Ilona has ten years experience as a freelance costume Designer/constructor.
She opened her own costume and prop hire busniess in 1999 which she ran for eight years.

From 2005 to 2008 she undertook a degree course in "Design for Stage" (both set and costume).

During and since studying, she took every opportunity to work with industry professionals to gain as much knowledge of inter-departmental work as possible. She has learnt to understand the requirements of a nervous actor during fittings, the effect of her work on the other vital elements of design such as lighting and sound, and the needs of a pressured director. The people she has worked with have been impressed by her professional approach and artistic understanding of text and production.

she pursued her interest in directing. Having written a full length play, she proceeded to direct and design for it. "Third Storey" was shown at a London venue for a two week run to favourable reviews.

Alongside her design for productions, she still designs and makes costumes for hire and sale, along with constructing props,hats,jewellery,puppets,armour,
'corpses', latex weaponry: the more bizarre the requirement the better.