Grand Illusions

By Mary Alice Garrett

This story originally appeared August 26, 1999 in The News Journal of Wilmington, Delaware.

Fashions are timeless at Grand Illusions, where historical re-enactors and Hollywood costumers shop for new clothes that look like they’re more than 100 years old.

The reproduction clothing manufacturer — its full name is Grand Illusions Costume Co. — draws a steady stream of customers to its retail shop and warehouse at the Interchange Business Park off Elkton Road.

Many come to buy reproductions of Civil War and Spanish-American War uniforms. Others are seeking costumes appropriate for wear in their work as interpreters at historic parks, homes and sites.

Still others travel there from Hollywood, to order and pick up outfits that were used in films like “Gettysburg," “Glory," “Dances With Wolves" and “Wild Wild West."

The business is a labor of love for its owners, Maurice and Sunny Whitlock of Delaware City.

Maurice Whitlock made his first Civil War hat as a college student in the late 1960s. Using wool from secondhand clothing, he made period caps, called kepis, and used the profits to finance his trips to re-enactments. After getting a degree in history and political science at East Tennessee State University he joined the Army and ran a military museum in Berlin.

In 1980 he married Sunny Hetzler, whose father and brother were also Civil War re-enactors. "I was dragged to Civil War battlefields, climbed towers and was taken to every obscure marker," she recalled.

The two started making uniforms and, in 1984, bought the old Wilmington Costume Co. After one frenetic Halloween, they phased out the rental portion of the business and began manufacturing clothing for sale.

First located near the Whitlocks’ home in Delaware City, the business was moved in 1986 to a loft on Newark’s Main Street. An ever-expanding inventory prompted the Whitlocks to move to the present location two years ago.

Business took off after the Whitlocks landed contracts to make uniforms and props for the movies “Dances With Wolves" (1990) and “Gettysburg" (1993), and the television miniseries "Andersonville."

Other orders from the film industry followed. They included costumes for Richard Gere in “Sommersby," hats for “Titanic,” outfits for “Star Trek" and "Forrest Gump" and wardrobes for Will Smith and Kevin Kline in “Wild Wild West."

Maurice Whitlock travels to Hollywood to consult on costumes. He’s also often hired to research period clothing for new films — from his Newark office. He’s appeared as an extra in several movies and many made-for-TV movies, including “Gettysburg," “Glory," and "Andersonville." In “Glory,” he wore Confederate and Union uniforms on different days. In “Gettysburg," he used his own collection of period medical supplies to play a Civil War surgeon.

“I’ve used Maurice for a number of shows — from a uniform for General Custer to Revolutionary War uniforms," said Dick Lamott, costume designer with Western Costume Co. in North Hollywood, Calif.

Lamott said he particularly likes Grand Illusions’ workmanship and prompt service.

The Whitlocks also operate a retail shop in Gettysburg that’s popular with Civil War buffs and re-enactors.

The Whitlocks and their business manager, Barbara Broomall, enjoy telling about the family that was browsing the shop in July when, on a whim, the mother and daughter tried on 1800s ball gowns, hoop skirts and hats.

The husband's reactions was: "They just look so beautiful, it brings tears to my eyes. I just have to buy them."

Grand Illusions' full-length capes with hoods have attracted a variety of buyers - ranging from area Amish and Mennonites to socialites wanting to wear them to concerts and formal afairs. Victorian dance troupes and costumed interpreters buy the hoop skirts and period ball gowns.

Grand Illusions makes a new uniform every year for the bagpiper assigned to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington. The company also made uniforms for the Army Color Guard which officiated at Fort Sheridan when the Panama Canal was turned over to the Panamanian government.

Grand Illusions sells garments and accessories by mail order, on the Internet and in the shops. They've been shipped throughout the world.

More than 3,000 uniforms of all kinds line a wall of the warehouse, behind the Newark retail shop. Most are used to make patterns for new garments. "There's nothing like having the original to look at," said Sunny Whitlock, a former DuPont Co. accountant.

Six large industrial sewing machins, a buttonhole maker, a button stitcher and cutting tables are nearby. Bolts of wool fabric are surrounded by buttons of bone, porcelain, glass, pewter, brass, tin and mother of pearl.

Accessories available at the shop include Civil War and Revolutionary War uniforms, undergarments of long drawers, pantalets, petticoats, chemises, corsets, crinolines and hoop skirts. There are bonnets and silk dresses from Sunny's own collection of mid-1800s clothing. Male accessories include haversacks (similar to purses), canteens, regimental belts and buckles. All have been researched to produce reproductions of actual garments in museams and private collections.

Grand Illusions has five employees and has eight seamstresses on call when the company receives a large order from a movie producer. When big jobs come in, it's not unusual for Sunny Whitlock to operate a sewing machine.

The Whitlocks' children, Mark, 13, and Katie, 12, share some of their parents' interests. Mark goes to some of the re-enactments and Katie has worn a Civil War ball gown for "show and tell" at school.

The Whitlocks feel fortunate that what began as a hobby has turned into a lucrative business.

"It's really fun," said Sunny. "As my husband often says, 'It's better than working for a living.'"