vol. 8, issue 3
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FEATURES Emmy Nominees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Legacy of Robert Fletcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 A glimpse into the work.
The Best of Television’s Costumes . . . . . . . 20 FIDM’s Exhibition
Changing Face of Modern TV . . . . . . . . . . . 22 When Costume Design Costars.
Comic-Con . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Union Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 COSTUME DESIGNERS GUILD 11969 Ventura Blvd., First Floor Studio City, CA 91604 phone: 818.752.2400 fax: 818.752.2402 costumedesignersguild.com GENERAL CDG CORRESPONDENCE cdgia@costumedesignersguild.com COVER Clockwise from left: Ruth Myers, Eduardo Castro, John Dunn, Lisa Padovani, Chrisi KarvonidesDushenko. Photo: Robert Reiff. Makeup: Myken Wang. Hair: Connie Kalos.
President’s Letter Executive Director Labor Report
The Costume Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Meet the Illustrators History of Dress
In Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Boldface Names
Scrapbook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Features credits: Revenge Carol Kaelson/ABC. The Fresh Beat Band. Mr. Spock Star Trek.
Summer 2012 The Costume Designer
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EDITOR’S NOTE
W
hat a wonderful summer for synergy. It felt like an impossible feat to sequester our Emmy nominees on the same coast, much less the same room for a photo—other than on that fateful September evening, of course—but we did, and we honor them on this issue’s cover. Bravo to them! Thank heaven they glided into town, some for mere hours, to attend President Mary Rose’s exquisite celebration of television costume at FIDM. On that peerless summer evening, her exhibit enabled us to travel through the small screen and contemplate the artistry closely. It is an electrifying time for television costume as it closes in on the scope and quality of film. I believe the excitement was palpable to everyone present. Our new associate editor, Christine Cover Ferro, was dreaming of North and South when CD Robert Fletcher (Wyckoff) contacted me because we both share an unusual last name. At the same time, CD Diana Eden materialized with a lovely tribute to Fletcher, which we feature for your enjoyment. I had the honor of speaking to a handful of our members while trying to unravel the riddle that is the changing face of modern television costume—past, present, and future. It seems our craft has educated the public eye, enlightening them, and seducing them into enjoying the vocabulary of clothing. I suspect all of America has been looking better recently, but I might be biased. Veteran associate editor Bonnie Nipar tracked down Emmy nominees from Andalusia to Hollywood to ask them the questions which you, my dear readers, might be curious to have answered. Thank you Bonnie for your tenacity! I am also deeply appreciative of our contributors for their enthusiasm and diligence. Television costume has changed and so has the way we respond to it. Drink in the details, and share in the synchronicity.
costumedesignersguild.com EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Anna Wyckoff ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Bonnie Nipar Christine Cover Ferro PRESIDENT
Mary Rose mrose@cdgia.com VICE PRESIDENT
Van Broughton Ramsey vramsey@cdgia.com SECRETARY
Beth Pasternak bpasternak@cdgia.com TREASURER
Marilyn Matthews mmatthews@cdgia.com EXECUTIVE BOARD
Deena Appel dappel@cdgia.com
April Ferry aferry@cdgia.com
Salvador Perez sperez@cdgia.com
Cliff Chally cchally@cdgia.com
Brigitta Romanov (ACD) bromanov@cdgia.com
Felipe Sanchez (Illustrators) fsanchez@cdgia.com BOARD ALTERNATES
Robert Blackman rblackman@cdgia.com
Julie Weiss jweiss@cdgia.com
Anna Wyckoff fashionpirate@aol.com
Mark Bridges mbridges@cdgia.com
Sharon Day sday@cdgia.com BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Peter Flaherty pflaherty@cdgia.com
“
Jacqueline Saint Anne
I think this is the golden age of television costume.
jsaintanne@cdgia.com
Karyn Wagner kwagner@cdgia.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Rachael M. Stanley rstanley@cdgia.com
”
–Eduardo Castro
MEMBER SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR
Suzanne Huntington shuntington@cdgia.com RECEPTIONIST/SECRETARY
Cheryl Marshall cmarshall@cdgia.com PUBLISHER
IngleDodd Publishing ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Dan Dodd 310.207.4410 x236 Advertising@IngleDodd.com
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The Costume Designer Summer 2012
Contributors BONNIE NIPAR (Associate Editor, Emmy Questionaire) Whose TV wardrobe do you covet? Blake Lively on Gossip Girl. What was the first TV show you remember? Bandstand. TV guilty pleasure? So You Think You Can Dance. Which TV world would you move to? Revenge.
CHRISTINE COVER FERRO (Associate Editor, FIDM, Scrapbook) Whose TV wardrobe do you covet? Serena van der Woodsen. What is the first TV show you remember? Escrava Isaura was a telenovela (Brazilian, dubbed and rebroadcast in the rest of South America in 1982) about the daughter of a slave and a white man set outside Rio, mid-19th century. It was tragic and overwrought, and everyone was obsessed, my 6-year-old self included. Favorite Looney Tune? Pepe Le Pew. Which TV world would you move to? White Collar’s Manhattan: all that art, intrigue, and general coolness.
ROBIN RICHESSON (History of Dress, Illustrator) Whose TV wardrobe do you covet? A blue dress on Boardwalk Empire, season one, with covered buttons down the back worn by Kelly Macdonald as a shop girl. Loved that dress! What is the first TV show you remember? Romper Room. TV guilty pleasure? Old episodes of What Not to Wear. Favorite Looney Tune? Bugs Bunny. Which TV world would you move to? None. I like it here!
MARCY FROEHLICH (History of Dress, Text) Whose TV wardrobe do you covet? Morgan from the TV miniseries Camelot. What is the first TV show you remember? Lassie. TV guilty pleasure? Masterpiece Theatre. Favorite Looney Tune? Tasmanian Devil. Which TV world would you move to? Downton Abbey.
