NO SPOILERS Real and mythological, figurative and literal; monsters of all kinds abound in Sky Atlantic’s new period horror series Penny Dreadful. We might expect a skulking figure in a top hat and frock coat to be scary, though who would have thought a bustle and redingote could be so terrifying? Well, step forward Eva Green as enigmatic Vanessa Ives. Not hero nor villain, but a dead eyed clairvoyant who definitely shouldn’t be invited to dinner parties. Penny Dreadful is set in 1891, although is more a literary parallel universe than true reflection of the era. Some of the characters featured are written for the show (Vanessa), some existed in……

The top half of Ben Affleck’s new Batsuit has been revealed, as created by costume designer Michael Wilkinson for the barely in production Batman vs. Superman. At first this black and white Bats looks kind of pettable, thanks to those smaller, kittenish bat ears. However getting in closer the suit is far more visceral than Lindy Hemming’s version for director Christopher Nolan. It actually resembles a (very buff) human body stripped of its skin. Nolan is where most comparisons will be drawn; his Batman is still the benchmark in cinema, and while director Zach Snyder is less obsessed with plausibility the new suit is obviously intended to be functional as……

Catch up with the costume gossip you’ve missed. Godzilla “Contemporary in design with a multitude of uniforms”, says costume designer Sharen Davis. We remember chatting to Ms. Davis about her work on Godzilla during an interview for Django Unchained – she was so stoked to be working with director Gareth Edwards. X-Men: Days of Future Past Q&A with ace Louise Mingenbach which we haven’t read because we haven’t seen the movie yet. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom For the film’s 30th birthday an enticing look back at Anthony Powell’s costume design by Tim Pelan for Cinetropolis. Game of Thrones More secrets in the costumes, unless you want to……

What’s happening in movie costume this week. Burton and Taylor ‘She had such a presence; apparently you always knew she was in the room’, costume designer Susannah Buxton on Elizabeth Taylor. X-Men: First Class Part 1: womenswear. More costume brilliance from Gavia Baker. Cleopatra Penny Dreadful Vintage looks at three cinematic incarnations of Cleopatra: Theda Bara, Claudette Colbert and Vivien Leigh – with Elizabeth’s Taylor still to come. Scandal Emma Fraser analyses colour (or lack of it) on the character of Olivia Pope. Ballet Russes Stunning article by Tyranny of Style delving deep into the influential Paris dance company. Just check out those Prince Igor (1909) costumes! Wow. Shawna Trpcic…

A brief glimpse at the costume world Mark Bridges created for Joker. Analysis of Shawna Trpcic’s subtle costume signifiers with input from the designer herself. Who might win for costume design at the Orange BAFTA Film Awards? By no means intended as an exhaustive list, Clothes on Film ponder an overview of 2011 in costume. If there is a more joyous film this year, we haven’t seen it. Clothes on Film talk exclusively to costume designer of The Artist, Mark Bridges.

A prevalent theme in the first episode of Mildred Pierce starring is how domestic costume can be read as a signal for sexual availability. Beautiful and affecting, even if it does collapse under the weight of its own earnestness at times.

Django Unchained costume designer Sharen Davis exclusively explains her work on the film. Lord Christopher Laverty 9 Comments 19 Aug ’11 15 Dec ’17 15 Jan ’11 Costume designer Sharen Davis finds a good fit with Tarantino; their Deep South bounty hunter Django is a visibly memorable protagonist crying out for a sequel. Lord Christopher Laverty Comments Off on Review: Django Unchained 9 Jul ’12 28 Jul ’10 12 Dec ’09

Arts Illustrated is an elegant new magazine looking at the best and most interesting in culture and design from around the world. Clothes on Film editor Chris Laverty has a regular column in the magazine entitled ‘The Fabric of Cinema’ in which he analyses the symbolic application of costume design in movies, both old and new. The maiden issue of Arts Illustrated focuses on neo-surrelism, and the first Fabric of Cinema column is about that master of costume surrealism, Eiko Ishioka. Laverty takes an in-depth, sometimes critical look at her work with particular focus on The Cell. Below are the first two paragraphs of the article, the remainder of which…

Stone slacks, leather cardigan, pale denim – who wouldn’t want to dress like Alan Partridge? This may be dad brand clothing, but it announces you as the most confident man in the room. Driving gloves? That’s nothing. Try removing your coat and jacket then leaving the driving gloves until last. That takes guts, or failing that a complete lack of personal awareness. In other words it takes a Partridge. Steve Coogan co-created and has played sports-journalist-turned-chat-show-host-turned-DJ Alan Partridge on and off for 22 years. Nothing his character wears is random. For costume designer Julian Day (Berberian Sound Studio, Rush), working alongside perfectionist Coogan on Alpha Papa must have been a…

Costume news you may have missed. Edith Head Google’s delightful doodle to celebrate the birth of Edith Head on 28th October 1897, showcasing illustrations of her work from A Place in the Sun, White Christmas, Sex and the Single Girl, To Catch a Thief, The Birds and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Costume preview via Trish Summerville and The New York Times – no spoilers. Look out for our own coverage soon. Julien’s Auctions The estate of William Travilla. Get your credit card(s) ready. Columbo New costume Tumblr by Nicolas Magand. Mark this as essential reading forever. Duck Dynasty Well what did YOU wear for……