Amongst staggering aural and visual assault, perhaps one of the quietest aspects of Dunkirk (2017, directed by Christopher Nolan) are its costumes – and this is to its credit. Dunkirk is the type of film that requires you to engage quickly with everything you see on screen. Jeffrey Kurland’s costume design is masterful in this regard. A sea of subtly differentiated green and brown with the pop of naval uniforms and briefly glimpsed civilian wear. This is 1940 at its most spare and rudimentary. Here, Jeffrey Kurland chats exclusively to Clothes on Film about his process for creating the world of Dunkirk: SPOILERS THROUGHOUT Clothes on Film: How did you……

A slight but worth watching video about the costume and production design for frothy Walt Disney biography Saving Mr. Banks. If you have not seen the film it won’t spoil anything, and will probably get you wanting to dress in sixties suits and dresses again, like Mad Men did in the early days. Let’s get this straight: Peaky Blinders is not Boardwalk Empire. It’s a post World War I gangster drama, during roughly the same time period (1919 as opposed to the early 20’s), it’s gritty, features loyal yet warring brothers, is as cool as ice chips and doesn’t pull any punches. However Boardwalk Empire is set in the attractive…

Think Lulu’s theme song is the loudest thing in The Man with the Golden Gun? Think again. Lord Christopher Laverty 3 Comments 8 Feb ’20 26 Feb ’10 10 Dec ’10 This is the most fun and elaborate outfit Grace Kelly wears in To Catch a Thief. Lord Christopher Laverty 8 Comments 27 Feb ’15 15 Feb ’11 21 Sep ’10

Finally we have a trailer for Tom Hardy’s Capone and it looks jim-jam tastic. Cinema Paradiso is a beautiful examination of the relationship human beings have with film. This connection is explored through the story of a young boy and his friendship with the projectionist at the town’s local cinema. The strength of this friendship is only surpassed in intensity by the boy’s deep desire to become a part of the world of movie making. This is a story not about the medium of film in itself, but about the real people whose lives are illuminated by the stories it relates. As a tale primarily of ordinary Roma people, the…

Well known and respected Hollywood costume designer, Theadora Van Runkle, passed away from lung cancer in West Hollywood on 4th November. She was 83. Van Runkle essentially fell into costume design. While working as a fashion illustrator she happened to meet costume designer Dorothy Jeakins at a function who required a sketch artist for her upcoming project, Hawaii (1966). Van Runkle then took the job that Jeakins turned down as costume designer for Bonnie and Clyde (1967). This was her first experience in the industry. She may not yet have understood the finer realities of costume design (“I just stumbled through” Van Runkle later admitted) but she knew trends inside…

Starring: George Clooney, Thekla Reuton, Violante Placido Directed By: Anton Corbijn Movie assassins are the most contrived protagonists in Hollywood. Their stories follow the same tired path of death and redemption, generally becoming predictable and boring in the process. Euro-cool thriller The American starring George Clooney did not set out to break the mould. More of a facelift than anything else. The American follows hitman Jack (Clooney) as he is forced to lay low in the small town of Castelvecchio, Italy. Jack takes a new assignment, to build a custom sniper rifle via mysterious contact Mathilde (Thekla Reuton), but then unexpectedly in the course of forging new relationships, begins to…

Toy Story 3 is going to be wicked. Clothes on Film will happily commit to that declaration on nothing more than a hunch. So let’s get even more hyped by checking out some pics of the characters, principally the one most obsessed by himself and fashion (including Barbie), moulded ‘ladies man’ Ken. Apparently a proper ‘swinging bachelor’ since 2004, Ken of Toy Story 3 (as voiced by Michael Keaton) is accurately based on ‘Animal Loving Ken’ of the Mattel toy line, circa late 1980s. He wears a light blue, short sleeve leopard print shirt with light green spot flecks; matching cargo shorts with leatherette gold belt, and matching moccasin loafers…

Our first Dual Analysis with Costumer’s Guide. To kick off, here is what Chris from Clothes on Film had to say.

Our first Dual Analysis with Costumer’s Guide. To kick off, here is what Chris from Clothes on Film had to say.

Kelsey Osgood examines the religious and cultural significance of costume design in 2012 Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film, A Separation (directed by Asghar Farhadi). Perhaps for many observers, particularly those who live in liberal Western cultures, the concept of Arab and Persian religious uniform is symbolised by the simplicity of the black burqa. The pious pare down their clothing to the least colourful and individualizing garments in order to humble themselves before their God. As generally decreed by feminist scholars, women in religiously observant societies are those most affected by sartorial limits. But like most practices viewed as wholly restrictive, the rules of modest dress for religious women…