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The Costume Designer Summer 2012
BRYAN KOPP (Meet the Illustrators) Whose TV wardrobe do you covet? All of Jimmy Fallon’s suits from Late Night. What is the first TV show you remember? Days of Our Lives, my mom watched religiously. TV guilty pleasure? Revenge. Favorite Looney Tune? Daffy Duck, but as the superhero, Duck Dodgers in the 24½ Century. Which TV world would you move to? Sometimes I think I’ve already moved into the show Episodes, which is hilarious.
STACY ELLEN RICH (Boldface Names) Whose TV wardrobe do you covet? A mélange of all the ladies from Sex and the City. What is the first TV show you remember? Sesame Street. Favorite Looney Tune? Foghorn Leghorn.
SUZANNE HUNTINGTON (Boldface Names) Whose TV wardrobe do you covet? There were some smashing pieces from Pan Am throughout the series that had me wanting to dial up Ane. Numerous times. What is the first TV show you remember? Romper Room and Mister Rogers. I’m a child of late ’60s & ’70s. Which TV world would you move to? Covert Affairs. The delicate and dangerous balance of working within a military/political agency completely intrigues me—it speaks to my innate sense of adventure.
ALEXANDRA LIPPIN (CDG Draws Big Crowds at ComicCon 2012) Whose TV wardrobe do you covet? I could never pick just one! What is the first TV show you remember? Sesame Street and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. TV guilty pleasure? Workaholics on Comedy Central and reruns of The Golden Girls. Favorite Looney Tune? Speedy Gonzales with Speedy Gonzales and Sylvester the Cat.
DIANA EDEN (Robert Fletcher) What is the first TV show you remember? Ed Sullivan. My family used to watch it together on Sunday evenings. TV guilty pleasure? So You Think You Can Dance. Not even guilty! I wallow in longing for my glory days as a dancer and fall over in admiration for today’s dancers and choreographers. Which TV world would you move to? The Newsroom for action, any of the homes in House Hunters International for a new experience. Summer 2012 The Costume Designer
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C
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WE ST E RN CO S T U M E C O M P A N Y
Dedication To
Excellence SINCE 1912
WESTERN COSTUME COMPANY 11041 Vanowen Street, North Hollywood CA 91605 5 * i\Ên£n®ÊÇÈä ä ääÊUÊ >Ý\Ên£n®Êxän Ó£ ä www.westerncostume.com
union label PRESIDENT’S LETTER Dear Friends and Colleagues, On Sunday, July 22, Rachael Stanley and I flew to the five-day midsummer IA Convention in Vancouver. The main topics were somewhat serious. There was an important post-mortem of our negotiation discussion, and we also talked about how we are preparing for the next negotiation in three years. Members, I will spare you from the details, and say, “Get over it!” IA President Matthew Loeb and International Vice President Mike Miller have fought this hard and lengthy battle to the end. They should be commended and thanked for getting what they have garnered. Looking over the beautiful Coal Harbor and port of Vancouver from my hotel window, the fatigue from my recently rushed trips and work on the annual FIDM/ATAS Joint Exhibition evaporated into the mist. I hope that all of the IA champions from the East and West who were under similar pressure and stress were also soothed by the beautiful sea. On the fourth day, something was put on the table that was very exciting which I had never seen or heard of before! A very young group comprised of two men and a woman were on the podium representing a new organization called YWC, short for Young Workers Conference. Their aim and intention was in short: YOUNG WORKERS MEETING! “Let’s empower our young members in local unions, on the job site, and in the workplace. Join us for educational seminars on improving leadership style and mobilizing the members at the first I.A.T.S.E. Young Workers Conference!” I was so blown away by these young speakers that I immediately went up to them and asked for their business cards. The age stipulation for YWC is under 35. Evidently, they first started with 30, and then they felt 35 was more fair. Unfortunately, one of their events is rather soon—the YWC event begins on September 7–9, 2012, in Philadelphia, Penn. (For more information, their email is WYC@iatse-intl.org.) A sample letter for preapproval of YWC funding can be found on their website. It is not essential that you use this template, as long as your letter contains the required information. I am going to have Suzanne Huntington send an email targeting members who are under 35 with the important information and what you must know about YWC. Also, the letter has to be signed by either me or by Rachael Stanley on the CDG letterhead. Time is limited, so don’t wait if you are interested. If you are wondering how this would be financed—read your email. My last newsletter focused on how my perspective has been energized by our new members since I was able to work with so many volunteers on the Exhibition. This was such a great idea that I had to hurry home because I wanted to involve all those young members with YWC.
Good luck and have a wonderful summer. Mary Rose mrose@cdgia.com
“Being a Costume Designer who mostly focuses on working for television, I think it’s an amazing opportunity for all of us because there are so many beautiful costume episodic productions happening ... that the aesthetic sensibility of our audience—is so high that it allows us to even create more sumptuous, beautiful interpretations of our characters.”
WE APPRECIATE THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF OUR CORPORATE SPONSORS
DIAMOND LEVEL
SAPPHIRE LEVEL
–Chrisi Karvonides-Dushenko
RUBY LEVEL
Summer 2012 The Costume Designer
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union label EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Members, I love this time of year! After a 25-year career in television, it is still always exciting to see who receives the coveted Emmy nominations. The competition was especially stiff this year. Over the last 60 years, television has come into its rightful place as the easiest way to access the American public. An audience of millions sees the work of our Costume Designers weekly. Advertisers clamor for more sophisticated products to reach this consumer. Period and corporate dramas, science fiction, sitcoms, and fantasy programs are now commonplace on the TV schedule. Cable networks have explored new roads during the last two decades, cultivating expectations of quality once only seen on the big screen. With this new breed of television comes the challenge of the one-hour episodic, nearly equivalent to a feature film in depth of story, special effects, production design and of course, Costume Design. Even some commercials are now elaborately designed. Our members produce this large volume of high-quality costumes within the modest budgets they are given. I take my hat off to our television Costume Designers for their excellent work and send my heartfelt congratulations to all the Emmy nominees. I hope you were all able to view the excellent FIDM/ATAS Exhibit, the Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design, curated by CDG President Mary Rose. Her passion for the art of Costume Design in television is unparalleled. Thanks to her efforts, this tribute exhibit marks its sixth year and honors the excellent work of this last television season. It is open to the public until October 20. If you missed July’s opening gala, you can still stop by and view the breathtaking costumes from your favorite shows. I am happy to announce that all 14 covered locals ratified a new three-year contract in early July. This was hard fought and we are pleased with the results. I hope your enthusiasm for your craft will propel you to become involved in the running of your Local and to be an active participant in the future of our union. As your Executive Director, I am so proud to lead this organization and will continue to fight for fair wages and the recognition your work so richly deserves. Best wishes, Rachael Stanley rstanley@cdgia.com
2012 CALENDAR September 3 CDG Office Closed 10 Executive Board Meeting 7-9 Young Workers Conference 20 L.A. County Federation of Labor Convention October 1 Executive Board Meeting 27 General Membership Meeting November 5 Executive Board Meeting
Correction: We regret that the Spring 2012 Labor Report was incorrectly attributed to Betty Madden. It was actually written by Sharon Day.
