Clothes on film

Chances are you have not seen Snowpiercer yet due to its limited availability and release fiasco. If so, skip this interview and watch the film first. Go in clean, because Snowpiercer really is as good as everyone’s telling you. Based on the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige, it is essentially a dark (often literally) sci-fi thriller about a perpetual motion train carrying the last remnants of society after a global ice age. Themes of cruelty, disparity and sacrifice abound, and strong, sometimes horrific visual references bombard the screen. The exceptional costume design by Catherine George ties all this together in a way that is readable and indicative, yet never threatens……

Michael Kaplan gives Clothes on Film the lowdown on his Star Trek Into Darkness costumes. Lord Christopher Laverty Comments Off on Costume Designer Michael Kaplan on Star Trek Into Darkness 20 Aug ’10 7 Jul ’10 16 Apr ’15

The near future romance Her, written and directed by Spike Jonze, whose widely diverse resume ranges from the world of music videos to MTV’s Jackass to major motion pictures, brought together a creative team that costume designer Casey Storm refers to as “friends first, and co-workers second.” Storm and production designer K.K. Barrett create a soft, comfortable world of tomorrow. Shot on location around Los Angeles and Shanghai, Barrett avoided familiar locations to create a world that is accessible but not overtly recognisable. Our first introduction to the world feels very familiar. Seated in an office in a simple button up, Joaquin Phoenix’s character, Theodore Twombly, dictates a letter to……

Editor Chris Laverty explains how to ‘read’ costume on film. From an article originally published in Moviescope magazine. Want another look at Janty Yates’ costume design for Robin Hood? Thought you might.

Throughout much of Wall Street (1987), Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko dresses as sharp as a tack, wearing perhaps two really great shirts: the renowned ‘Gekko shirt’ in blue with white contrast collars and cuffs and an appealing variation on the Gekko, a pink and white Vichy check – again with white collars and cuffs. Both embody the corrupting authority of a 1980s power outfit: immaculate and comfortable, yet loud and in your face. Disrespectful. Douglas adopts the former signature look for his first big reveal as Gekko: Med blue shirt with white contrast turn-down collar and white French cuffs. Two-tone blue narrow stripe braces. It was costume designer Ellen…

Costume designer Jacqueline Durran discusses her unusual approach for Anna Karenina – 1870s Russia via 1950s couture. Forgive the self-promotion as we draw your attention to Clothes on Film’s inclusion in book ‘Hollywood Costume’ edited by Deborah Nadoolman Landis. A rundown of why Hollywood Costume at the V&A is the best event you will see all year. Banana Republic have teamed up with Anna Karenina costume designer Jacqueline Durran to create an exclusive collection inspired by the upcoming movie. We have five copies of Liz Gregory’s movie dressmaking book Sew Iconic to give away. That’s right, five. Looking so sexy that the finished film can be nothing but a huge…

In honour of The Times’ film critic Kevin Maher’s list of iconic movie rebels, we take a look at what it truly takes to make a tough guy in cinema. What constitutes a tough guy, as in ‘man’, on film is usually a traditional interpretation of masculinity. There is always room for the sensitive hero in a sweater and slacks, but for those who watch movies as ingrained wish fulfilment, the sexy and sweaty man’s man needs suitable attire to reflect his personality. But it is not just about the garments themselves. A jacket is a jacket, but a leather jacket is a symbol. A wax jacket on the other……

In honour of The Times’ film critic Kevin Maher’s list of iconic movie rebels, we take a look at what it truly takes to make a tough guy in cinema. What constitutes a tough guy, as in ‘man’, on film is usually a traditional interpretation of masculinity. There is always room for the sensitive hero in a sweater and slacks, but for those who watch movies as ingrained wish fulfilment, the sexy and sweaty man’s man needs suitable attire to reflect his personality. But it is not just about the garments themselves. A jacket is a jacket, but a leather jacket is a symbol. A wax jacket on the other……

Arriving amidst much excitement is a series of sketches by Prada for their collaboration with costume designer Catherine Martin on The Great Gatsby. Vogue exclusively broke the images. Vogue of course is a fashion magazine and Prada is a fashion label; The Great Gatsby is a film and what the characters wear within it are costumes. There is overlap because The Great Gatsby director Baz Luhrmann apparently brought Prada on board, or more specifically their creative director Miuccia Prada to work alongside Catherine Martin, Luhrmann’s wife. To all intents and purposes this is a partnership. Perhaps to those unfamiliar with the intricacies of costume design it may unfold thus: Miuccia…

Want another look at Janty Yates’ costume design for Robin Hood? Thought you might. Lord Christopher Laverty 9 Comments 25 Oct ’18 25 Feb ’13 20 Jan ’14