This emerald green dress from Atonement (2007) could be the most famous item of clothing on film in the last decade. In fact, rather surprisingly, it was recently voted ‘Best Costume of All Time‘ by Sky Movies and readers of In Style; surprising because, despite its multifaceted beauty, there are many other magnificent costumes out there more deserving of the title. Nonetheless this long, slinky evening gown from a mini-epic set predominately during the mid-1930s to early 40s is an extraordinary achievement. It is not only a work of art to look at; it also precisely informs the narrative. Costume designer Jacqueline Durran created the dress from scratch. Her intention…

There are many eye-popping moments in Black Book (2006), aka Zwartboek, though probably the most PG friendly is when Carice van Houten transforms into a Resistance beauty of Jean Harlow-esque proportions wearing an unmissable red halterneck dress. Black Book is a World War II set action thriller directed Paul Verhoeven. Based on true events it charts the story of Ellis de Vries (formally Rachel Stein) played by Carice van Houten, a Jewish singer who joins the Dutch Resistance and then infiltrates the German Gestapo. Ultimately, however, the tide turns as she finds herself branded a traitor by her comrades and forced to go into hiding. It is unquestionably Verhoeven’s best…

On Tuesday 13th September, Clothes on Film makes its debut on U.S. television. Specifically, site editor Chris Laverty chats about the amazing costume design of Boardwalk Empire for a documentary entitled ‘The Money Decade’ at 9.45 pm on HBO (may differ for regional variations). Of course we do not want to blow our own trumpet too much, but this was surely worth a mention. Tune in if you can. It is actually an interesting programme covering Burlesque, the Jazz era and fashion trends of the early 1920s. Apart from Clothes on Film, you will find contributions from Boardwalk Empire costume designers John Dunn & Lisa Padovani, in addition to a…

There are already a lot of excellent interviews with Oscar winning Beauty and the Beast costume designer Jacqueline Durran online, so with our limited communication we wanted to ask a little more about Belle’s (Emma Watson) day-to-day ensemble and the creation of Gaston’s attire (Luke Evans), arguably the closest character to his 1991 animated counterpart. Ms. Durran, currently hard at work on a new project, was kind enough to provide a few brief responses: Clothes on Film: How did you go about creating costumes for a computer generated Beast? Jacqueline Durran: When I first started prep on the movie the Beast was going to be a prosthetic beast. Had this…

There is a man on Boardwalk Empire with even more sartorial presence than Steve Buscemi’s saffron silk gangster Nucky Thompson. Whereas Nucky may stop at red plaid suit and homburg, this man will brave a red topcoat with fur collar and leather buttons, red plaid suit and a bow-tie; he is the man to teach us all that colour and pattern are not only masculine, but the most masculine. He is Chalky White. Known to many for his career defining turn as Omar on The Wire, in Boardwalk Empire, Michael Kenneth Williams plays a gangster even shrewder and perhaps even more capable. Certainly he is better dressed. Williams’ prohibition era…

Tales from the costume crypt. The Talented Mr Ripley Remembering the stellar work of Ann Roth and Gary Jones. Blue Jasmine Costume designer Suzy Benzinger on budgets, Fendi and Cate Blanchett. The Butler Transformations…Ruth Carter discusses mimicking classic fashion designers such as Bill Blass to recreate Nancy Reagan (played by Jane Fonda). Jenn Rogien The Girls’ costume designer is now Gap’s official ‘styled by’ expert. Orange is the New Black More Miss Rogien, this time talking authenticity and maxi-pad shoes. Roman Holiday Just brilliant costume analysis of the film by DTSFT. Elysium A brief chat with costume designer April Ferry. Unsurprisingly, it was Jodie Foster who brought Armani on board.…

MINOR SPOILERS Movies that feature contemporary fashion, particularly high-end and particularly for women, are a tricky sell costume wise. While men’s semi-formal to formal attire is generally shaped around the fundamental guise of the lounge suit, women’s clothing has a lot more avenues and possibilities. In addition to colour and pattern there is shape and form, which can vary dramatically for the fashionable wearer. What can vary dramatically can also date dramatically and this can be major stumbling block for costume designers. Films centred around the world of fashion, or those that include a lot of fashionable garments such as The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Clueless (1995) and Funny Face…

In development since 2007 and nurtured for at least 20 years by curator Deborah Nadoolman Landis since her days as president of the Costume Designers’ Guild (CDG), the exhibition ‘Hollywood Costume’ finally opens at the V&A museum. This is the costume exhibition to end all costume exhibitions; everything from Judy Garland’s gingham pinafore and ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, to Keira Knightley’s burgundy silk gown from Anna Karenina, to Robert De Niro’s ‘King Kong Company’ jacket, check shirt, jeans and even boots from Taxi Driver. Hollywood Costume is a rush; an awe-inspiring journey through the meaning and history of contemporary, period and mo-cap costume design utilising projections, interviews,…

Surely we all know Michael Kaplan by now? Flashdance (1983), Fight Club (1999), Burlesque (2010), Star Trek (2009), and the biggest of the big, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Versatile is not a generous enough word for his talent; he is literally one of the best in the business, as his CDG (Costume Designers Guild) nomination for Star Wars goes some way to proving. I spoke to Mr Kaplan just after Christmas about his work for The Force Awakens, but due to unforeseen circumstances (basically Clothes on Film HQ flooding), this interview is only being posted now. Still much to enjoy though, and plenty of costume titbits to sift through.……

Costume stories for the festive season. Shame that none of these have anything to do with Christmas. Bronx Bombers on Broadway Let’s all go to the theatre.Tyranny of Style has published an eye-opening interview with Bronx Bombers costume designer David C. Woolard. Having worked in theatre first hand, CoF got just a little bit nostalgic. The Innocents (1961) GORGEOUS gothic costume sketches. Patia Prouty Banshee and Justified’s costume designer talks about her work on both shows in this superb interview for True To Me Too. Punch-Drunk Love Girls Do Film get all caught up in colour. American Horror Story Lou Eyrich left Glee to costume killer nuns and aliens. She…