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The Costume Designer Summer 2012
union label LABOR REPORT California Labor’s Plan for Job Creation and Economic Recovery A commitment to our kids, our workers, and our future making sure California has the besteducated, most skilled workers in the world through the following: • Building the California of the future: Infrastructure • Making It Here: Manufacturing • Innovation & Skills Training for the Future: Education • Investing in California: Revenue • A Strong Economy Through Clean Energy • Good Jobs Now: Ending Income Inequality For more information, visit: CaliforniaLabor.org/jobs Say, “No to 32” this November. Proposition 32 is a trick with a one-two punch to weaken unions: • • • • •
Silencing the voice of workers Threatening our jobs Threatening overtime pay Threatening our pensions Threatening our right to have a union
Your union, CDG Local 892, needs your volunteering spirit for the Get Out the Vote campaign. Local 892 will make information available concerning how you can sign up and become active in this year’s election. Check out the CDG weekly GEMS on how to help get out the vote. Talk to friends and family, walk with us, phone bank with us talking to other union members. Labor United for Universal Healthcare invites you to make single payer grow: Join Labor United for Single Payer Healthcare by contributing what you can. For more information: lisa@laborforhealthcare.org or call Lisa at 213-252-1351 Democracy starts when you get involved. Register to vote, and vote by mail starting October 8, 2012. In Solidarity, Betty Madden bmadden@cdgia.com
Every 71 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s. Think of all the special moments that could be taken from you. Now is the time to ACT. To learn more go to alz.org
Summer 2012 The Costume Designer
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THE COSTUME DEPARTMENT ROSI GABL Basel, Switzerland
MEET THE ILLUSTRATORS ROBIN RICHESSON Inglewood, California Latest project? Grace, a pilot with CD Deena Appel. I’ve also been working as a storyboard artist for True Blood, Castle, Mad Men, and the upcoming film Jack Reacher, starring Tom Cruise. Self-Portrait/Robin Richesson What inspires your style? A figure in motion. Thinking about life with organic movement aids my execution of alive, gestural illustrations. Focusing on an animated sketch tells the story of the character—more than just a paper doll. Morning eggs? Scrambled with fresh herbs. Favorite medium? I like pencils, watercolor, and gouache when I’m rendering traditionally. However, if I want the look of acrylic, I choose digital programs like Photoshop and Painter. Most memorable project? Beloved with CD Colleen Atwood. I always have fond memories of capturing the simple designs and silhouettes of that period, while experimenting with a variety of washes and figure shapes. Current television show obsession? Mad Men and HBO’s Girls.
Self-Portrait/Rosi Gabl
What was Comic-Con like? It was my first time and it was an honor to be there—as well as the only woman on the discussion panel. Later, I was a guest judge for the masquerade ball and it was amazing to watch the theatricality of costumes and music, which reminded me of why I started in this industry. Latest project? Moneyball with designer Kasia Walicka-Maimone. Also, I currently teach figure drawing and fashion sketching at Otis College of Art and Design. Beatles or Elvis? Beatles. What’s your favorite medium? Charcoal and pastels.
Most memorable project? Brad Pitt’s character in the film Moneyball.The designer embraced my own artistic style to excite the details of simple garments. Favorite treat? I exercise and meditate. Current television obsession? The new Dallas. I watched the original with my mom. This new version is very dramatic and spicy.
Moneyball Brad Pitt
Water
robinrichesson@mac.com + www.robinrichesson.com
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The Costume Designer Summer 2012
rosig@me.com + www.rosigabl.com
Latest project? An Old Navy commercial with CD Kelle Kutsugeras, a Snickers commercial with CD Nancy Bernal, and all theatrical performances Self-Portrait/Scott Lane aboard the HollandAmerican Cruise Lines with CD David Profeta. What inspires your style? My illustration style is based on realistic proportions, so I’m inspired by concepts and ideas that offer the same. Beatles or Elvis? I like both, but in their early careers. Favorite medium? Pencil and gouache. However, scrapbooking paper that reminds me of fabric and graphics on a smaller scale has become a new rendering favorite. Most memorable project? There was a regional musical theatre production of Jekyll and Hyde, where I got to create these down-and-dirty, grungy looks. I loved detailing all the raggy layers. Your favorite treat? Relaxing on the beach and watching the sunset. Current television obsession? I’m a Masterpiece Theatre geek—Downton Abbey
COSTUME CO-OP
Covina, California
Custom made and Alterations for the Entertainment Industry
SCOTT LANE
om costumeco-op.c
11501 N. Chandler Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601 Tel: 818 752-7522 Fax: 818 752-7524 mail@costumeco-op.com
scottalane@mac.com + www.scottalane.com Bryan Kopp brynn921@gmail.com Summer 2012 The Costume Designer
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THE COSTUME DEPARTMENT
HISTORY OF DRESS 1850–1860 BALACLAVA: A tight-fitting knitted mask
JOHN BULL: A low top hat with a
covering all but the eyes and part of the nose. Named for the town Balaklava in the Ukraine where it was used by British troops during the Crimean War (1853–56) to guard against the cold.
