Clothes on film

A snapshot look at the costume design work of Mary Zophres for True Grit. Well worth a watch. Amy Westcott talks exclusively to Clothes on Film about her process on Black Swan, that Oscar snub and the recent controversy surrounding herself and Rodarte.

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.……

Clothes from films set during 1940s 25 Jul ’11 / Some of the finest superhero costume design ever committed to film. Lord Christopher Laverty Comments Off on Review: Captain America: The First Avenger 21 May ’11 / This coral pink ensemble encompasses and challenges the absolute femininity of Grace Kelly. Lord Christopher Laverty 5 Comments 16 May ’11 / Throughout The Way We Were, Barbra Streisand wears a mix of period authenticity and contemporary fashion. Lord Christopher Laverty 7 Comments 5 Apr ’11 / This is the most fun and elaborate outfit Grace Kelly wears in To Catch a Thief. Lord Christopher Laverty 8 Comments 24 Mar ’11 / The…

The displaced sex appeal of uniforms in Mildred Pierce. Clothes on Film editor, Chris Laverty discusses the costumes of Mildred Pierce for filmed HBO Sessions. There is a man on Boardwalk Empire with even more sartorial presence than Nucky Thompson; That man is Chalky White. Costume wise, This is Jinsy is deliberately bizarre and mismatched. Yet everything makes sense in context. On the eve of Boardwalk Empire: Season 2 commencing, we had a chat with the show’s costume designers John Dunn and Lisa Padovani. On Tuesday 13th September, Clothes on Film makes its television debut chatting about the amazing costume design of Boardwalk Empire. A classy, very British affair. Harper’s…

When Clothes on Film visited The Muppets Most Wanted set back in March of 2013, we were given a tour of the bustling ‘wardrobe’ (their words) department, as overseen by costume designer Rahel Afiley. You can read more about that HERE, but after chasing Ms. Afiley around the room while she was trying to work, we managed to get a bit more out of her about using designer fashion, i.e. Vivienne Westwood, in the film. As always we are pushing the same old costume/fashion debate, though in this instance hearing from a costume designer on the front line is rather enlightening. Focusing specifically on Miss Piggy, for she is the…

Watching Jane Eyre on location makes for an enriching experience. A trailer for The Woman in Black arrives bringing that spooky sense of dread that only Victorian costume can provide. First look at Jenny Beavan’s late Victorian-with-a-twist costumes in action. Speaking exclusively to Clothes on Film, Le Divorce costume designer Carol Ramsey explains how a Hermès Kelly can be elevated from status symbol to character. Lucinda Wright talks to Clothes on Film about her contribution to The Suspicions of Mr Whicher starring Paddy Considine. Sherlock Holmes 2 costume designer Jenny Beavan chats exclusively to Clothes on Film about what to expect in the finished film. Sherlock Holmes 2 rounds out…

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…

The votes have been counted, the prizes dished out… Here’s our round-up of the big three costume design award nominations. Hugo is Scorsese’s monument to wonder and excitement. Here Sandy Powell exclusively explains her costume choices to Clothes on Film. The full trailer for Sucker Punch has arrived in all its steampunk, cutsey, fairytale and ass kicking glory. Harry subverts his identity to get lost in the crowd during this blistering new trailer for New Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I. The costumes are somewhat…ahem….‘colourful’. If you like Potter, you are going to like this. Cannot say fairer than that. The Big Lebowski is brilliantly designed; the characters…

Clothes from films set during 1920s The best kept secret in costume design is finally out: Prada made Carey Mulligan’s gowns for The Great Gatsby. In a week of exciting trailers, the first for director Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby must surely be the most thrilling of all. Sonia Grande’s costume design for Midnight in Paris offers everything we expect of 1920s Paris and the contemporary nouveau riche. A brief but worthwhile and exclusive clip about the costume design of Boardwalk Empire. For HBO Sessions part 2, Clothes on Film editor Chris Laverty was invited to discuss the costume design of Boardwalk Empire. Hugo is Scorsese’s monument to…

The Costume Designers Guild (CDG) has served up their nominations for this year. Lord Christopher Laverty 4 Comments 3 Sep ’10 4 Jul ’14 3 Apr ’10 A majestic tale set in a buttoned-up world of repressed emotion. Lord Christopher Laverty 3 Comments 22 Jan ’13 21 Nov ’11 21 Sep ’12 Sherlock Holmes 2 rounds out a week of costume reveals with this first official image. Lord Christopher Laverty 5 Comments 16 Jul ’13 23 Mar ’10 29 Sep ’10