Testing Jawa eyes, 1998
Making the extraordinary wearable since ‘93
Early projects at the company’s first workshop, a former boatyard on an island in the Thames in west London, included building sets and props for theatres.
FBFX’s first film gig was on Sylvester Stallone’s Judge Dredd, in collaboration with MBA Costume and Robert Allsopp and Associates, creating armour using innovative materials including expanding polyurethane foam.
With growing investment in UK filmmaking and FBFX’s proximity to leading studios, the stage was set for a long future in costume.
This early job established what would become the quintessential FBFX approach; combining traditional methods with inventive new techniques.
In subsequent decades, FBFX’s team, led by co-founders Andrew Dow and Grant Pearmain, have continued evolving and innovating, using vacuum forming, PU spraying, 3D printing, 3D scanning, digital design, vacuum moulding and bespoke costume electronics.
Paint techniques are a speciality, transforming lightweight plastics into battle-damaged armour, futuristic spacesuits, shining scales, wood and leather.
The company has continued expanding. A specialist digital division and scanning studio opened in 2014, soft costume department in 2017 and dimensional printing team in 2019, bringing all the skills and talents needed to develop and fabricate hero, stunt and crowd special FX costume in-house.
In 2017, FBFX moved into its current home, a 20,000 sq ft workshop in West London, with the new dedicated soft costume building opening alongside it in 2025.
After more than three decades, the artists at FBFX are trusted by the world’s biggest studios and leading costume designers to bring their creations to the screen.
Studio history
How craft, technology, and experience have shaped our studio over time.
1993
Opening Scenes
FBFX started out as a team of six at a workshop on an island in the River Thames. A job creating Judge Hunter armour for Sylvester Stallone’s Judge Dredd (1995) set the stage for a career in film - and revealed an aptitude for experimental techniques.
Late 1990s
"Heat it up til it goes wobbly!": a vac forming tour de force
In 1994, FBFX decamped to a workshop in Feltham, home for the next 20 years. Paint techniques were a specialty and FBFX committed to vacuum forming, the growing team conjuring knights for Prince Valiant (1997), the iconic pod racer helmet for Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999) and hard spacesuit components for Event Horizon (1997) and Lost in Space (1998). These spacesuits were also FBFX’s first foray into electronics.
2000s
"Absolutely collosal": Swords, Sandals and Polyurethane
Box office juggernaut Gladiator (2000) ushered in cinema’s era of swords and sandals, with the FBFX workshop resembling an armoury for much of the noughties. After using vac forming on Gladiator, quick turnaround polyurethane spraying combined with an efficient production line of makers enabled the speedy creation of armour for the thousands of soldiers called up to serve in Troy (2004), Alexander (2004) and Kingdom of Heaven (2005).
2010s
Head scans and imaginary corridors
The dominance of superheroes and space movies in the 2010s saw FBFX perfecting the workflow used today: digital meets traditional. Clay sculpts, ingenious paint techniques, meticulous benchwork and vacuum casting (used to maximum effect creating epic domes for the likes of Prometheus (2012)), was elevated with digital modelling, 3D printing, CNC robotic milling and photogrammetry.
Chris Pratt was the first actor to step into FBFX’s photogrammetry rig for Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), calling for a green room and VIP corridor to be hastily constructed at the workshop. Soon after, FBFX Digital was established at Shepperton Studios.
2015
Solder on: going electronic
Spacesuits and superhero costumes require electronics: lights, cameras and fans discreetly contained in helmets and backpacks, all running with minimal disruption to filming. The only way to get it right was in-house, with FBFX’s electronics department developing increasingly clever and tiny devices operated with bespoke DMX controllers.
2017
Pins and needles: FBFX goes soft
2017 saw the launch of the soft costume department, experts in stretch, technical sewing and R&D, allowing FBFX to create complete suits. Early projects included spacesuits for Star Trek Discovery (2017) and Netflix’s Lost In Space series (2018), along with screen identical versions of Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, The Flash, Aquaman and Black Panther for Madame Tussauds.
