Just as we curate our outfits to convey our personalities and beliefs, characters use costumes to express their identities and make a statement. Both realms rely on the power of clothing as a visual language, capable of communicating without words. Whether it's a character donning a tailored suit to exude authority or an individual choosing streetwear to have a sense of cultural affiliation, the importance of custom design lies in the ability to shape perception and send a message.
Just by looking at this year's options with the 2024 Academy Award for Best Costume Design winner Poor Things, or cult-like runner up nominee in Barbie, every year there are always new and exciting films in which costume design plays a major role.
Costume design in cinema, and the same goes for any other audiovisual product in the genre, is a vast world that involves an in-depth study of the history of fashion, costume, and sartorial techniques. In a world where style speaks volumes fashion becomes a tool for self-expression, allowing us to construct narratives about ourselves and our place in the world. Similarly, costume designers make characters come alive on the screen through their carefully curated wardrobes, asserting their unique stories and personalities.
The work done by the costume designer contributes more than all other technical production to enrich the imagery behind an audiovisual product and the actor's ability to be credible in playing a particular role. But it's often overlooked when analyzing the critical components of what makes visual storytelling so important.
Think of Audrey Hepburn in her little black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany's, the yellow leather jumpsuit worn by Uma Thurman in Kill Bill, all the iconic sneakers that have appeared across cinema history and become indelible in popular culture, or again, any costume designed for the Star Wars saga and characters that any person, fan or not, would be able to recognize so iconic have they become.
Whether it's a story set in the present day in which clothes are used for all intents and purposes commercially, whether it is a historical film in which to use or recreate period clothing or a fantasy film in which to have to create costumes from scratch, the figure of the costume designer must perennially confront throughout the production period (and even before) with actors, director, set designers and makeup artists.
What role does clothing play in cinema and fashion as a whole? What do we want to communicate? Consequently, what role does the character's costume occupy in the story? Ultimately, what does it really mean to be a costume designer for film or TV series?
To question the costume of a film character, and the work of the one who creates it, is to understand what that fictional character wants to communicate. An all-around creative and technical medium not only capable of conveying suggestions, hidden meanings, and the essence of the protagonists in a single look but also of moving sales and entire markets by shaping public tastes.
Cinema Costume Designers and The Relationship With Fashion
The relationship between cinema and fashion has developed along two major lines but with different chronologies. At first, it is film costume designers who influence fashion, according to a movement from film to real life; later, it is the turn of fashion designers to enter the screen: indirectly, with the cinema adopting their creations or directly assuming the role of costume designers. Often the birth of a star is related to an outfit, a detail, or a hairstyle.
On the other hand, the costume designer's professional figure only became established around the 1920s. It was not until '48 that the Oscar for Costumes was born - the Academy Award For Best Costume Design.
Ten years later, every film studio worthy of the name had a costume department. The person in charge, the film costume designer, plays a major role in the film's success, and it is often overlooked by the masses, as we are so enthralled by the fictional world of the movie that we take for granted the effort to make the costumes as fitting to the movie's storyline as possible.
Many similarities exist between fashion and costume design, starting with the fact that one and the other are artificial constructions based on the aestheticization and staging of the body. Cinema is a formidable stage for launching and disseminating fashion in the "real" world, and creating the style icons of today.
The opposite discourse of stylists in fashion is also true. It is hard to deny that since the late 1960s, stylists have largely influenced the screen by either replacing the role of the costume designer or influencing them in increasingly adopting their designs to achieve a "reality effect," and the associated status value designer clothes appear to have.
Some designer labels have even dressed film characters or entire movies like Armani in American Gigolo and The Untouchables or Jean Paul Gaultier for Peter Greenaway's actors and The Fifth Element. Martin Scorsese and Wim Wenders have done promo-costuming on Armani and Yamamoto, respectively. Several films depict the world of fashion and its backstories, from Michelangelo Antonioni's Amiche and Blow-up to Robert Altman's Prêt-à-porter, which starred 75 designers and supermodels. The list goes on and on.
