When Emmy-nominated costume designer Rafaella Rabinovich first crossed paths with performer and creator, Dandy —it sparked a creative partnership that would eventually bring Dandyland to life. A vibrant, whimsical series born from TELUS’s Storyhive initiative, Dandyland celebrates self-expression, creativity, and queer storytelling. At its heart, the series follows Dandy as he learns about his community through interviews and interactions with local artists and organizations from marginalized groups in British Columbia’s lower mainland. In this interview, Rafaella shares how their collaboration began, the inspirations behind the series costumes, and the artistic community in Vancouver that helped shape Dandyland into a colorful, dynamic world.
Spencer Williams: I am so pleased to welcome Rafaella Rabinovich, the Emmy-nominated costume designer known for To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, The Imperfects, Project Mc², and now my favorite web series, Dandyland. How are you, my friend?
Rafaella Rabinovich: I’m very well. Thank you for talking with me!
Spencer Williams: I’m such a fan of yours. Let’s dive into your new project, which was produced by TELUS Storyhive and is called Dandyland. I can’t stop watching it—it’s such a joy. It’s artistic, freeing, creative, and so inspiring. First, I want to ask: how did you get involved with Dandyland, and what makes this project so meaningful for you?
Rafaella Rabinovich: Great question. I got involved with Dandyland through Dandy, whose real name is Ryan. We met by chance at a wedding where I was a plus one. Even though he’s extroverted, and I’m introverted—we became fast friends, always working on creative projects together.
Ryan wears jabots, so I started by making him some jabots. That’s when we came up with the idea of “50 Shades of Jabots”—a fun, creative concept. We immediately hit it off and developed this beautiful dynamic. We became best friends, always working on creative projects together. Vancouver has such a vibrant stage presence alongside all the film work here, and our creative relationship just kept growing. Then Dandyland came along.
Dandyland is part of a TELUS-funded initiative called Storyhive. It supports emerging artists and funds meaningful projects. In our case, it was Dandy’s story. Honestly, I don’t think we expected to get the funding, but we did! And, of course, it was a given that I would handle the costumes. I also did the set design for the series, which we’ll discuss in a moment.
Spencer Williams: Oh, we absolutely will! You didn’t even mention that when we first teased this project.
Rafaella Rabinovich: My background is in both costume and set design—that’s what my bachelor’s degree is in. When Dandyland came around, it felt natural that I’d be the one to develop the visual language for the show, from costumes to set elements. It also happened to be during the strike, which gave me this fantastic privilege to call up talented cutters and stitchers to ask, “Want to come help with this wild and joyful project?” Many said yes because we don’t often get the chance to create something this vibrant and imaginative. It became a team effort filled with light and joy during a dark time. Working on Dandyland was deeply personal for me.
Illustrations Courtesy of Rafaella Rabinovich
Illustrations Courtesy of Rafaella Rabinovich
Spencer Williams: I can tell this project means a lot to you. It feels like Dandyland was not just a creative outlet but also a source of healing, especially during the strikes.
Rafaella Rabinovich: Oh, it’s profoundly personal. For one, I had the privilege of working with someone I truly love and admire— Dandy. But also, a few months before we started filming, my dad passed away. He was my best friend, the person I was closest to in the world. For a long time after his passing, it felt like there were no stars in the sky.
Dandyland gave me a reason to get up again. It became this beacon of light, something to pour my heart into. It wasn’t just about costumes or storytelling—it was about finding purpose and joy after such a deep loss.
As a queer individual, it also gave me the chance to create something meaningful that celebrates connection, authenticity, and hope. It’s a reminder that in a world filled with challenges and darkness, there’s beauty in embracing who you are—fully, unapologetically, with rhinestones, feathers, and everything.
Spencer Williams: Thank you for sharing this with me. I am so sorry for your loss. I wish I had something like Dandyland growing up. It’s an inspiring project, and I’m glad people have it to connect with. So much of the magic comes from Dandy himself. How does your creative partnership work?
Rafaella Rabinovich: There are so many layers to it because Ryan is already such a brilliant artist. Let me be clear: Dandy would shine, with or without me. He has this natural ability to craft stunning visuals and a magnetic presence. My role was to step in and help refine that brilliance into a cohesive, sophisticated visual language—what we do as designers, right?
We’d already built a creative rapport through years of collaboration, but Dandyland allowed us to push boundaries. Online, we could explore different styles and worlds in ways that weren’t possible in live cabarets. It became a chance to dream bigger, and expand into something more fantastical.
That said, it was very much a labor of love. The budget was tight—there’s a whole story there—but I had these beautiful fabrics from a sale on Riverdale materials and thought, Why not? I sketched designs, tapped into resources, and people came on board because they believed in the project.
Spencer Williams: That’s amazing. It sounds like a perfect creative partnership rooted in trust and shared vision.
Rafaella Rabinovich: There’s a lot of trust we’ve built, which is wonderful. That’s a big part of it. On this production, rather than receiving a traditional script to guide my work, I was often given themes or outlines—”This is going to happen,” or “We’re shooting this and that.” In a more conventional show, I’d find inspiration and source pieces externally. Here, my options were more limited, so I had to work within my own resources. It became about placing things thoughtfully and creatively, adapting what was available.
