Clothes on film

Establishing a new feature at Clothes on Film, the following review is written in collaboration with costume designer Kristin M. Burke.

From The Observer, Bill Nighy lists five things he knows about style. Lord Christopher Laverty 3 Comments 27 Jan ’10 21 Sep ’11 22 Apr ’10

Following a trip to Rome, Betty dons the latest in European chic – a colourful maxi dress that belongs in sleepy Ossining just about as much as she does.

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 costumes in Cinema Paradiso, as designed by Beatrice Bordone, help create a 1940s/50’s period……

In Tron Legacy, the light suit exemplifies two key facets of the mythology: light, as in energy, and ‘disc’ – lifeblood of the wearer. This suit is a meticulously designed ‘second skin’ that integrates seamlessly into director Joseph Kosinski’s vision of the Tron story universe. Here we examine the design of the new light suit including background to its creation, construction, symbolism and application in Tron Legacy. ‘The Grid’ is such a heavily computer generated world that the light suit was considered a practical means of bringing this environment to life for actors. Moreover, to physically illuminate each suit in post-production would have been too expensive. Costume designers Michael Wilkinson,…

Doctor Who, the quirky British sci-fi television series about a time travelling alien and his friends, premiered in 1963. Since then there have been twelve Doctors (and a War Doctor), each with their own unique looks to match their unique and often eccentric personalities. With the debut of the Twelfth Doctor fast approaching, this post takes a look back at the three Doctors we’ve seen so far (not including the War Doctor) on Doctor Who since it was rebooted in 2005 (or New Who, as some like to call it) and guesses at what we can expect from Doctor number twelve. The Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) arrived on our screens……

Betsy Heimann’s costume design for Reservoir Dogs (1992) spawned a legacy in pop culture and fashion that is still being felt today. Heimann and director Quentin Tarantino determined a cinematic sub-genre by redefining the appearance of the petty gangster. From shambolic to symbolic; a man in a black suit, white shirt and black tie walking in slow motion is possibly the single most memorable costume image of the nineties. Here talking exclusively to Clothes on Film, Ms. Heimann describes how the Reservoir Dogs look came together: “I am very pleased that the narrow silhouette I created influenced and still influences men’s fashion” she offers. “I think that Quentin is responsible…

A fun glimpse at the bizarre fashions to expect in Catching Fire thanks to costume designer Trish Summerville. Lord Christopher Laverty 1 Comment 17 Mar ’17 21 Jul ’10 15 Sep ’09 Judianna Makovsky’s costume design provides an intentional method of understanding The Hunger Games’ politics. Lord Christopher Laverty 10 Comments 11 Mar ’10 14 Jul ’17 1 Oct ’09

Costume designer Jacqueline West talks exclusively to Clothes on Film about her period recreation work on Ben Affleck’s Oscar favourite Argo. Ben Affleck’s pseudo-cowboy costume in Argo harks back to the golden age of the sports jacket. American Gigolo is not about its protagonist, it is about what he wears. American Gigolo is about Armani. Watch the first trailer for Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows and burst with costume excitement. Think Lulu’s theme song is the loudest thing in The Man with the Golden Gun? Think again. Some official images have surfaced for X-Men: First Class. The sixties costumes vibe is not excessive, however.

Actually that title is a tad misleading – it’s all the clothes worn by Lee Marvin as kick-ass-tough-guy-on-a-mission Walker in Point Blank. This is the second video in a new Clothes on Film feature breaking down costume design in sartorially interesting (or just way cool) movies and, in some cases, television.  Costumed by Margo Weintz, Point Blank is stone-cold neo-noir thriller, one of the best of its kind, focusing on Marvin’s Walker and his score settling against those who double crossed and left him for dead on an abandoned Alcatraz island. The film is known for its sharp suits, which are all covered in the video, but also for some…