Some of the best Costume Designers of the past and current ones
Edith Head
"What a costume designer does is a cross between magic and camouflage. We create the illusion of changing the actors into what they are not. We ask the public to believe that every time they see a performer on the screen, he becomes a different person."
This is how the most celebrated costume designer in the entire history of cinema describes her profession. A multiple award-winner, as a testament to the value of her work, she has collected 35 Oscar nominations and 8 awards – still a record to this day. This made her the woman with the most Academy Awards wins and nominations, and she has even dedicated a star on the coveted Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. A woman of many qualities, a free spirit, bold and creative.
Edith Head is still today a landmark and a legend for the international film world and for all fashionistas who, over the years, have been fascinated by her clothes, which have appeared in some of the most famous and iconic films of all time dressing icons like Cary Grant, Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor, Lana Turner, Steve McQueen, Ingrid Bergman, Audrey Hepburn, and Grace Kelly.
Edith Head was so much ahead of her time in arguing that it was crucial to creating a character, not only the work of the actors and scriptwriters but that a collaboration of all roles, including that of the costume designer, was essential to achieve a credible result.
She reached the pinnacle of success because of her brilliant talent for making dream dresses, but not only that. She herself during the creative process, used to empathise with the divas she dressed, involving them in the making of the costumes. She could listen to them and indulge their needs, which her male colleagues could never do.
Although it is difficult to choose among all the dream dresses made by Edith Head for the greatest movie stars, among her most famous masterpieces are Funny Face, Thief Hunting, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Rear Window, and Roman Holiday.
Irene Sharaff
Second only to Edith Head in terms of honors from the Academy, Irene Sharaff became famous by mastering the costume design of multiple historical periods and genres and was highly influential in shaping the style of costume designs during her career. Her design choices had an effect not only on the fashion world but went as far as to influence interior design.
Over the course of her long career, during which she collaborated with important directors, most notably Vincente Minnelli, and dressed glamorous stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Judy Garland, she tackled almost every historical period with an accuracy far beyond Hollywood standards.
Gifted with a vibrant painterly sense, she brought to the Hollywood of the 1940s and 1950s the cheerfulness of bizarre and daring color combinations typical of Broadway ballet and musicals, which sometimes challenged the obligatory palettes of Technicolor's consultants. Some of her best movies include West Side Story, The King and I, Cleopatra, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Deborah Nadoolman Landis
By far, one of the most memorable looks in modern cinema, with custom designs molding seamlessly into the setting of the films, is Deborah Nadoolman Landis. She designed over 500 costumes for the cult classic movie Coming to America, which were said to be inspired by the "New Look" aesthetic of the early 50s made popular by fashion designer Christian Dior.
They designed the suits of The Blues Brothers and Harrison Ford's famous Fedora hat and jacket in Raiders of the Lost Ark, exhibited at the Smithsonian in Washington DC.
Deborah Nadoolman's work was so significant that the worlds in which these films were set were greatly expanded through her designs and greatly influenced popular culture.
Oh, and if all that isn't enough to make my case, she is also responsible for the red jacket worn by Michael Jackson in Thriller.
Michael Kaplan
The king of sci-fi costume designs and psychological thrillers. Michael Kaplan's designs are pivotal in setting up the atmosphere required by the eerie and imaginary worlds of the movies he worked in. Much has been said of the cinematography of Blade Runner, a groundbreaking movie of monumental importance for shaping the dystopian cyberpunk aesthetic we are so often used to see now. Or the mood of Fincher's contemporary noir detective story Se7en. The world of costume design owes a great deal to Mr. Kaplan, and we are here to pay homage.
Other notable designs are Flashdance, Fight Club, Pearl Harbour, and Star Trek Into Darkness.
Orry-Kelly
Orry Kelly is famous for being one of the early practitioners of character-centric costume designs for films and for his remarkable attention to sartorial details. It was not unlike him to incorporate design features that played with light and shadow or to add a playful touch to an outfit. In other news, he was well-known in business because of his love of worldliness, temper, and fondness for the bottle.
