Hayley Nebauer is a costume designer known for creating distinctive, emotionally resonant worlds for film and television. With more than 20 years’ experience, she combines a bold creative vision with the practical leadership required to realise ambitious productions. Her work is rooted in storytelling and character, crafting costumes that shape the tone, hierarchy, and visual identity of the worlds they inhabit.

Hayley designed the original series of the BBC conspiracy thriller The Capture and returned to design the newly released Series 3, continuing her long-standing creative collaboration with showrunner Ben Chanan. She also designed Series 1 of the acclaimed BBC comedy-drama Death Valley, returning for Series 2, due for release in 2026. Also arriving in 2026 is Series 2 of The Undeclared War, starring Simon Pegg and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Paul McGuigan.

Her television work includes the Disney+/Hulu drama Black Cake (BAFTA Cymru–nominated for Costume Design), Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story for Netflix (as ACD), BBC’s cult series Doctor Who, and the sweeping 17th-century drama The Musketeers. Feature film credits include Prizefighter (Russell Crowe, Ray Winstone), Close (Noomi Rapace), A Lonely Place to Die (Melissa George), All Things to All Men (Gabriel Byrne, Toby Stephens), and Doghouse (Stephen Graham).

Hayley’s design practice blends meticulous research with imaginative reinvention. A natural world-builder, she uses costume to define societies, character groups, and hierarchies while giving individuals visual tools to reveal, conceal, or subvert their identity. Cleverly controlled colour palettes are integral to her style, allowing characters to sit within the visual language of their environments while still standing apart from them.

Originally from Australia and based in the UK since 2005, Hayley has worked across Europe, North Africa, the Caribbean, and South America. Growing up in Tasmania with a fascination for costume history and science fiction, she often employs a hybrid design approach, combining historical richness with contemporary or contrasting aesthetics.

Alongside her creative work, Hayley leads costume departments with clarity and efficiency, managing teams, budgets, and schedules while delivering visually ambitious results. She also maintains an extensive private archive of contemporary and designer clothing and costume, which she draws upon when appropriate, adding creative depth while reducing environmental impact.

Whether designing period drama, contemporary thrillers, or speculative worlds, Hayley’s work is defined by inventive visual storytelling, disciplined design thinking, and a collaborative approach to filmmaking.