5 3/4” crown, named for the popular character which embodies the British common man.
CRINOLINE: Originally the term for a fabric made of horse hair and linen. “Crin” means horsehair in French and “lin” refers to flax or linen. The words were combined to describe the period’s stiffened hoop petticoats.
RAGLAN SLEEVE: A sleeve with a seam running from the underarm to the collar. It is named after FitzRoy Somerset, the 1st Baron Raglan who lost his right arm from wounds in the Battle of Waterloo, and wore this type of sleeve as a general in the Crimean War.
CANEZOU: A sheer lace jacket, THE UGLY: A col-
often nipped in at the waist with a small hip flounce.
lapsible awning on the front of a bonnet supported by cane, similar to an abbreviated calash or folding hood.
CARDIGAN: Popularized by the 7th Earl of Cardigan who led the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War, this term evolved from referring to a knitted sleeveless vest worn by British army officers to describing a sweater that opens center front.
GLADSTONE: A standing collar with points flaring out to the sides of the neck, first worn by William Gladstone, Prime Minister to Queen Victoria.
HENLEY: A collarless knit shirt with a short-buttoned neck placket. Traditionally worn by rowers, it was named for the town Henley-on-Thames, home of the Henley Regatta.
INVERNESS COAT: An 1858 overcoat featuring a cape and close-fitting collar. In the 1880s, it transformed into the Inverness cape, with the cape becoming wing-type sleeves.
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The Costume Designer Summer 2012
ZOUAVE
JACKET:
A three-quarter sleeved bolero jacket with rounded edges fastened at the neck and open at the waist. Often trimmed in military type braid, it was inspired by the Algerian Zouave troops serving in the French army. Illustrations by Robin Richesson rrichesson@cdgia.com Text by Marcy Froehlich mfroehlich@cdgia.com
the
Alter fashion world!
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Gown by: Stephen Ferradino, Class of 2010 Photo by: Volker Correll
Join the fashion revolution: mcd.woodbury.edu/fashiondesign
Outstanding Costumes for a Series BOARDWALK EMPIRE Costume Designers: JOHN DUNN AND LISA PADOVANI JD: Our most interesting construction challenge has been taking the wonderfully gorgeous but treacherously fragile beaded 1920s remnants we’ve collected along the way and bringing these faded treasures back to life and “ready for their close-up.” LP: For new garment construction, we pore over 1920s images to come up with a design that makes sense for the character and is also doable in the short amount of time we have. We use vintage beaded dress pieces, trims, and fabric remnants that we try to weave into every piece to give it a more authentic look. Sometimes we design the entire costume around one small vintage element.
Supervisors: Joseph La Corte, Ginnie Patton, and Suzy Freeman Assistant Costume Designer: Maria Zamansky Boardwalk Empire, Macall B. Polay/HBO
THE BORGIAS Costume Designer: GABRIELLA PESCUCCI There are moments or scenes where historical accuracy becomes a challenge and doesn’t help the characters, so we then have to compromise or I have to find an alternative. On the occasion when a director asks for a more contemporary costume or décolletage on a period piece, I take the director’s suggestions and my knowledge of historical accuracy and authority to bring the director to the right place. This is what I call diplomacy. For me, it is very important that the context remains “believable” and not just “silly,” because the audience may not fully comprehend the extremes of the historical period.
Supervisor: Uliva Pizzetti Assistant Costume Designer: Giovanni Lipari
The Borgias, Jonathan Hession/SHOWTIME
DOWNTON ABBEY Costume Designer: SUSANNAH BUXTON I try to be aesthetically pleasing and historically informative with my designs, rather than totally accurate. Every actor’s costume should contribute to the mood and scheme of the film, suggesting personality, age, class and wealth of the character. Dowager Lady Grantham possibly trumped historical accuracy by wearing such bold colors, I doubt that many women of that age and time would have done so, but I felt that it suited the personality of the character so well.
Supervisor: Ros Ebutt Assistant Designer: Jo Mosley Downton Abbey, Courtesy of PBS
GAME OF THRONES Costume Designer: MICHELE CLAPTON The most interesting construction challenge of season two was Margaery’s dress that actually stayed on for five seconds! I chose to have the bodice made in silk velvet which gives such a lovely luster in low light, and for the same reason the skirt was cut in a D’Amici silk which is slightly transparent with a fine metallic thread running through the weave. It was worn in the seduction scene with Loras, so it had a very deeply cut décolletage and open-back, that still had to support the actress and come off incredibly quickly in the shot. All this, and to appear completely effortless!
Costume Supervisor: Rachael Webb Crozier Assistant Costume Designers: Alexander Fordham and Chloe Aubry Game of Thrones, Macall B. Polay/HBO
ONCE UPON A TIME Costume Designer: EDUARDO CASTRO The costume for The Lady of the Lake provided us with our biggest construction challenge. The costume had to fit two different actresses playing the same part, float beautifully underwater, and look fabulous as she arose, dripping wet, out of the lake. Fabrics proved a challenge, as silk chiffon does not float, whereas poly chiffon does. For the bodice, we tested silks, brocades, and even cheap stretch velvets, and considered an array of colors and textures before deciding on cream velvet embellished with Swarovsky crystals. I drew seven sketches, built three prototypes, and actually put the lead actress in a shower to test the fabric before the working costume emerged.
Supervisor: Monique McRae Assistant Costume Designers: Kristen Bond, Angela Bright, Zoya Niechoda and Christine Booth Once Upon a Time, Jack Rowand/ABC
Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special AMERICAN HORROR STORY Costume Designer: CHRISI KARVONIDES The most interesting construction challenge was creating costumes for the Roanoke Indians of the “Lost Colony” from 1693. After research, illustration, and prototype fittings, my team created 50 costumes out of furs, leather, straw, and fish skins. Just before the Thanksgiving weekend I found out that our Indian costumes were on fire in the Paramount wardrobe facility! Production postponed the shoot, our dry cleaners accomplished some brilliant salvaging, and on Monday, we all set about constructing the Roanoke Indians—for a second time. Despite concerns that our Indians were possessed by the AHS ghosts, we filmed the scene without any other “hauntings.”