Orry-Kelly formed with Bette Davis, one of the most famous star-costume couples on the screen. For more than 30 years, his creations influenced American women's fashion: millions of women copied Ingrid Bergman's dresses in Casablanca.
After a long career with Warner, he moved on to Fox, then, from '50 to '64, he worked as a freelancer for the major studios. His experience on Broadway, where he had debuted, served him well in dressing the big movie musicals: An American in Paris and The Girls, which earned him two Oscars. He got The third for Some Like It Hot.
Other works include Gypsy, Cole Porter's Les Girls, Oklahoma!, Harvey, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Maltese Falcon, The Sea Hawk, and 42nd Street.
Colleen Atwood
Who doesn't know Tim Burton?
The look of his films is recognizable at a glance, and this owes much to the work of costume designer Colleen Atwood, who has collaborated with him on countless projects, including Edward Scissorhands, Mars Attacks!, The Mystery of Sleepy Hollow, Big Fish, Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland, Big Eyes, and Dumbo.
Winner of 4 Academy Awards out of 12 nominations, she is not only adept at creating unreal settings within a film. Still, she has equally succeeded in contributing to the portrayal of realistic and contemporary works, cementing her reputation as one of the leading costume designers in the business.
Jenny Beavan
Jenny Beavan instead is a costume designer in this list that started out in period costume: She was Merchant Ivory's go-to costume director, winning her first Oscar in 1987 for A Room With a View and being nominated over the next few years for films including Howards End, The Remains of the Day and Sense and Sensibility.
She did the costumes for Gosford Park and The King's Speech, then showed she didn't just do period Englishness when in 2015 she did Mad Max: Fury Road, the fourth iconic film in the post-apocalyptic franchise; it deservedly brought her a second Academy Award. Cruella, the 70s-set origin story of Cruella de Vil, followed that.
Fun fact: Beavan is known for her practical approach to costume design, often incorporating recycled materials into her creations to add authenticity and sustainability to her work.
Milena Canonero
Milena Canonero, a pupil of the great costume designer Piero Tosi, boasts 9 Oscar nominations and 4 statuettes won alongside some of the most significant auteurs and directors from Stanley Kubrick, with whom she made her debut in A Clockwork Orange in 1971 as a replacement for his Maestro, to Francis Ford Coppola and Wes Anderson.
Defined by critics as The Lady of Italian Costumes, Milena Canonero, is one of the most famous costume designers in today's film scene. She was born in Turin, Italy, on Jan. 1, 1946, and moved to Genoa, Italy, where she studied art and costume history.
She then goes to live in London in her early twenties and finds herself deeply immersed in swinging London in the 1960s.
In a climate of profound transformation and novelty, Milena meets the man who will change her career forever: Stanley Kubrick. He immediately grasps the woman's great artistic potential and chooses her as costume designer for A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lindon, films thanks to which Milena wins her first Academy Award.
From then on, her career is studded with one success after another. In 1982 she won her second Oscar for the film Moments of Glory by Hugh Hudson, and in 2007 we saw her triumph again for the film Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola. The last Oscar, in 2015, won thanks to her work on Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel.
Sandy Powell
Sandy Powell, a true fashion maverick, has carved her name in the annals of costume design history by working on movies like The Vampire Chronicles, Rob Roy, Shakespeare In Love, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Shutter Island.
With an illustrious career spanning over three decades, Powell's distinctive style and meticulous attention to detail have left an indelible mark on cinema.
Her collaborations with visionary directors like Martin Scorsese and Todd Haynes have garnered numerous accolades, including three Academy Awards. In 2011 she was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for her services to the film industry.
Powell's ability to seamlessly transport viewers to different eras, whether it's the opulence of the Victorian era or the glamour of the Golden Age of Hollywood, is a testament to her unmatched talent.
Fun fact: Powell is known for her bold and fearless fashion choices, often appearing on red carpets in eye-catching outfits meant to critic the hypocrisy surrounding fashion. Her creations always exude humanity and a deep union with the soul of the actors who wear them.
