With exclusive contributions from Le Divorce costume designer Carol Ramsey, Jill Burgess, creator of Everything Just So, analyses the film’s distinctive sartorial presence; specifically how a Hermès ‘Kelly’ bag can be elevated from status symbol to movie character. In the 2003 Merchant Ivory movie Le Divorce, based on the novel by Diane Johnson, Isabel Walker (Kate Hudson) travels from Santa Barbara to Paris to visit her pregnant sister Roxeanne (Naomi Watts), who is subsequently abandoned by her unfaithful husband Charles-Henri de Persand (Melvil Poupaud). Isabel becomes involved with an older married politician, Edgar Cosset (Thierry Lhermitte), uncle of Charles-Henri, thus further complicating matters in this comedy-drama of impeccable manners. During…

© 2011, Clothes on Film 19 May ’11 Directed By: Rob Marshall Starring: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush This fourth entry into the Pirates of Caribbean franchise is frustrating, dark (literally) and only occasionally thrilling. For the reason a Pirates movie normally redeems itself, this one fails; Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow has finally become the irritating wiseass who just won’t leave the party. Early on, Jack is a lovingly familiar presence. Following a pursuit through 18th century London, he sheds his recognisable silhouette of billowing linen-silk tweed coat, stripping to an equally billowing linen shirt. As most of the film is set on land, costume designer Penny Rose…

With exclusive contributions from Le Divorce costume designer Carol Ramsey, Jill Burgess, creator of Everything Just So, analyses the film’s distinctive sartorial presence; specifically how a Hermès ‘Kelly’ bag can be elevated from status symbol to movie character. In the 2003 Merchant Ivory movie Le Divorce, based on the novel by Diane Johnson, Isabel Walker (Kate Hudson) travels from Santa Barbara to Paris to visit her pregnant sister Roxeanne (Naomi Watts), who is subsequently abandoned by her unfaithful husband Charles-Henri de Persand (Melvil Poupaud). Isabel becomes involved with an older married politician, Edgar Cosset (Thierry Lhermitte), uncle of Charles-Henri, thus further complicating matters in this comedy-drama of impeccable manners. During…

© 2011, Clothes on Film 24 Jun ’11 As Contessa Teresa ‘Tracy’ Di Vicenzo in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), Diana Rigg embodied a complex and charming, if sadly terminal ‘Bond girl’. Decked in glamorous, era-specific trends by Marjory Cornelius, Rigg’s costumes were subtly symbolic of her tomboyish nature, culminating in a memorably daring wedding ensemble. Glamour and symbolism were director Peter Hunt’s idea; he intended a return to the more distinguished Bondian elements of dress and production design as established in Goldfinger (1964). Acknowledged for his dapper style on set, Hunt even sent new 007 George Lazenby to his own tailor. Lazenby’s Bond is one of the sharpest…

© 2011, Clothes on Film 1 Apr ’11 The (somewhat) recently debuted trailer for director Paul W.S. Anderson’s adaptation of The Three Musketeers affords just the briefest, intensely edited peek at those 17th century costumes in motion. It’s a lace and linen fest. Alexandre Dumas père’s original story of The Three Musketeers takes place in France before the opulent reign of Louis XIV. This is important because in costume terms the overall style was considerably more sober than in both Henry VIII’s Tudor reign and the French sartorial dominance of the world that was to follow. During the 17th century, fashion was ever changing and evolving, though judging by this…

© 2011, Clothes on Film 16 May ’11 Throughout The Way We Were (1973, directed by Sydney Pollack), Barbra Streisand wears a mix of period authenticity and contemporary fashion, as costumed by Dorothy Jeakins and Moss Mabry. Essentially she is dressed as Barbra Streisand. Scan photographs and footage of Barbra from the time and it is evident that the actress brought more than just herself to the project; she brought her image too. The previous year, Barbra Streisand had experimented with the wilder excess of seventies trends in What’s Up, Doc? with Ryan O’Neal. Although now fondly remembered for upping her ‘cute’ contingent, What’s Up, Doc? was a mere flash…

© 2011, Clothes on Film 1 Apr ’11 The (somewhat) recently debuted trailer for director Paul W.S. Anderson’s adaptation of The Three Musketeers affords just the briefest, intensely edited peek at those 17th century costumes in motion. It’s a lace and linen fest. Alexandre Dumas père’s original story of The Three Musketeers takes place in France before the opulent reign of Louis XIV. This is important because in costume terms the overall style was considerably more sober than in both Henry VIII’s Tudor reign and the French sartorial dominance of the world that was to follow. During the 17th century, fashion was ever changing and evolving, though judging by this…

© 2011, Clothes on Film 10 May ’11 Directed By: Francis Lawrence Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz, Robert Pattinson Old fashioned and sentimental, Water for Elephants still has much to offer those in search of spectacle and matinee romance, not least for its readable costumes by Jacqueline West. Set during America’s Great Depression, the story gathers pace with an empathetic opening and initially captivating performance by Robert Pattinson as Jacob Jankowski, an as yet unqualified vet who, following a family tragedy joins up with a travelling circus. Unfortunately after this exciting set up, Water for Elephants settles into the predictable search for identity via discovering oneself; Jacob falls in love…

© 2011, Clothes on Film 16 May ’11 Throughout The Way We Were (1973, directed by Sydney Pollack), Barbra Streisand wears a mix of period authenticity and contemporary fashion, as costumed by Dorothy Jeakins and Moss Mabry. Essentially she is dressed as Barbra Streisand. Scan photographs and footage of Barbra from the time and it is evident that the actress brought more than just herself to the project; she brought her image too. The previous year, Barbra Streisand had experimented with the wilder excess of seventies trends in What’s Up, Doc? with Ryan O’Neal. Although now fondly remembered for upping her ‘cute’ contingent, What’s Up, Doc? was a mere flash…

© 2011, Clothes on Film 17 Jun ’11 Exclusive to Clothes on Film, Leesa Evans explains the tricky art of dressing six very different comic characters in Bridesmaids, i.e not overselling the humour. Leaning primarily to comedy, Leesa Evans has been lead costume designer on over twenty films, including American Pie (1999) and Josie and the Pussycats (2001). She has also worked with producer Judd Apatow several times, e.g. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), Get Him to the Greek (2010) and now Bridesmaids (2011, directed by Paul Feig). “I have a great working relationship with Judd Apatow,” Evans confirms “When he asked me to design the film I was thrilled to…