Costume Supervisor: Conan Castro
American Horror Story, Ray Mickshaw/FX
GREAT EXPECTATIONS (MASTERPIECE) Costume Designer: ANNIE SYMONS Miss Havisham’s wedding dress is one of the most iconic in literature. The eerie, child-like shape and ghostly translucent quality evoke a sadness and a sympathy. The dress is delicate and seems to have an organic quality ... the top layer is scattered with vintage lace leaves on a background of loose-weave silk linen, while the under layer is structured in silk crepe de Chine to create a luminescence. We made several dresses, dyed them, and deconstructed them to synchronize with the decay of Satis House. There were seven stages comprised of alternating inner and outer layers plus the special stunt burn costume. The math and continuity was a challenge in itself.
Supervisor: Yvonne Duckett Assistant Designers: Oliver Garcia and Ilishio Lovejoy
Great Expectations, Nicola Dove/BBC for MASTERPIECE
HATFIELDS & MCCOYS Costume Designer: KARRI HUTCHINSON It’s all in the details ... after all, the hat’s gotta fit! We carefully researched, designed, built, fitted, layered, and aged every change for each character. But more importantly, we transformed our costumes into everyday clothing of the era, enabling our wonderful actors to portray their roles with authenticity. Needing to easily differentiate the Hatfields and McCoys on film, we created different color palettes and gave each family a distinctive style and look. Our real challenge was dressing more than 85 speaking parts, hundreds of background players, and dozens of stuntmen on our limited budget. Thanks to my incredible crew, no detail was overlooked and every hat fit!
Costume Supervisor: Adina Bucur Hatfields & McCoys, Chris Large/A&E
HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN Costume Designer: RUTH MYERS Martha’s first outfit when she struts across Sloppy Joe’s to introduce herself to Hemingway is probably my favorite. I was aiming to give her the glamour, strength, and sexiness of early independent women film stars like Hepburn and Bacall, who really changed our perception of glamour and fashion and became our role models. I hoped to strip down to the simplest and most iconic way of presenting this, while still remaining absolutely true to the character of the magnificent and brave real-life Martha Gellhorn. Of course, it is a job made hugely easier by having the beautiful, intelligent, and generous Nicole Kidman wearing the costume.
Supervisor: William McPhail
Hemingway & Gellhorn, Macall B. Polay/HBO
SHERLOCK: A SCANDAL IN BELGRAVIA Costume Designer: SARAH ARTHUR When designing, I look at the details as well as the broader strokes to tell the story. Minor details are of huge importance on Sherlock, but to make a program work, all aspects have to be looked at closely. Sherlock Holmes is such an iconic character that to make him believable in a modern concept, I needed to be very careful designing so the costumes would not dominate the character. Irene Adler, however, needed flamboyance but in a classy way, and this was achieved through details such as jewelry and accessories.
Costume Supervisor: Ceri Walford Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia/© Hartswood Films for MASTERPIECE
TREASURE ISLAND Costume Designer: LORNA MARIE MUGAN I tend to begin designing with broad strokes, usually colors and textures, giving the characters a fairly fluid space in which to evolve, form, and often reshape again. When I see something interesting starting to happen, I will then go and spend some time there, playing with the detail. It’s a continuous balancing act ... standing back to view the big picture, where every character belongs in it, yet each expresses significant individuality to leap out of the frame when and if necessary.
Costume Supervisor: Rhona McGuirke
Treasure Island, Courtesy of Syfy
I MAKE RINGS BY HAND FOR ALL KINDS OF HEROES –DANA SCHNEIDER
www.danaschneider.com 310-435-6694
L
egacy of Robert Fletcher
A Profile of Actor, Director, Producer and Costume Designer
BY DIANA EDEN Our esteemed Costume Designer Robert Fletcher was born in 1923 and grew up in Iowa until he headed to Harvard to study history and archaeology. The attacks on Pearl Harbor changed everything and he joined the Air Force, though he was mustered out due to an illness. Fletcher returned to the university in Iowa to study theater and upon graduation, went to New York where he immediately got work as an actor on Broadway. He then joined fellow veterans in Cambridge to form the Brattle Theater Company, which produced 87 plays between 1947 and 1952. He worked as a producer, director, actor, and Costume Designer, after actress Nancy Marchard commented that he was looking at her hemline during a scene instead of her eyes! During the 1950s and 1960s, he designed for ballet, opera, the early days of live television at NBC, and for Broadway where he received three Tony nominations. In the late 1960s, Fletcher moved to Hollywood to design
The Hollywood Palace and The Dean Martin Show, but felt he was the most creative when he was hired for Star Trek: The Motion Picture. He designed the costumes for the first four Star Trek films, was responsible for the look of the Klingons and the Vulcans, and was credited as the “inventor” in the design patents of the rank pins. He has three Saturn nominations and one win. Fletcher and his partner Jack Kauflin have been together for 58 years, and 22 years ago, “retired” to their home in Taos, New Mexico, though Bob designed the summer season at the St. Louis Muny Opera until two years ago. His work can be seen, of course, in the Star Trek films, but also in three productions of which he is particularly proud: North and South Book 2 (Emmy), PBS’s The Taming of the Shrew, and Cyrano de Bergerac. For the full article, please visit www.costumedesignersguild.com.