Ruth Carter
Carter's remarkable achievements continue to shine as she clinches Academy Awards for Black Panther and its sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, cementing her place in history. She became the first African American to win in the Costume Design category and made history as the first black woman to win multiple Oscars.
Throughout her illustrious career, Carter's costume designs have traversed various periods, culminating in a powerful narrative that collectively portrays the experiences of African Americans. From the generational saga of Roots to the 19th-century slave rebellion in Amistad, from the depiction of the Civil Rights era in Malcolm X and Selma to the contemplative storytelling of The Butler, her costumes serve as a reflection of the cultural impact of the Motown sound in Sparkle, the struggle against oppression in 1980s Brooklyn portrayed in Do the Right Thing, and the internal conflicts faced by a superhero grappling with his kingdom's heritage in Black Panther.
Carter's artistic influence lies in her ability to bridge generations of viewers through her sartorial interpretations of race, politics, and culture on the grand stage. With a deep understanding of characters and nuanced use of color and texture, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the Afrofuturism movement for over four decades - an aesthetic that blends science fiction, history, and fantasy to explore the black experience and reconnect those from the African diaspora with their ancestral roots, is a global reclamation of power and heritage.
Mark Bridges
Mark Bridges, the maestro of costume design, possesses a profound understanding of fashion's transformative power. His most important works include collaborations with acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson, such as Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood. Bridges effortlessly capture different eras' essence, infusing his designs with authenticity and visual storytelling.
His work on Phantom Thread garnered him well-deserved accolades, showcasing his ability to create costumes that are not only visually stunning but also essential to character development. His achievements speak volumes about his talent and dedication. Bridges has been honored with numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Best Costume Design for The Artist and Phantom Thread.
His ability to immerse audiences in rich visual worlds and enhance narratives through costumes has solidified his status as a true visionary in the industry. In addition to his creative prowess, Bridges is known for his collaborative spirit and genuine love for his craft.
Costume Design in TV Shows
In the realm of television, the evolution of costume design has been nothing short of a sartorial revolution. From humble beginnings to dazzling heights, the artistry behind dressing characters for the small screen has undergone a metamorphosis that mirrors the ever-changing landscape of visual storytelling and the increasing influence TV shows have on consumer behaviours. TV has evolved from being cinema's lowbrow sibling into a respected medium.
Compared to the aforementioned costume designers in cinema, it took a little longer for costume design in TV shows to transcend its functional role to become a vibrant language that speaks volumes about a character's personality, social status, and innermost desires.
In the early days of television, costume design primarily focused on creating recognizable silhouettes and outfits that fit within the constraints of limited budgets and technical capabilities. Simple and straightforward, costumes were meant to be functional rather than transformative. However, as television evolved and storytelling became more sophisticated, so did the art of costume design.
Enter the golden age of television, where ambitious narratives demanded intricate attention to detail. Shows like Mad Men and Downton Abbey ushered in a new era where costumes became characters in their own right. The meticulous research, craftsmanship, and historical accuracy behind each garment breathed life into the bygone eras they sought to portray.
As television continued to push boundaries, embracing serialized storytelling and diverse genres, costume design flexed its creative muscles. From the fantastical worlds of Game of Thrones to the gritty streets of The Wire, or even Friends, the costumes became integral in shaping the visual identity of each show. They became visual cues, imbued with symbolism and meaning, capable of instantly conveying a character's essence.
The evolution of costume design in television is a testament to the profound impact of visual storytelling. Today, we find ourselves amidst a television renaissance, where costume design has reached unprecedented heights of artistry and innovation. Shows like Succession, Euphoria, and Emily In Paris transcend conventional fashion norms, employing costumes as powerful storytelling devices. Sometimes facilitated (or forced) in their choices by a brand in charge of providing the looks for the characters of a given production, designers are now more and more apt to fearlessly embrace the avant-garde, constructing ensembles that push boundaries, challenge norms, and capture the spirit of our times.
