has its own unique challenges. “Color, texture, movement and functionality all inform my designs. For instance, I noticed that having long fringe and flowing materials on the legs look amazing while turning and jumping.” Vinyl, stretchy metallics, faux fur, and garters are just a few of her favorite features to work with - the more colorful and flamboyant, the better. Part of being on stage is getting noticed, and you’ll have no problem fixing your eyes on the girls in PVC twirling light-up hula hoops.

The impeccable amount of positive, joyous energy that Annie exudes is a quaint parallel to her designs. “Sewing [is] a way to remind myself to not take life too seriously. It is a wonderful creative outlet for my silliness.” Dancing in front of a few hundred people dressed as a piece of holiday candy would qualify as pretty darn silly, but it is also great exercise. After learning about HoopGirls from the group’s founder, she attended one of the growing number of hooping classes they hold in the Bay Area. It didn’t take long for her to realize that she needed more sweating and swinging than a weekly hooping class could offer. “I was among the first group of women to become licensed hoopdance teachers for [the] company.” Now, Weinert teachers beginner hooping workout classes in San Francisco, in complement to performing with the stage group.

Expanding past just hooping costumers is the next step for Weinert’s developing Annieland business. “Well, I figure there’s nothing wrong with thinking big! I would love to be able to travel all over the world performing and selling my costumes.” Whether working for a large group or a unique individual, custom attention is the core of her crafty endeavor. “I like to take personalities into consideration when I am choosing colors and patterns. I want my customers to feel like their costume is an expression of their unique styles as well as mine.” With ten years of costuming experience under her belt, and many more to come, it’s crystal clear that Annie Weinert has a crafty future ahead. “I put a lot of time and energy into what I do, but it doesn’t feel like hard work because I adore it. Each [costume is a] representation of where I was in life. They capture step by step my changing flow of creative energy.”