Inside the Arc: Michael Cesario discusses his new 2003 uniforms for Scouts and Glassmen

In 2003, the Madison Scouts and Glassmen will be wearing new uniforms designed by master costume designer Michael Cesario. The Cesario Collection is offered by the Fred J. Miller uniform company, a DCI championship sponsor. New Madison Scouts Uniforms "I'm really excited about the Scouts uniform," Cesario said. The new style was modeled by the drum major at the February camp to cheers and applause. "I looked at the uniforms from the 1975 championship year, and those are so iconic. I took the dark Explorer Scout green from the '70s. That's a great color; nobody's got it." Then Cesario said he tried to visualize what people identify with the Scouts. "In the fleur-de-lis, we have the most famous logo; it's so beautiful and means so much. How that wasn't on the uniform is beyond me." Going for a cleaner look, Cesario and the Scouts have removed the white citation cords and the red sash. "Lots of corps and bands have citation cords," Cesario said. "And while some say the sash defines the Scouts, we felt it's the fleur-de-lis." So one side of the new uniform will be the '70s dark green with a green fleur-de-lis outlined in red. The other side of the uniform (on both the front and the back) will be a new, lighter green. "I thought, 'Here's two things that say the past,' so I found a new green to say the future, as if the old is coming out of the new." The fleur-de-lis has a satiny, reflective surface. The white Aussie hats return, but with a slightly different scarlet red band. The red gauntlets will have a new twist. The pants remain white, but there won't be a stripe down the side. While many white, lighter pants expose more errors in marching style and timing-of-the-feet than darker pants, Cesario said Madison "can march, so they can handle it and show it off. The Scouts are always the corps that has put it on the line. There's going to be a lot of excitement around the corps this summer because people will rediscover the Scouts." New Glassmen Uniforms Cesario and Glassmen corps director Brian Hickman have been working on a slightly new look for the group, which wore a mostly-black uniform in recent years. Cesario said they're sticking with black, but are adding a cream color as well. It will have the same horizontal, high-waisted look with minimal ornamentation. "They're swell," Cesario said. "They have an unusual cut-through look to the symbol." The symbol, an inverted pyramid, is one of the most-imitated designs in the country by marching bands, according to Cesario. Contacting Cesario If you'd like Cesario's help with your band or corps uniform, go to fredjmiller.com. Editor's Note: Watch for the next "Inside the Arc," when Cesario discusses how he creates his drum corps uniforms. Chris Hollenback marched in the Madison Scouts drum line from 1991-97.