2017
New digs
In 2017, FBFX moved to its new home in Vector Park, Feltham with VIP facilities, meeting rooms, a new studio space and the return to base of FBFX Digital (now FBFX Studio). With three decades of expertise under one much larger roof, even the most elaborate, imaginative and challenging costumes could be created from concept to completion.
2019
Build it up: a new dimension
In 2019, the new dimensional printing team was established, producing the textured, patterned fabrics that have become an intrinsic part of so many modern superhero and sci-fi costumes, with recognisable early projects including elaborate robes for the Spacing Guild in Dune (2019).
2026
Expanding horizons
Recent highlights made possible by FBFX’s multifaceted workflow have included Darth Vader and Clone Troopers from Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022), Moon Knight (2022), Halo’s Silver Team (2022 - 24), and the yellow Wolverine suit from Deadpool and Wolverine (2024). In 2026, soft costume and dimensional printing expanded into a dedicated new unit adjacent to FBX HQ, increasing capacity to make any type of costume imaginable, including special FX, period, military and live performance.
1993
Opening scenes
FBFX started out as a team of six at a workshop on an island in the River Thames. A job creating Judge Hunter armour for Sylvester Stallone’s Judge Dredd (1995) set the stage for a career in film - and revealed an aptitude for experimental techniques.
Late 1990s
"Heat it up til it goes wobbly!": a vac forming tour de force
In 1994, FBFX decamped to a workshop in Feltham, home for the next 20 years. Paint techniques were a specialty and FBFX committed to vacuum forming, the growing team conjuring knights for Prince Valiant (1997), the iconic pod racer helmet for Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999) and hard spacesuit components for Event Horizon (1997) and Lost in Space (1998). These spacesuits were also FBFX’s first foray into electronics.
2000s
"Absolutely collosal": Swords, Sandals and Polyurethane
Box office juggernaut Gladiator (2000) ushered in cinema’s era of swords and sandals, with the FBFX workshop resembling an armoury for much of the noughties. After using vac forming on Gladiator, quick turnaround polyurethane spraying combined with an efficient production line of makers enabled the speedy creation of armour for the thousands of soldiers called up to serve in Troy (2004), Alexander (2004) and Kingdom of Heaven (2005).
2010s
Head scans and imaginary corridors
The dominance of superheroes and space movies in the 2010s saw FBFX perfecting the workflow used today: digital meets traditional. Clay sculpts, ingenious paint techniques, meticulous benchwork and vacuum casting, used to maximum effect creating epic domes for the likes of Prometheus (2012), was elevated with digital modelling, 3D printing, CNC robotic milling and photogrammetry.
2015
Solder on: going electronic
Spacesuits and superhero costumes require electronics: lights, cameras and fans discreetly contained in helmets and backpacks, all running with minimal disruption to filming. The only way to get it right was in-house, with FBFX’s electronics department developing increasingly clever and tiny devices operated with bespoke DMX controllers.
2017
Pins and needles: FBFX goes soft
2017 saw the launch of the soft costume department, experts in stretch, technical sewing and R&D, allowing FBFX to create complete suits. Early projects included spacesuits for Star Trek Discovery (2017) and Netflix’s Lost In Space series (2018), along with screen identical versions of Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, The Flash, Aquaman and Black Panther for Madame Tussauds.
2017
New digs
In 2017, FBFX moved to its new home in Vector Park, Feltham with VIP facilities, meeting rooms, a new studio space and the return to base of FBFX Digital (now FBFX Studio). With three decades of expertise under one much larger roof, even the most elaborate, imaginative and challenging costumes could be created from concept to completion.
2019
Build it up: a new dimension
In 2019, the new dimensional printing team was established, producing the textured, patterned fabrics that have become an intrinsic part of so many modern superhero and sci-fi costumes, with recognisable early projects including elaborate robes for the Spacing Guild in Dune (2019).
2026
Expanding horizons
Recent highlights made possible by FBFX’s multifaceted workflow have included Darth Vader and Clone Troopers from Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022), Moon Knight (2022), Halo’s Silver Team (2022 - 24), and the yellow Wolverine suit from Deadpool and Wolverine (2024). In 2026, soft costume and dimensional printing expanded into a dedicated new unit adjacent to FBFX HQ, increasing capacity to make any type of costume imaginable, including special FX, period, military and live performance.
