Powell previously worked as costume designer on the adventure Grayeagle (1977) and as costumer on the science fiction comedy Back to the Future Part II (1989, with Maurice Palinski), the horror film Arachnophobia (1990, with Elaine Maser), and the adventure Far and Away (1992, with Maurice Palinski and David Page). In 1995, Powell worked as costume designer on Tommy Lee Jones' television western The Good Old Boys. Further credits as costumer include the drama Dead Man (1995, with Susie Money and Abram Waterhouse), the action film Volcano (1997, with Philip Maldonado), and the comedy Almost Heroes (1998, with Christine Heinz and Dennis McCarthy).