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Gangsters, Royals, The Best of Television’s Costumes Go on Display at FIDM
Photo: Frank Micelotta - PictureGroup
The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and Fashion Institute of Merchandising and Design’s 6th Annual Outstanding Art of Television TV Academy Chairman and Costume Design Exhibit, guest-curated CEO Bruce Rosenblum and by CDG President Mary Rose, kicked Mary Rose off on Saturday, July 28, with the Primetime Emmy Awards Nominee Reception. Rose and her team of dedicated volunteers have spent the last few weeks hard at work preparing for the opening. Once selections were made from the outfits offered by designers, continuity books were consulted, accessories sorted, and mannequins were tracked down and adapted for the display. To complete each look while keeping the exhibit cohesive, Rose commissioned wigs made of carefully arranged, and in some cases curled, strips of
ê¡ ĉĉĉĉThe Costume Designer Summer 2012
watercolor paper, even including a rendition of the bushy moustache famously worn by a young Ernest Hemingway. Regarding the primary distinction between this exhibit and the annual film exhibit, Rose believes that the motivations behind attendees can be quite different. While there is no denying the artistry in television exhibit garments on display, many made with vintage and specialty fabrics, along with elaborate embroidery, metalwork and beadwork, viewers’ emotional connections to their favorite characters is likely the more powerful draw. “The characters invade their homes every week. They live with these people and relate to them,” Rose explains. The film exhibit, her experience has been, has a more aesthetic draw; while some beloved characters will always be included, spectacular, meticulously crafted works of costume art often dominate, and audiences are excited to get a close look at these pieces.
Ghosts and Liars: This year’s selection includes more than 75 costumes from 16 shows spanning many genres and time periods encompassing both reality and fantasy. Rose says she made it a priority to include a mix of both the critically acclaimed and the popular in order to attract a diverse audience. She was even including a children’s show from Nickelodeon, albeit one not without its own accolades: CD Joyce Kim Lee was recently awarded a Daytime Emmy® for her work on The Fresh Beat Band. Opening night commenced with a ceremony honoring this year’s Primetime Emmy nominees, with CDG members Eduardo Castro (Once Upon a Time), John A. Dunn and Lisa Padovani (Boardwalk Empire), Chrisi Karvonides-Dushenko (American Horror Story) and Ruth Myers (Hemingway & Gellhorn) on hand to receive certificates of recognition from Rose and Television Academy CEO Bruce Rosenblum. Following the ceremony, the Los Angeles costume commu-
nity, including noted ATAS and FIDM members and guests, along with CDG and MPC members, strolled through the gallery to get up-close looks at their colleagues’ handiwork. Costume schedules being what they are, they also enjoyed a rare opportunity to catch up with old friends in the campus’ courtyard and enjoy the perfect Southern California summer evening. EXHIBITION DETAILS The exhibit is open to the public and runs July 31 through October 20, 2012, from 10 a.m to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. FIDM is located at 919 South Grand Avenue in Los Angeles, Calif.
Photo: Christine Cover Ferro
BY CHRISTINE COVER FERRO
The Changing Face of
Modern Television When Costume Design Costars BY ANNA WYCKOFF When television usurped the place of radio, its influence rippled through every sector of society and watching became an event. More than half a century later, this archetype has been transformed. In the era of Facebook and Twitter, it is not uncommon for television viewers to experience several electronic mediums simultaneously. As a result, their attention has become fragmented. While many have bemoaned this trend as detracting from television’s power, in actuality the digerati have reinforced programming, opening new avenues for networks and advertisers to connect with audiences. Thus, with the omnipresence ce of the Internet, another metamorphosis is occurring. Anchoring television’s staying power is its unique ability to cultivate ivate a connection with viewers over one or more seasons. Costume Design esign has always supported this relationship, and in some instances, it has even played a leading role.
Cher as Laverne Bob Mackie
The Legends Bob Mackie and Ret Turner Television was in its infancy when Ret Turner urner worked his way up from dresser to designer. gner. Live audiences fostered a sense of excitement ment that in Costume translated into underdressing ssing and quick changes. Variety shows, with their eir deep roots in Vaudeville, prevailed. Among g hundreds of programs, Turner notably creeated costumes for The Andy Williams Show w and Donny and Marie, while Bob Mackie ckie designed The Carol Burnett Show and many television variety specials featuring celebrities like Mitzi Gaynor and Diana Ross, among others. “We had three networks and a couple of local channels. It was pretty easy to grab an audience,” comments Mackie. Whether they worked separately or together, or with their frequent collaborator, the late CD Ray Aghayan, Mackie and Turner did more than captivate viewers. The costumes they created have become the stuff of legend and part of the fabric of American history. Each has garments exhibited in the Smithsonian Museum: Mackie, the unforgettable curtain dress from Carol Burnett’s Went With the Wind parody and Turner, one of his extravagant Phyllis Diller masterpieces. Shameless/Courtesy Showtime The duo worked together like two hands
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Phyllis Diller Dress by Ret Turner. Now in Smithsonian Museum. Sketch by Bob Mackie.
while collaborating on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. Mackie costumed Cher, who could have between 10 to 20 changes, and Turner designed the rest of the show, which included nearly a hundred costumes for the cast and often a “twin” look for Sonny. The timeframe was relentless, requiring every sketch to be fabricated in under a week. Looks were designed from wig to shoe and almost everything was custom made. “It had to fit, there was no alternate waiting on the rack,” shrugs Mackie. The element of comedy necessitated that costumes negotiate a delicate balance in order to add, not subtract. Understanding how a performer moved was crucial, because often the costume informed the humor. Producers and actors completely trusted their design instincts. “Carol Burnett would come to fittings asking, ‘What do I get to wear?’” says Mackie, “and it just got more and more spectacular as we went along. Some weeks, we’d just look at each other and say, ‘Wow.’” Turner adds, “What we did then—variety with comedy and fantasy—really doesn’t exist now.” But their touchstone has always been glamour.
