Dancing With the Stars costume designer Daniela Gschwendtner talks about hand-stoning every look for the ballroom each week

Dancing With the Stars costume designer Daniela Gschwendtner detailed how every ballroom look is hand-stoned each week, explaining the process through her appearance on Danielle Fishel’s “Danielle With the Stars” podcast released on November 28, 2025.

Gschwendtner discussed how the team applies “every single” rhinestone manually and described the system they follow to complete the volume of weekly costumes.

The discussion also covered her entry into the show’s design department, the workflow behind the fittings, and the coordination required with the professional dancers.

Gschwendtner’s path to the DWTS design team

Gschwendtner explained on the podcast that her background started in fashion school before she entered styling. She stated:

“I always wanted to be in fashion, and I always was drawn to that. I went to school for it. I got a Fashion Design and Merchandising degree.”

She added that she initially worked as a stylist but later sought more technical knowledge, saying she wanted “to actually know how to create” garments.

Her move into Dancing With the Stars began after working in New Mexico. She reconnected with Steven Norman Lee, whom she had previously worked with on Charmed.

According to Gschwendtner, she was told the open position “was not a design job,” and she noted that some contacts warned her she was risking her career progression.

She started as a key on the show but transitioned into designing when DWTS needed someone for a Tuesday episode. She shared:

“They’re like, ‘You’re a designer. Design it.’ And then eventually I became part of the girls’ designing team.”

Hand-stoning every costume and the fitting process

A major part of the wardrobe construction involves rhinestones.

Gschwendtner stated that “every single” stone is applied “by hand,” noting that the department uses glue syringes and has developed a method that allows the team to complete the detailed work.

She described how dancers and celebrities first try on a “shell” version of the costume before the stoning begins. She said,

“When you come for your first fitting, things don’t look all that great yet… because we need at the back end so much time to rhinestone it so it does look beautiful.”

The designer emphasized that this step is necessary because of the time required for stone application.

She explained that the stoning process is what moves the pieces “out of the ordinary, into the spectacular,” attributing this difference directly to the stones.

Weekly volume and coordination with the pros

Gschwendtner said the team produces “over 200 costumes” for each week of the series. This includes outfits for competitors, their partners, troupe dancers, and additional performers when needed.

She also noted that certain pros are more involved in design discussions than others. She identified Derek Hough, Mark Ballas and Val Chmerkovskiy as “very involved,” though she added that involvement “depends.”

She said she maintains communication with the pros to ensure each look aligns with the choreography and movement requirements.

According to her, the primary consideration for female celebrities is the skirt style, and she checks with the male pros to determine whether the design supports the dance style.

Stay tuned for more updates.