Costume’s read all about it this week. Eyes of Laura Mars Guise analyses the influential costume classic. Just don’t call it ‘fashion’. The O.C. Tyranny of Style’s fantastic, mammoth look back the costumes of The O.C. Remember Seth’s reindeer Christmas jumper? I Love Lucy Lucille Ball’s polka dot dress sold at auction for $168,000, along with Hugh Jackman’s X-Men costume ($22,000) and Tom Cruise’s Rain Man suit ($30,000). Elysium Giorgio Armani talks about his contribution to Elysium, which we’re guessing was at star Jodie Foster’s insistence not costume designer April Ferry. Lovelace Karyn Wagner explains how she created Amanda Seyfried’s rudey look as Linda Boreman aka Lovelace. UK Lovelace trailer…

Denim in cinema has been popularised by some of the great screen icons of the twentieth century. From Marlon Brando (The Wild One) to Steve McQueen (Junior Bonner), Paul Newman (Cool Hand Luke) to John Travolta (Urban Cowboy), Grace Kelly (Rear Window) to Brigitte Bardot (And God Created Woman). Similar to the business suit, denim is a sartorial way of life that confers immediate personality on a person without them having to do or say anything; this personality has evolved through time and trends, though one facet remains intact: rebelliousness. Denim’s symbolism has been created on film from real life frontier mythology. Art imitates life; imitates art. At one time…

There is not man behind the mask; the mask is The Lone Ranger. Lord Christopher Laverty 1 Comment 19 May ’09 5 Jul ’13 15 Dec ’17

Despite being set in the present day, the world of Brigsby Bear (2017, directed by Dave McCary) is a cosy 1980s nostalgia affair. Most of what we see either comes from or belongs to another time. It is a very deliberate look that extends right across the production design and costumes. Separate from the overall costume design of Brigsby Bear (by Sarah Mae Burton), Stoopid Buddy Stoodios worked on the creation and execution of the actual Brigsby Bear suit. We chatted to David Brooks and Ben Bayouth from the studio to discover exactly how they arrived upon the distinctive finished article. Clothes on Film: What led Stoopid Buddy Stoodios to……

Innovative costume designer and art director Eiko Ishioka has died aged 73. Ms Ishioka will surely be best remembered for her Oscar winning costumes in Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), which included Vlad III the Impaler’s (Gary Oldman) eye-popping suit of armour that resembled the structural configuration of human muscles and provocative Gothic dresses worn by The Brides. Tokyo born Eiko Ishioka also designed costumes for 2011 fantasy drama Immortals. Regular collaborator, director Tarsem Singh, known for his judicious use of extravagant headwear, employed Ms Ishioka to create an array of imaginative ensembles based on Greek mythology. A modest résumé of ten feature films takes nothing away from Eiko Ishioka’s influence…

Watching Jane Eyre on location makes for an enriching experience. Lord Christopher Laverty 2 Comments 14 Jul ’11 11 Jan ’13 20 Jun ’09

For this month’s Fabric of Cinema column in pan-India publication Arts Illustrated, Clothes on Film editor Christopher Laverty discussed the game changing costume design work of Trish Summerville. This makes that terrible title pun you’ve just read almost acceptable. The theme of the issue was women, specifically women approaching their role in society with a powerful, fresh perspective. This is sex rather than gender based, as none of the women featured conform to pre-established definitions of masculine or feminine. They are creatives achieving wonderful things not because of their sex, or in spite of it, but because of raw, unabashed talent. Trish Summerville’s breakthrough movie as costume designer was The…

Directed By: Joe Johnston Starring: Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Hugo Weaving Old school, Saturday matinee fun, Captain America: The First Avenger is director Joe Johnston’s best since The Rocketeer (1991) and features some of the finest superhero genre costume design ever committed to film. The assured skill of designer Anna B. Sheppard brings The First Avenger alive, blending potentially high camp ensembles into a believable story environment; one that is essentially a fantasy parallel of our own. It is childish and fun, but with a serious dramatic core at its heart. The 1940s backdrop is rich with costume and production design motifs; muted sepia with flashes of patriotic colour. Captain…

Part two of our chat with costume designer for Running Scared (2006), Kristin M. Burke. If you thought part one was interesting, this will blow your socks off. Chris, Clothes on Film: Regarding the ‘beefy dudes’ in Running Scared that you mentioned, they did all look massive on screen; it was like their clothes made them intimidating, especially ‘Mac Daddy’ pimp Lester (David Warshofsky). He is clearly dressed OTT and this suits his character and the tone of the film perfectly. How much do you know about the intended tone of a film when you start on the costumes? Kristin Burke: Man, that Lester the Pimp story is epic. I…

Starring: Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal Directed by: Blake Edwards An undeniably romantic tale of damaged goods finding love. Though by no means a traditional romance; the evocative ending with Holly (Audrey Hepburn) madly searching for (and finding) ‘cat’ seems to indicate she is not yet ready to let go her carefree self. Paul (George Peppard) faces an uncertain future with this ‘real phony’; the expression on his face implies he knows this too. Much in this film is said through looks or intonation. During the scene where Holly first realises Paul is in the same business as herself, both are semi-naked; Paul asleep in bed, Audrey wearing a…