The Cult Favorite Judy Evans No one championed glamour going forward more than the late CDs Nolan Miller in Dynasty and William Travilla in Dallas and Knot’s Landing. Their costumes defined the next decade, as audiences tuning in for the melodrama also had an insatiable appetite for the exaggerated silhouettes. CD Judy Evans spearheaded many shows in the ’80s, but two of the most influential stood in sharp contrast to the landscape of broad shouldered, wasp waisted suits. The first was The Golden Girls. Not only did The Golden Girls gather critical acclaim, it was beloved by a broad audience. Evans took the direction from the producers to create a vibrant look for the four mature leads, and ran with it. It was a breakthrough sshow, with Evans single-handedly redefining what “dressing your looked like. From Dorothy’s layered looks in intriguing fabrics paired age” look with low boots and sophisticated jewelry to Blanche’s unabashed embrace femininity, The Golden Girls ensemble cast is considered by some of her fem to be the prototype for Sex and the City. Evans worked hard to keep the characters distinct and give them an optimistic vitality with color that character their upbeat Florida surroundings. She chuckles, “I got an awful lot suited the mail!” The costumes, however, inspired such appreciation because of fan ma freed an entire generation to age gracefully and beautifully. they free On tthe other end of the spectrum was the surprise hit Beauty and Beast, featuring actor Ron Perlman as the benevolent Beast. Evan’s the Beas costumes combined present day, period, and fantasy in a nuanced, romantic, and poetic way that complemented the literary undertone of romantic show. She describes it as a seven-day-a-week prep show, as opposed the show five-day schedule. Because episodes were shot on film, there was to a fiveone show in production, one shooting, and one prepping. always o “That, ccoupled with working—I think I had three other shows at the time—was intensive. I was very compartmentalized. When I walked time— Beauty and the Beast, it was all Beauty and the Beast ... and I into B good crews on every single show, great people to work with. had g Dedicated. We all worked hard, we brought a lot of professionalism Dedi our craft.” to ou
Bob Mackie and Cher
The Golden Girls cast: Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Betty White and Estelle Getty. etty.
Summer 201 2011 0111 Th T The he Costume Desi Designer siign gneerr gner
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The Game-Changer Patricia Field Except for the world of soap operas, ’90s programming turned its back on the opulence of the previous decade. Grunge ruled runways, and costumes on the small screen were more casual as storytelling through realism took precedence. CD Patricia Field explains, “What developed in television was a new aesthetic epitomized by gritty shows like Thirtysomething, which was a tremendous hit, but was not at all based on fantasy or aspiration. It was the opposite—it was the angst of life.” As the decade drew to a close, several factors converged to create the perfect storm. The Internet was gaining momentum, but as the dotcom bubble ironically burst, recession loomed on the horizon. As Field says, “Sex and the City was the right show, at the right time, in the right place.” Suddenly, glamour-starved audiences fell in lust from the first twirl of Carrie’s tutu. Field credits creator Darren Star’s original synopsis for describing each character in detail, except for Carrie, whom he called only “eclectic.” In that word, Field found both the path to the character and freedom of expression. Sarah Jessica Parker, who famously played Carrie Bradshaw, was a savvy and enthusiastic conspirator. Field and Parker shared a trust and rapport after a previous film, which opened the doors to the rest of the cast. “It didn’t take very long,” Field says with amusement, “one or two episodes, and they started to understand that something here was good.” This trust extended to the writers and producers, and as the show gained notoriety, Field encountered less resistance and was able to more fully realize her vision. “Any creative process is best left alone,” she remarks, “unfortunately, in our industry, it often becomes a decision by a committee of many different kinds of people who actually are not experts on the subject, but are in higher positions, and in the end, have the final word. This dissipated very quickly in Sex and the City, which resulted in the free flow of creativity.” While Field used a sophisticated visual vocabulary which wittily juxtaposed high and low fashion, she put personality first to create the characters, carefully considering each actor’s body and how they moved, held themselves, and thought. The avalanche of adulation and conversation that surrounded the costumes worn by Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, and Charlotte is a testament to how exceptionally well Field did her job. The Internet played a large role in propelling Sex and the City into an international phenomenon. Audiences tuned in because the enthusiasm behind the Costume Design was contagious. It married the sheer love of clothing and the joy of expressing one’s self. Field feels that her aesthetic “broke down the uniform” and liberated women to embrace themselves as individuals.
Top: Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie. Bottom: Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie and Cynthia Nixon as Miranda. (Craig Blankenhorn/HBO)
The New Guard Eric Daman, Alix Friedberg, Jill Ohanneson
A new group of Costume Designers took the ball tossed to them and ran, creating visuals audiences find riveting. Revenge’s CD Jill Ohanneson comments, “Sex and the City did us all a great favor by opening the door for beautiful high-end clothing. From it came Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars (CD Mandi Line), and our show as well, where fashion and the costumes not only inform the audience about the character, but can be a character in and of itself.” CD Eric Daman of Gossip Girl agrees, “I think the [television] wardrobe has a heightened sense of reality that also helps the actors embody their roles. Because the clothes are aspirational, but also relatable at the same time, it is almost like watching a living TV fashion editorial.” Ohanneson insists any tension between the worlds of Costume Design and fashion is unnecessary, “I feel like I have the best of both worlds because I take beautiful, luxury pieces but still use them to define my characters, instead of letting the characters be defined only by their clothes.” Revenge’s leads are pretending to be someone they are not, and Ohanneson enjoys hinting at their psychological subtext. She feels her film background has equipped her with the ability to add layers to the personas while working at the lightning pace of television. “They are using fashion and clothing as a camouflage to help them play a part,” she explains. This is reflected in character Emily Thorne’s choice to assume the classic American blond, as embodied by Grace Kelly, to mask her roots as a juvenile delinquent and Victoria’s feline sensuality with a nod toward Sophia Loren shadowing her past as an art gallery sales girl.