Some Notable Costume Design In Current TV Shows
'Succession'
(Quiet Luxury Alert!) In the opulent realm of Succession, the sartorial symphony composed by the visionary duo of Michelle Matland and Gina Panno takes center stage. With an impeccable eye for detail, they designed costumes displaying the pulsating power dynamics within the affluent Roy family.
Logan's suits are tailored to perfection to emanate authority, while Shiv's wardrobe radiates polished elegance, embodying her unwavering hunger for dominance. Each piece becomes a visual manifestation, intricately designed to reflect the characters' status, personality, and insatiable quest for power.
The result? A lavish display of quiet luxury and meticulous craftsmanship that authentically embellishes the cutthroat world of corporate elites.
'Euphoria'
If you still need to see this TV show, prepare for an electrifying fashion journey as the unparalleled genius of costume designer Heidi Bivens electrifies the screen in Euphoria. Fearlessly defying conventional fashion norms, Bivens boldly dresses each character in clothing without falling into boring categorization and igniting the imagination of fans worldwide.
With her eclectic fusion of vintage treasures and streetwear gems, the iconic protagonist Rue effortlessly captures raw vulnerability and individuality. On the other hand, Jules fearlessly embodies the rebel-with-a-cause spirit through daring and unapologetic outfits. The costumes in Euphoria form a vibrant tapestry that weaves together mesmerizing styles and subcultures.
Bivens' boundary-pushing designs become a visual manifesto, pulsating with the show's energy and capturing the zeitgeist of contemporary fashion rebellion.
'The Queen's Gambit'
Step back to the enchanting nostalgia of the 1960s with costume designer Gabriele Binder's sartorial mastery in The Queen's Gambit. With a meticulous eye for period accuracy, Binder crafts the visual landscape of the series through the transformative power of costume design.
The protagonist Beth Harmon, brought to life by the captivating Anya Taylor-Joy, undergoes a mesmerizing personal evolution expressed through her wardrobe choices. From the innocence of her school uniform to the chic mod-inspired outfit that symbolizes her newfound confidence, Binder's designs pay homage to the fashion trends of the era while becoming potent visual markers of Beth's growth, resilience, and unyielding spirit—a captivating and meticulously curated fashion journey through the chessboard of life.
'The Sopranos'
Still the undisputed greatest TV show of all time. Enter the gritty elegance of The Sopranos, where costume designer Juliet Polcsa masterfully captures the essence of the iconic series.
Polcsa's keen eye for detail adorns Tony Soprano and his mobster brethren in razor-sharp suits that exude power and authority. Their signature gold jewelry becomes a striking symbol of wealth and influence, accentuating their Italian-American heritage and shaping their identities within the clandestine world of organized crime or waste management, according to them.
Her use of tracksuits and casual wear adds an authentic touch, elevating the portrayal of the mafia's fashion sensibilities to unparalleled levels of gritty sophistication - a world where style meets menace and where fashion becomes a weapon in the battle for New Jersey's underworld.
'White Lotus'
Set against the idyllic backdrop of a Hawaiian resort, costume designer Alex Bovaird orchestrates a sartorial symphony that mesmerizes the senses in White Lotus.
As guests indulge in the lap of luxury through contemporary and easily recognizable wear and accessories, Bovaird offers glimpses into the intricate web of desires, personalities, and hidden conflicts lurking beneath the surface. From Nicole Mossbacher's refined elegance, embodied in carefully tailored outfits, to Rachel's free-spirited bohemian style, each costume is a meticulously chosen brushstroke that breathes life into the characters.
Bovaird's designs transport viewers to a world of sun-drenched escapism, adding depth and nuance to the narrative. Through fashion and the unabashed use of brand placements, White Lotus explores themes of privilege, identity, and the enigmatic facets of the human condition, leaving viewers entranced by its realistic and relatable visual allure.
For more film-related topics, check out our selection of the best fashion documentaries, gangster movies, and best outdoor movies of all time.
