Next person biography:
Mikael Sharafyan, a renowned costume designer from Yerevan, Armenia, is the embodiment of artistic heritage. Born into a family of artists, writers, musicians, and actors, he is part of a lineage that spans several generations. Notably, his great-grandfather, Levon Sharafyan, was a theater and movie actor, while his mother, Ruzan Muradyan, is a pianist accompanist for ballet performances.
Sharafyan's early exposure to the arts began at the tender age of seven, when he started attending art academy. There, he honed his skills in painting and sculpting. His parents, patrons of theater, regularly took him to performances, introducing him to performers and ushering him through their dressing rooms, where he discovered his passion for costume design.
After settling in Glendale, California, Sharafyan attended Glendale High School, where he participated in fine arts competitions, winning awards and ranking highly among his peers. He then graduated from the Fashion Design Institute of Design (FDIM),earning a degree in Fashion Design and completing the Advanced Study Program in Theater Costume Design. His completion of the advanced program earned him a Warnaco Scholarship, presented by renowned fashion designer Randolph Duke.
During his academic tenure, Sharafyan completed internships at Mon Atelier for couturier Ali Rahimi and Center Theater Group in Downtown L.A. These experiences helped him develop essential skills, including sketching, dyeing fabrics, and constructing period and contemporary costumes.
After his diploma, Sharafyan worked as a cutter and digitizer at Silvia's Costumes, Inc. in Hollywood for eight years, collaborating with Academy Award-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood and Emmy Award-winning designers Peter Menefee, Ray Aghayan, and Mona May. His debut as a costume designer was in 2008, when he worked for a Moulin Rouge ensemble that performed at President Obama's inaugural ball in Washington, D.C.
In 2011, Sharafyan received the Best Costume Design award at the L.A. Cinema Festival of Hollywood for the music video "Disasteroid." He views costume design as a craft akin to sculpting and painting, where the artist meticulously crafts individual works of art, drawing out details with precision and inspiration. As a dedicated professional and artist, Sharafyan considers himself a master of his craft, weaving intricate details and precision into his creations.
