Winnie Czulinski –
In an enormous old building on laneway-like Busy Street in South Riverdale, it’s not difficult to imagine period clothing coming to life at night. (Yes, there’s a Busy Street; it runs east off Logan Street a block north of Queen Street.)
Costumes and accessories (some on quirky mannequins) in this 18,000-square-foot space include military uniforms and spandex Morphsuits, frock coats and frilly shirts, and civilian wear from the 1750s to the present day. There are sections of religious cloaks, Alice in Wonderland garb, “dad” cardigans, even 1950s “bullet bras.”
Doane Hanus, owner of Thunder Thighs Costumes, says he has “from two to five million pieces of inventory.”
The building, which began as a 19th-century barn and stable with a hay elevator – then an auto-repair-shop – was bought by Hanus’s parents Otta and (the late) Lynda in 1984. After dealing with leaks and landlords in west-downtown locations, the couple wanted control over their building and Lynda Kemp’s extensive stock.
Otta Hanus was director of productions ranging from The Dead Zone to Lassie and Anne of Green Gables. Lynda was a seamstress and costume designer for films including Police Academy, Mrs. Soffel and Robocop. She got the nickname ‘Thunder Thighs’ from theatre class at Ryerson (Metropolitan) University.
Doane Hanus grew up “on set” in his parents’ costume world on Busy Street, and became an assistant director himself. A few decades ago, this area around Queen East and Logan was “the main hub of filming,” he says.
Most Thunder Thighs business is with theatre, film, commercial and TV companies, though it also deals with the public and Halloween/year-round party costume rentals – but not with items like weapons, and Nazi and Ku Klux Klan apparel.
The Covid-19 pandemic and strikes in the film/theatre/entertainment-industry have kept the business a challenge, Hanus says. Like many businesses, Thunder Thighs – working on myriad productions from Murdoch Mysteries to Paranormal 911 – had to shut down for months.
Demand fluctuates today, but Hanus strives to oblige, whether for Bridgerton-style early 1800s elegance, leather medieval armour à la Game of Thrones, or a 1970s-themed production. “More often than not, (clients) need it fast, though we have to make sure they understand we need time.”
“The (costume) houses work together – we all have our unique items, and things we’re known for.” One of Hanus’s specialties is police and military uniforms. He says he is constantly perfecting details such as medal placement. For other productions, it’s “How precise do we have to be here? Or can we have fun with it?”
Besides major clients, actors come to find the perfect period outfit for an important audition. “We’ll give them a deal if we know it’ll only be on them for a while. It’s like students – we know that when they graduate, they’ll come back to us!”
