All the Catching Fire Fashion Portraits in One Place |

© 2013, Lionsgate 9 Mar ’13

Drip-fed over several days, these costume glimpses will likely cause some major appetite whetting. Remember however, The Hunger Games’ sequel Catching Fire does not even hit cinemas until November. Long wait.

Catching Fire costume designer is Trish Summerville, who after winning a Contemporary Costume Designer’s Guild award for her fashionable work on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in 2012 is a hot name right now. Summerville replaces The Hunger Games’ costume designer Judianna Makovsky, a two time CDG recipient this year, who laid the franchise groundwork with some enjoyable nods to wacky runway trends.

Available via Lionsgate’s ‘Capitol Couture’ tumblr, these portraits lack context so obviously do not reveal much in terms of where they fit into the story. We are sure the Cosplay guys already have itchy fingers though:

Caesar:

Stanley Tucci’s nauseating Master of Ceremonies Caesar Flickerman is lounging in what appears to be a gold and dark green brocade silk suit with gold shawl collar and matching Chelsea boots. His shirt has a fly front with gold necklace functioning as neckwear. That hair is a pink pompadour. The shirt is classic sci-fi (clean lines, no tie), but that shawl collar is all his own.

Effie:

As Capitol escort Effie Trinket, Elizabeth Banks is wearing a chiffon and organza dress from Alexander McQueen’s winter collection 2012 (designed by Sarah Burton) – it is exactly the same. The heel-less shoes however have been adapted slightly with a ‘golden-horse platform’. Seems spot on, an ordinary day at the office for Effie, and Summerville wisely retains those Hunger Games paper lashes.

Haymitch:

Now we have Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy, seemingly quite conventional, at least for the Hunger Games world. His square-toe boots look a bit 1960s, but that long ombré (i.e. dip dye) jacket with squared hem is most interesting. Also the right lapel probably folds over to reveal buttons that match the buttonholes, though judging by the overall cut the top one would not hold it closed correctly. Either it is a 3-roll-2, or all the buttonholes are decorative.

Cinna:

With Lenny Kravitz’s stylist Cinna it is all about form: sleek, elongating lines in this wetsuit like costume with shades of Burt Reynolds in Deliverance. Right up until we meet those floppy boots without laces he looks like a shark ready to strike. Cinna dresses like most stylists, i.e minimal use of colour so as not to draw attention away from his work.

Katniss:

This is the big one, and you needn’t think she is going to be told to sit down: Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen wearing her wedding dress. No denying it is spectacular; haute couture with elements of McQueen, but is actually by designer Tex Saverio. The corset is Swarovski crystal organza underneath a metal cage rising up like flames (Hollywood Reporter have more details from Trish Summerville HERE), while laser cut feathers reinforce the the mockingjay imagery. Not subtle, as it wouldn’t be, but that fluffy skirt especially is beautifully finished.

Beetee:

Jeffrey Wright as previous Hunger Games winner Beetee. According to those in the know (fans of the books) this is not how they expected him to look at all. Apparently Beetee should be more ‘vampish’, but of course that is in print and this is a film. Take in the glorious detailing on what appear to be leggings (with side zips no less). Green is the colour throughout, supposedly the colour of beetle wings, and there are even tinges in his goatee beard.

Johanna:

Another tribute with a white rose, this time Jena Malone as Johanna Mason. Yet more leanings to McQueen, who already seems stamped all over these costumes whether intentionally or not. Love the way that breathtaking skirt combines with the bodice.

Peeta:

This is Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark attired in what will probably be his wedding costume – a cream single breasted suit with broad shoulder pads and split peaked lapels by a Korean designer called Juunj. His boots are practically the same design as Cinna’s so we are assuming this must be something of a trend in the Capitol. They are by Rick Owens, so likely Cinna’s are too. That unusual wing collar on that turtleneck is pure fashion lunacy too. Good fun.

Gale:

Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne in very conventional clothing. The shirt has small stand collar for a gentle hint at the future – a shirt style often used in sci-fi along with a fly front placket (not here). Incidentally the stand collar was also seen on Gale in first Hunger Games film. Rugged fabrics, boots and a subdued colour palette give this more down to earth portrait a nice change of pace.

Finnick:

Okay, now we really are on fire. Sam Claflin as tribute Finnick Odair wearing what seems to be a skirt crafted in part from a flap of crocodile skin, one seriously unbuttoned linen shirt, again with the stand collar, big buckle leather belt and dirty black work boots that whisper, very quietly, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Basically though, Claflin looks like a pirate, which is apparently in keeping with his character.

President Snow:

As President Snow, Donald Sutherland wore purple in the first Hunger Games film – aka the sign of death – but here he chooses a poisonous green. The white rose is in place, that staple of sci-fi the fly front on his long villain’s coat, and just a dash of dead animal skin to add malevolence. Those leather gloves are not exactly friendly either. It is worth noting that everything in Trish Summerville’s costume world is slightly skewed; even Snow’s shoes are not plain Oxfords but a patent leather half boot.

This looks to be the last of the Capitol portraits, but if any more are released we’ll update you. Just as soon as we’ve recovered from all the McQueen.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire directed by Francis Lawrence is released on 22nd November in the U.S.

© 2013, Chris Laverty.