Application
Character: Cinna
Series: The Hunger Games
Character Age: Not stated, but likely early to mid 20s
Job: Camp Image Consultant
Canon: In the nation of Panem, The Hunger Games is the Capitol’s version of Survivor - except instead of winning a million dollars, you get to live. Cheered on by every citizen - enthusiastically or desperately - and vying for the support of sponsors, two teenagers from each of Panem’s districts are sacrificed each year. The tributes from District Twelve are often the most inexperienced and unprepared, never expected to have a fighting chance, until Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark are chosen. But in order to win, they first they have to catch the Capitol’s attention.
That’s where Cinna, the head stylist of their prep team, comes in. It’s his job to make them TV ready. Recognized in the design community despite his youth, Cinna is gentle, calm, collected, and amazingly competent even under the worst of circumstances. He quickly befriends the prickly Katniss, and is more than happy to offer reassurance and advice, along with the finest of clothes. His designs impress even the most reluctant, due to his ability to cleverly create clothing that makes people take notice. Although Cinna grew up in the Capitol, he is not blind to the horror of the Games, recognizing the Capitol’s cruelty and the injustice the districts must feel. Cinna is consistently mild and understated in his everyday conversations, but he channels his frustrations and that dangerous streak of rebellion into his work - which ultimately gets him in trouble with the Capitol. Despite his quiet demeanor, there’s a touch of mad genius in Cinna. After all, one has to be at least a little bit crazy to purposefully set someone on fire as a fashion statement.
Sample:
I was not expecting the Capitol to assign me as Image Consultant of District CFUD, and not just because I'd never heard of it before. My designs for the Games were impressive of course, but controversial. I always thought I was more likely to get a death sentence than a promotion. Though considering what I’ve seen so far, I may have gotten both. I’m used to some difficult clientele, but this Director is the most demanding yet. Even at first glance, it was easy to understand why she’d want to change her district’s image - overalls spring to mind whenever I think of farms and no one should be wearing those. I was still hopefully optimistic, until I saw the residents she wanted me to design for. Decay and rot severely limit one’s color palate, not to mention initially they could not have cared less about the image they were projecting. It was obvious, they’d need more than a little convincing.
First I had to assure them that wanting beauty and brains was far better than desiring brains alone. One quick look through my sketchbook and they were eager to try my designs. Too eager. Having the client eating out of the palm of your hand is one thing, actual attempts to eat your hand are another. Eventually, they got the picture and gave me enough space to actually do my intended job - make them look their very best. Or “make it work,” as I was continuously being reminded via loudspeaker.
For these kinds of projects, I usually try to find inspiration around me, though it’s hard to work the idyllic farm angle when you’re designing for such aggressive clientele. No amount of make-up can hide what they are, and honestly, hiding it would be the wrong approach for this job. I realized I didn’t have to reinvent District CFUD entirely- it already had something unique about it, I just had to make it unforgettable. If I could find a way to make them less repugnant, and more sincerely terrifying, I’d really have something to work with.
Using the right make-up and designs, it wasn’t hard to transform them. They even decided to cooperate and did their best to look as horrific as possible, though I had to remind them not to twirl. I understand making sacrifices for fashion, but losing a limb is taking it a bit too far. Limited mobility aside, they look amazing- a most beautiful nightmare. And it seems the Director agrees. My liaison informs me that I have won her approval, along with another assignment... One that he seems to find quite hilarious. Ah, well, that explains a few things. She wants me to make her wedding dress. I have a feeling the real nightmare’s about to begin.
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