Originally from the former East German Republic, Swinda's venture into costume and fashion design began in the late 1980’s.  In East Berlin, Swinda was an apprentice to a master of costume tailoring for theatre and opera between 1985 and 1989.  Swinda’s studies with an "old school" master gave her a strong base in the design and fabrication of costumes and fashion apparel.

The collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 opened a new world of design and creativity for Swinda.  Her career immediately began to blossom.  The following year she was the lead designer at the avant-garde fashion show "Off-line Berlin '90" which was featured by MTV, news channel "Tagesthemen" and magazines such as "Bild" and "Fashion".  Subsequently, she was hired as a costume designer for various theatrical companies including the Komische Opera (Berlin, 1993), 20 Dancer Ballet (Berlin, 1994) and Opera/Gasteig-Munich, (1996).  In 1997, Swinda found her way into the new German cinema with her first feature film "Hope".  The recognition she received for “Hope” quickly led to work in television, opera, theatre, dance, and fashion / art.  Swinda’s work in Europe culminated with costume designs for the "Millennium Awards Show" for 50 dancers and a speech by the German Chancellor G.Schroeder- (Life/TV).

In 2001, Swinda relocated to Los Angeles, CA.  Since then she has worked on several feature films: "The Brothel," by A.Waddell, "The Gun" By V.Alenikov, "Garcia Girls" By G.Riedel, "Expired" by C. Miniucchi, Fred Roos, Samantha Morton, "American East" by H. Issawi, Tony Shaloub.  She has also been involved with a number of short films, including costume design for "Shui Hen" directed by Maximilian Jezo-Parovsky and "The Duel," by Dominic Antonio Cerniglio.
Swinda continues to design costumes for feature films, exhibit art installations and was recently a guest lecturer at UCLA.
Swinda became a member of the costume designers guild CDG in 2005.

GETTY VILLA 2007

THEATREPLAY “THE BACCHAE” BY GULU MONTEIRO

AT SUNDANCE 2005/2007:

“EPPIRED” BY CECILIA MINIUCCHI                                                                                       

“HOW THE GARCIA GIRLS SPENT THEIR SUMMER” BY G.RIEDEL                                     

WITH REVIEWS BY “THE HOLLYWOODREPORTER” & “VARIETY”

AT CANNES 2007

“EPPIRED” BY CECILIA MINIUCCHI/FRED ROOS…

“THE GUN” IS RELEASED IN JANUARY 2006

RESUME (2001-07)

FILM	GENRE	DIRECTOR/DP	PRODUCTION DESIGNER	STARRING
PIRATE CAMP	Action/Family	M.Kastenbaum Andrew Parke	Hak Choi	Seth Adkin Corbin Bernsen
AMERICAN EAST	Drama	Hesham Issawi M.G. Wojciechowski	Frank Bollinger	Tony Shaloub Sayed Badreya Ray Wise Kais Nashif
THE TRIBE	Action/Horror	Joerg Ihle Chris Popp	W. Budge / N. Loebart	Justin Baldoni Jewl Staite
EXPIRED	Comedy/Drama	Cecilia Miniucchi Zoran Popovic	Natalie Sanfilippo	Samantha Morton Jason Patric Tery Garr Ileana Douglas
THE WINDFISHERMAN	Drama/Fantasy	Anna McRoberts Paula Huidobro	Robb Wilson King	Will McCommack
MAD LANE	Comedy/Drama	Eva Hassmann Joshua Hess	Yvonne von Wallenberg	Eva Hassmann Blayne Gray
CUT OFF	Action/Drama	Gino Cabanas Michael Goi	Kirk Erskine	Malcom McDowell Richard Edson Thomas Ian Nicholas Clint Howard James Russo Patricia Rae Francesco Quinn Robert F. Lyons
JACK SATIN	Comedy/Drama	Chris Olness Harry Charalambous	Aaron A. Goffman	Robert Guillaume Melissa Joan Hart Hamilton von Watts Michael Cudlitz Stacy Travis Alley Millis
NEIGHBORHOODWATCH	Horror	Graeme Whifler Bernd Heinl	Dan Whifler	Nick Sercy Pell James Jack Houston
STRESS, ORGASM AND SALVATION	Comedy	Carlos Riccelli Jason Lowe	Margaret M. Miles	Bruna Lombardi Julie Brown Scott Rinker
THE GUN. FROM 6 TILL 7:30	Drama	Vladimir Alenikov Kirill Davidoff	Swinda Reichelt	Jack Forbes Jeremy Hassemer Valerie Dillman
HOW THE GARCIA GIRLS SPENT THEIR SUMMER	Drama/Comedy	Georgina Riedel Tobia Datum	Elizabeth Calienes	America Ferrera Elizabeth Pena Lucy Gallardo Steven Bauer
THE BROTHEL	Drama/Fantasy	Amy Wadell Seo Mutarevic	Linda Louise Sheet	Serena Scott Thomas Grace Zabriskie Bruce Payne Tim Murphy
A DREAM PLAY	Drama/Fantasy	Gino Gabanas	Kirk Erskine	Mark Riemer Ralph Guzzo
DUEL	Action/Fantasy	Domenic A. Cerniglio Bengt Jonsson	Bernardo Charca	Jonathan Fraser Matthew Rimmer
SHUI HEN	Drama/1950	Max Parovsky Masanobu Takayanagi	Aaron A. Goffman	Ada Tai Arlene Tai Jim Lau
UP UNDER THE ROOF	Drama/1938	Darin Read M. Schoenbachler	Erin Hall	Jonathan Milliken Jill Hill
BOX	Drama/Black&White	Mark Riemer Ralph Guzzo		Ralph Guzzo Mark Riemer
OUTSIDE	Sci-fi	Jenn Kao Julie Kirkwood	A. Formato D. Navarro	Courtney Ford Keaton Talmadge
ASYA	Animation/Fantasy	Marina Ratina