Late 1990s
"Heat it up til it goes wobbly!": a vac forming tour de force
In 1994, FBFX decamped to a workshop in Feltham, home for the next 20 years. Paint techniques were a specialty and FBFX committed to vacuum forming, the growing team conjuring knights for Prince Valiant (1997), the iconic pod racer helmet for Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999) and hard spacesuit components for Event Horizon (1997) and Lost in Space (1998). These spacesuits were also FBFX’s first foray into electronics.
2010s
Head scans and imaginary corridors
The dominance of superheroes and space movies in the 2010s saw FBFX perfecting the workflow used today: digital meets traditional. Clay sculpts, ingenious paint techniques, meticulous benchwork and vacuum casting (used to maximum effect creating epic domes for the likes of Prometheus (2012)), was elevated with digital modelling, 3D printing, CNC robotic milling and photogrammetry.
Chris Pratt was the first actor to step into FBFX’s photogrammetry rig for Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), calling for a green room and VIP corridor to be hastily constructed at the workshop. Soon after, FBFX Digital was established at Shepperton Studios.
2015
Solder on: going electronic
Spacesuits and superhero costumes require electronics: lights, cameras and fans discreetly contained in helmets and backpacks, all running with minimal disruption to filming. The only way to get it right was in-house, with FBFX’s electronics department developing increasingly clever and tiny devices operated with bespoke DMX controllers.
2017
Pins and needles: FBFX goes soft
2017 saw the launch of the soft costume department, experts in stretch, technical sewing and R&D, allowing FBFX to create complete suits. Early projects included spacesuits for Star Trek Discovery (2017) and Netflix’s Lost In Space series (2018), along with screen identical versions of Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, The Flash, Aquaman and Black Panther for Madame Tussauds.
1993
Opening Scenes
FBFX started out as a team of six at a workshop on an island in the River Thames. A job creating Judge Hunter armour for Sylvester Stallone’s Judge Dredd (1995) set the stage for a career in film - and revealed an aptitude for experimental techniques.
2017
New digs
In 2017, FBFX moved to its new home in Vector Park, Feltham with VIP facilities, meeting rooms, a new studio space and the return to base of FBFX Digital (now FBFX Studio). With three decades of expertise under one much larger roof, even the most elaborate, imaginative and challenging costumes could be created from concept to completion.
2026
Expanding horizons
Recent highlights made possible by FBFX’s multifaceted workflow have included Darth Vader and Clone Troopers from Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022), Moon Knight (2022), Halo’s Silver Team (2022 - 24), and the yellow Wolverine suit from Deadpool and Wolverine (2024). In 2026, soft costume and dimensional printing expanded into a dedicated new unit adjacent to FBX HQ, increasing capacity to make any type of costume imaginable, including special FX, period, military and live performance.
2019
Build it up: a new dimension
In 2019, the new dimensional printing team was established, producing the textured, patterned fabrics that have become an intrinsic part of so many modern superhero and sci-fi costumes, with recognisable early projects including elaborate robes for the Spacing Guild in Dune (2019).
2000s
"Absolutely collosal": Swords, Sandals and Polyurethane
Box office juggernaut Gladiator (2000) ushered in cinema’s era of swords and sandals, with the FBFX workshop resembling an armoury for much of the noughties. After using vac forming on Gladiator, quick turnaround polyurethane spraying combined with an efficient production line of makers enabled the speedy creation of armour for the thousands of soldiers called up to serve in Troy (2004), Alexander (2004) and Kingdom of Heaven (2005).
Other projects
Beyond costumes, FBFX has expanded into innovative ventures including FBFX Studio for 3D scanning, DMX Pro for advanced lighting control, and XOE Studio—our creative lab for exploring digital fashion.
For over 30 years, we’ve helped filmmakers, studios and designers bring the extraordinary to life.
Whether it’s a battle-worn gladiator’s armour, a comic book accurate superhero costume realised in three dimensions or functional spacesuit with integrated electronics, FBFX offers creativity, skill, and innovation to make the impossible wearable.