जीवनी
Mayes C. Rubeo is a costume designer renowned for her work on films such as Apocalypto (2006), Avatar (2009), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Warcraft: The Beginning (2016), World War Z (2013), and John Carter (2012). Born in Mexico City, she trained in Fashion and Costume at Los Angeles Trade-Tech College (LATTC) and UCLA. Over a career spanning more than twenty years, she has collaborated with visionary directors like Mel Gibson and Zhang Yimou, worked with major studios including Legendary and Marvel, and designed costumes for stars such as Cate Blanchett, Ruth Negga, Brad Pitt, and Andy Lau.
Mayes began her career as an Assistant Costume Designer and Costume Supervisor, gaining valuable experience working alongside designers Shay Cunliffe, Erica Edell Phillips, Ellen Mirojnick, and her mentor Enrico Sabbatini. After assisting Shay Cunliffe on Lone Star (1996), she continued collaborating with independent director-producer duo John Sayles and Maggie Renzi, designing costumes for their films Angeli Armati/Men with Guns (1997), Sunshine State (2002), and Casa de los Babys (2003). Despite limited budgets, her work ensured costumes and characters appeared authentic, fostering her resourcefulness.
For Hallmark’s Fidel (2002), Mayes tackled the challenge of costuming characters from diverse backgrounds across seven decades. Her collaboration with Mel Gibson on Apocalypto (2006) powerfully depicted the lost Mayan civilization, marking her entry into creating epic and otherworldly costume designs. She later crafted the visual identities of the Na’vi people in James Cameron’s Avatar (2009), brought to life Edgar Rice Burroughs’s vision of Mars in Andrew Stanton’s John Carter (2012), and transformed popular video game and comic book worlds for Duncan Jones’s Warcraft (2016) and Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok (2017).
For Marc Forster’s World War Z (2013), Mayes designed costumes for thousands of living and undead characters, emphasizing contemporary realism on a global scale. Continuously exploring new frontiers, she turns technological and technical challenges into creative opportunities. Her passion and collaborative approach have enabled her to lead diverse teams across five continents, blending traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology.
Mayes’ work has been showcased in international exhibitions, including the Deborah Nadoolman Landis-curated Hollywood Costume (2012) at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Her pieces have also been featured in three FIDM exhibitions: the 18th Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design for Apocalypto, the 21st Annual for John Carter, and the 26th Annual for Thor: Ragnarok.
She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscars), the Costume Designers Guild of America, and the Scenic Arts Guild.