Working with someone like Dandy, who’s so creative and collaborative, made this process incredibly rewarding. This kind of costuming requires blending classical period elements with a whimsical, queer abundance to create a vibrant aesthetic. While Dandy describes it as “more is more,” I like to call it “comedy and chaos.” It’s about finding balance.
Sometimes I’d bring a concept, like a gorgeous fabric for a ’70s-inspired look, and Dandy would encourage me to take it further. That collaboration brought a unique heartbeat to the designs. Because this production was smaller and more intimate, I felt a deep creative involvement. While I wouldn’t say I had ownership—because once something leaves my hands, it’s no longer mine—I definitely had a strong emotional investment.
Spencer Williams: Regarding inspirations, you mentioned blending whimsical and period influences. Were there any specific artists, periods, or concepts that guided your designs?
Rafaella Rabinovich: Absolutely. Historical and modern dandies like Beau Brummell and Oscar Wilde were huge inspirations. They understood the power of clothing as a statement while still being rebellious. We pushed that idea further here, of course.
We also drew from modern queer icons like Elton John and early 2000s club kids—they embraced color, texture, and wearable art. It’s about blending history with queer camp: taking classic details and infusing them with glitter, rhinestones, metallics—things they didn’t have back then. It’s an homage to history with an anarchic twist.
The costumes feel timeless yet rebellious, inviting the audience to celebrate with us. Dandy embodies that balance of elegance and chaos. He’s both a refined dandy and the god of joy, so the costumes needed that same push and pull. Imagine a velvet suit fit for royalty, paired with a sequined glove and feathered headpiece.
Spencer Williams: I’m obsessed with Oscar Wilde being an inspiration. That sounds like so much fun! As you mentioned, when I was watching the show, I noticed you were credited not only as the costume designer but also as the production designer. How did you end up with that dual role?
Rafaella Rabinovich: It came down to a mix of necessity and opportunity. I thought, “Well, what are our options?” A part of me said, “Patriarchy didn’t let me before—now’s my chance.” Another part wondered, “Do I want to do this? Will I regret it?” Ultimately, I knew how it needed to look, and at that point, there wasn’t anyone else who could execute it better.
Many of the elements came from my own house, which speaks to the resourcefulness we leaned into. Over the years, I’ve become known for my use of color and texture. Even in darker projects, like sci-fi, I incorporate bold, campy elements. That’s my signature. I know how to tell that story well, and I take pride in it.
Spencer Williams: I’m a big Pee-wee’s Playhouse fan, and Dandyland really scratched that part of my brain. I loved the colorful, whimsical, and campy approach. It felt like the perfect marriage of those elements, which I really appreciated.
Rafaella Rabinovich: That was a huge inspiration for it! Pee-wee’s Playhouse was something Ryan talked about constantly, though I’ve never watched it myself. It wasn’t part of my childhood, but I still managed to carry that vibe, which is really exciting.
Spencer Williams: The fact that you never saw it and still captured that vibe is a testament to your genius because it worked so well. Speaking of Dandy, I wanted to ask you a couple of questions that were brought up on the show. First, your work on this series is deeply rooted in self-expression. How do you express yourself through art, whether in costume design or beyond?
Rafaella Rabinovich: For me, self-expression is at the core of everything I do. It’s not just about the clothes—it’s about storytelling, identity, and freedom. Self-expression isn’t just something we celebrate; it’s something we amplify. A lot of the choices I make in my life are connected to that.
I’m a skilled sketch artist, so that’s a space where my self-expression thrives. But I’m also fortunate to work in costume design, where every fabric and stitch has a character voice and a purpose. Working on this project, especially with Dandy, gave me a platform to channel that expression.
As I mentioned earlier, we were lucky to bring on amazing collaborators, even during a challenging time in the industry. That’s part of what makes this project so meaningful for me—it’s a celebration of queer art and fashion, blending historical foundations with modern, playful touches. I may not always get the chance to create something so rooted in joy, stillness, and whimsicality, but this project let me do just that for the queer community.
Beyond that, I’d say gardening is another way I express myself, but it’s winter now, so my garden and I are on pause.
Spencer Williams: (laughs) I get that. I’m not much of a gardener, even in the summer, but that’s another podcast entirely.
And finally, I have to ask—this is a very important question that I loved from Dandy. In your opinion, what is the gayest fabric? And did it make an appearance in Dandyland?
Rafaella Rabinovich: (laughs) What is the gayest fabric? The easy answer would be velvet—it’s timeless, lush, and unapologetically dramatic. But I’d say the gayest fabric is any material that radiates flair and joy without compromise. It’s something that demands attention, like sequins, lamé, or even feathers. And yes, those fabrics definitely made appearances in Dandyland!
Spencer Williams: Such a good one. Rafaella, this has been amazing. I’m so glad I finally got to talk to you. I absolutely love the show—it’s brought me so much joy. I can’t wait to go home tonight and enjoy this whimsical, colorful world you and Dandy created.
Congratulations on everything, and I hope we talk more soon about all the exciting things you have coming up.
Rafaella Rabinovich: Thank you so much. I really appreciate it!
