From New York…it’s SNL set decorator Kim Kachougian

The Armenian community is fortunate to have a number of women pursuing creative careers and businesses. One of these women is Kim Kachougian, a set designer for one of the film units of Saturday Night Live (SNL). Kachougian, who has won three Emmy awards for her work, also owns her own floral design company, Mac & the Mushroom, based in Hoboken, NJ.

Kachougian received a BFA in theater design and a master’s degree in theater education from Adelphi University in Long Island, NY. After designing some shows off-off-Broadway, she moved to California to explore other career opportunities. She began working as a production assistant in film and television and then later moved back to New York, where she designed the windows at Macy’s. After overcoming several challenges, she was able to join the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) union, which expanded her opportunities in TV, movies and commercials. At the time, it was difficult for a woman to be recognized, though the union has improved in its diversity. Kachougian says she has not experienced any overt oppression, but stated, “I think as a woman, you have to work harder to prove yourself in a man’s field. Typically, the job that I do, a lot of women do it. I’ve never experienced someone treating me differently because I’m a woman, but I think the pressure on women to step up and be just as good if not better is definitely there and felt, and I think the women work harder for that reason.”