It was late November, 2016 when I visited the set of The Conjuring 2 (directed by James Wan). The reason I never wrote about it for Clothes on Film or anywhere else was because of my official role on the day: I was playing an extra (or background artist if you like) during the film’s Maida Vale pub scene. Specifically this is the moment when real life husband and wife paranormal investigator team, Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) meet with noted experts in their field to discuss the validity of their current case, aka the Enfield poltergeist. I made the finished cut, by the skin of my…

We revisit sci-fi classic Inception a decade after its release with MVP, costume designer Jeffrey Kurland. A brief video dip into the costume design of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. There is a problem with the costumes in The Wolf of Wall Street, and it has nothing to do with the film itself but the coverage they have received. Namely, that this coverage is incorrect. Articles such as this one for Vogue France, or this for The Hollywood Reporter, or a ‘suit guide’ by Esquire, concentrate almost solely on Giorgio Armani’s contribution to the project with barely a mention of costume designer Sandy Powell. And this is the Sandy…

In 1958 Paramount released Vertigo, Alfred Hitchcock’s disturbing tale of death and obsession, love and loneliness. Receiving only average reviews on its release, Vertigo is now hailed as a cinematic masterpiece. Hitchcock’s direction, Bernard Hermann’s score and Robert Burks’ cinematography are particularly praised. Less often celebrated, argues art critic Iris Veysey, is Edith Head’s costume design. Head’s work, particularly in dressing Kim Novak, helped to ground characters and signpost the narrative in a complex and convoluted plot. Dressing Novak in the dual role of Madeleine/Judy, Head’s designs successfully define two distinct characters, one polished and sophisticated, the other brassy and cheap. Madeleine is introduced as a wealthy shipping heiress and…

A few random images from The American starring George Clooney, really for no other reason than the costume design by Suttirat Anne Larlarb is so stylishly contemporary and, despite the title, clean and European. It’s going to be a good looking film. The American (directed by Anton Corbijn) is an upcoming thriller about expert assassin Jack (Clooney) who holes up in Europe after his last disastrous job. He vows his next hit will be his last, but being as this is a feature length movie that was not very likely to happen. And it doesn’t. George Clooney’s serious hitman Jack, here casual in hip length lightweight jacket and black zip…

This is part 2 (part 1 HERE) of an expanded article Clothes on Film editor Christopher Laverty wrote for men’s style resource MR PORTER analysing Michael Caine’s suits in The Italian Job. This post covers all the costumes he wore during the film. We rejoin Charlie and his ragtag crew at the big meeting when the gang are all introduced to each other. It had to be a Doug Hayward moment and thankfully does not disappoint. In actual fact it is probably Michael Caine’s best fitting suit in the whole movie: Dark blue worsted wool suit; double breasted jacket, wide peaked lapels, 6 on 2 fastening, slanted hip pockets, ticket……

Not much call to comment on a solitary official image from espionage thriller The Tourist starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. Only to say that after Public Enemies and Alice in Wonderland, Colleen Atwood is now tackling contemporary couture costuming instead. For our money this is potentially an even more interesting area for Atwood. Obviously her stage/period/ fantasy outfits on the likes of Sweeney Todd, Nine and Memoirs of a Geisha, cannot be ignored. They’re terrific. She’s terrific. However following her early work on The Silence of the Lambs and The Mexican, contemporary costume perhaps offers Atwood an even greater challenge. Rather than recreate, the contemporary costumer often has to…

MILD SPOILERS Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) is far and away the most ‘A New Hope-like’ film in the series yet. In terms of tone, sure, but particularly costume. What costume designers Glyn Dillon and David Crossman have so expertly achieved with Solo is making a contemporary looking movie set during the late 1960s. Star Wars: A New Hope was released in 1977 which puts Solo’s timeline around a decade before, or likely just over. But hang on, isn’t this a science fiction movie? What does when it’s made have to do with the space opera world being brought to life on screen? Well the seventies in particular was……

As we’ve just posted our essay about Meryl Streep’s Burberry trench coat in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), it seems fitting we have a round up of the best coat related posts in the Clothes on Film archive. This is coats purely as outerwear too. So, even though lounge suit jackets are traditionally referred to as coats, here they stay as jackets. Likewise Victorian frock coats; that is a round up for another day. Click the image to read the article. The plush fur-trimmed coat worn by Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins in 1920/30s set The Changeling (2008). Jolie referred to her costumes as “dolls’ clothes”, which is more costume designer…

On the eve of The Great Gatsby world premiere in New York City, F. Scott Fitzgerald scholar and fashion historian, Dr. Deirdre Clemente, was invited to the launch of the Plaza Hotel’s ‘Fitzgerald Suite’. Present was Oscar-winning costume designer Catherine Martin who has lavishly and intelligently festooned a room that offers its nightly dweller a chance to soak up all things Scott, Zelda and Gatsby. Of course they talked costume, and Clothes on Film have the exclusive. Deirdre Clemente: Your work on the film translated into unique partnerships. Everyone is talking about Brooks Brothers and Prada, but tell me a little bit about the work you did at The Plaza.…

Jane Seymour was just 22 years old when she played white witch Solitaire in Live and Let Die (1973). Her wardrobe was a mixture of uniform (as tarot reader), casual (escaping the poppy fields, New Orleans airport) and sexualised (sacrificial peasant dress, various chemises). Most illustrative of her kooky characterisation however are the maxi-dresses. There is something intrinsically spiritual about a maxi dress; the way it flows and veils the body. It gels with the divine aspect of Solitaire and later, with a rapidly decreasing neckline, epitomises her sexual awakening by Roger Moore’s randy new 007. When we first meet Solitaire it is only from the waist up, sitting in…