Throughout entertainment history, designers have always played a central role in the ebb and flow of pop culture.
There are occasions though, between runway shows and new collections, where they are asked to put on a new hat, that being of costume designer. Whether in close relationship with a movie director or simply contributing a custom piece for a TV show, they add a unique perspective to the industry of film costuming, with a keen eye for subtle house codes and ways of dressing characters. There are many great classic examples of such work being done, evoking Hubert Givenchy and Audrey Hepburn in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ or Paco Rabanne and Jane Fonda in ‘Barbarella.’
In honor of Oscars season, we’re parsing through the modern excellence of costume-design to ask: what happens when you ask a designer to be a costumer?
Jonathan Anderson for Challengers
Jonathan Anderson did a number as the costume designer of Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers, no doubt behind the scene’s wearing his uniform of jeans and an awkwardly loveable sweater. “I was quite shocked that he [Luca] has the same curiosity and respect for me. We had such a similar type of sensibility,” Anderson explained in his Fashion Neurosis interview with Bella Freud. Having never done costumes for a movie before, he wanted to try something new. “I just loved it, it was an amazing experience,” Anderson said. Channeling the posh atmosphere of tennis while retaining his flair for color, Anderson dove into the sporty look in a way he hadn’t before. Creating the iconic “I Told Ya” t-shirt for the film, his contributions to both Challengers and its subsequent press run cannot be understated.
While Thom Browne was not the direct costume designer for FX’s The Bear, I felt he was an important mention, after speaking with the show’s real costume designer, Courtney Wheeler. Browne custom-designed one of Syd’s chef jackets for the show. During a career-panel visit to Chicago, Wheeler explained to me that the show’s director Chris Storer had a special fondness for the designer and wanted to incorporate something of his into the show, as a Thom Browne suit was one of Storer’s first designer items. By creating a custom chef jacket for Syd, he imbued her character with a symbol of success, getting to work with one of his favorite designers in the process. While a monogrammed chef jacket isn’t exactly what one thinks of in relation to Browne, he showed out nonetheless.
Manolo Blahnik for Marie Antoinette
A stepping-stone film for any The Virgin Suicides devotee, Manolo Blahnik’s shoe designs for Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette is like stepping (ha) into heaven. Enlisted directly by Coppola in 2006 to create over forty pairs of period-maybe-accurate heels for star Kirsten Dunst, Blahnik crafted pairs of satin-pastel masterpieces, dripping in ribbons and ruffles. Translating the movie’s theme of extravagant overindulgence into his designs, Dunst spends the film’s run time prancing in what are essentially Rococo-inspired confections glued to her feet. This includes a cheeky, if anachronistic scene showcasing Converse on the floor of Antoinette’s room. If only Carrie Bradshaw was born during Coppola’s romanticized exploration of the French revolution, she could have exchanged Manolos and gleefully eaten cake with the queen.
Jean Paul Gaultier for The Fifth Element
Need I say more? An absolute masterclass in sci-fi costume design, Gaultier was nominated in 1998 for the ‘Best Costumes’ Saturn award. For a film full of quirky characters and chic clothes, the designer re-imagined the future as a runway of imaginative style. From Leeloo’s fierce bandage dress to Ruby Rhod’s leopard print extravaganza, there is a custom piece for everyone on screen. No extra is spared from Gaultier’s vision — even the McDonald’s workers and airport staff are decked in Gaultier, aiding the audience’s immersion into another galaxy. Including a fully prosthetic look for opera singer Blue Diva, the designer outdoes himself every minute of the movie.
Rick Owens’ Playboy Bunny Costume
This is not an example of movie costuming, but one of my favorite broader examples of the work designers can do. While little is known about Rick Owen’s 1994 costume made for Playboy, the bunny suit tells all in its wonderful marriage of edge and elegance. Made for the mansion’s ‘Hoppening’ event, Playboy hosted a fashion competition showcasing ‘Bunny looks of the ‘90’s.’ They tasked designers with creating the bunny suit in their own style for a runway to benefit AIDS awareness and Owens delivered. With Mr. Hefner ending the competition with a 1am silent auction. For photographs of the night, one can find Playboy’s rare magazine coverage of the event for $40 on Ebay. Ever an icon of twisting expectations, this remains my favorite Playboy bunny suit of all time.