Top: Leighton Meester as Blair and Blake Lively as Serena in Gossip Girl. (Giovanni Rufino/The CW©2010) Bottom: Gabriel Mann, Emily VanCamp at the Fire & Ice Party in Revenge. (Carol Kaelson/ABC)
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ABC’s Modern Family stars Rico Rodriguez as Manny, Nolan Gould as Luke, Sofia Vergara as Gloria, Ed O’Neill as Jay, Sarah Hyland as Haley, Julie Bowen as Claire, Ty Burrell as Phil, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron, Ariel Winter as Alex, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as Lily and Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell. (ABC/Bob D’Amico) The Gossip Girl viewers are obsessed by the wardrobes of Chuck, Blair, and Serena. Daman, who got his start assisting Patricia Field, enjoys fanning those flames. Inspired by the Billionaire Boys Club, he costumes Chuck to evoke a confidence and wealth that can fearlessly flaunt “pink Saville Row suits, bespoke Italian shoes, and Parisian cravats whiles sipping scotch and seducing the ladies.” Serena is a free spirit whose style was originally inspired by Kate Moss, while Blair is a hybrid of old Hollywood glamour and high fashion, a mash up of Anna Wintour and Audrey Hepburn. Clothing also captivates the audience on the celebrated comedy Modern Family. CD Alix Friedberg has taken the classic television family paradigm and redressed it in a believably casual yet stylish way that delights audiences. Friedberg strives for the costumes to be organic to each character’s personality and rooted in reality. She explains, “I think fans identify with a specific role on the show—which is why it is such a success—the accessibility of the characters and the situations they find themselves in are paramount to the show’s humor.” She finds women attracted to Gloria’s flamboyant passion for color, prints, and sexy silhouettes. Many fans ask about Cam’s shirts, which are custom made by Beverly Hills shirt maker Anto. “The detail in the collar, cuff and placket are all unique. They range from Liberty prints, high-end shirtings, to quilting patterns found
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at Joann’s.” Friedberg also carefully chooses color palettes to help distinguish between the different clans. Daman finds that ... “fans respond in many ways. There are a lot of blog posts and tweets—every sort of digital media during and after each episode. People enjoy the fashion and love to talk about it and how it relates to them or to the characters.” Friedberg feels that since this awareness is instantaneous, Costume Designers have to carefully consider whom they feature because it means instant visibility. While Ohanneson notes the Internet has made clothing more attainable because what used to be available only in a few cosmopolitan cities can now be accessed everywhere online. From networks, to brands, to ancillary clothing lines, this ability to specifically target one’s audience has forged a new path to consumers. Once out of reach and exclusive, the world of Costume Design has become more democratic. Today, as style and beauty blogs celebrate the minutia of the Costume Designer’s choices, it is possible for viewers to participate completely in the process. As a result, the audience’s appreciation is more exuberant than ever, as inspiration and aspiration lead to emulation. Whether it is the abundance of exquisite period fare or the delicious offering of modern clothing, the trend toward Costume Design as a costar demonstrates how the art transforms itself into the right answer for each generation.
MOTION PICTURE COSTUME CO.
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CDG Draws Big Crowds at Comic-Con 2012
BY ALEXANDRA LIPPIN
Comic-Con has become an annual testament to the power of costume, where hundreds of thousands of attendees pay tribute to their favorite characters, superheroes, and genres in lovingly and meticulously handmade garments. The Costume Designers Guild fueled the fervor this year by hosting a panel series entitled “Behind the Scenes, the Making of…” Participants shared their insights into the specialty costume world and discussed the processes involved with creating the fantasy, the challenges associated with non-traditional construction techniques, and the incorporation of specific elements—like armor and lights—into their designs. Friday’s panel covered television, and Saturday’s panel, moderated by CD Deborah Nadoolman Landis, focused on film. Both sessions drew large, standing-room-only crowds. In addition to their speaking engagements, participating CDs and CIs joined Guild Comic-Con Committee Chairs Marianne Parker and Genevieve Tyrrell, along with volunteers, in selecting their favorite homemade costumes throughout the halls of the convention center and awarding them with honorary CDG ribbons and gift bags. Among CD Lisa Tomczeszyn’s picks was a fan’s reimagining of “Russell,” the Wilderness Explorer from the CGI-animated film Up. “His physical silhouette was perfection and his execution of the costume equally so,” says the designer, who also participated as a judge in Saturday’s 38th Annual Comic-Con Masquerade Ball with CDs Jenni Gullett and Shawna Trpcic, and CI Rosi Gabl. “It was as if that young animated boy was walking and talking right in front of my eyes.”
Comic-Con 2012 CDG Panels & Committee: Friday Television Panel: Chrisi Karvonides (CD), Jenni Gullett (CD), Audrey Fisher (CD), Imogene Chayes (CI) Saturday Film Panel: Moderator Deborah Nadoolman Landis (CD), Shawna Trpcic (CD), Mayes Rubeo (CD), Lisa Tomczeszyn (CD), Christian Cordella (CI), Constantine Sekeris (CI), Rosi Gabl (CI), Brian Valenzuela (CI), Phillip Boutté Jr. (CI) Committee Chairs: Marianne Parker, Genevieve Tyrrell Committee: lexandra Casey, Suzanne Chambliss, Mariano Diaz, Araceli Gomez, Gina Flanagan, Kimberly Freed, Glenda Maddox, Sybil Mosley, Liuba Randolph, Dawn Ritz, Dorotka Sapinska, Michi Tomimatsu, Alan Villanueva And a special thanks to all the family and friends who volunteered to make this event a success.
Exhibition Details The exhibit is open to the public and runs July 31 through October 20, 2012, from 10 a.m to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. FIDM is located at 919 South Grand Avenue in Los Angeles, Calif..
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IN FOCUS
BOLDFACE NAMES BOLDFACE AT WORK
CD Mindy Le Brock, one of our newest designers, is maintaining a steady schedule of commercial work, the latest being a series of nine DIRECTV commercials with director Tom Kuntz, responsible for the immensely popular Old Spice “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” ads. Le Brock’s recent commercial for the DIRECTV “Don’t” campaign is a tongue-and-cheek cautionary tale featuring Charlie Sheen. CD Juliet Polcsa has taken over the helm designing Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, now going into its 14th season.
After returning from Comic-Con glory, CD Shawna Trpcic found her next project in a similar theme, designing the commercial for the Borderlands 2 video game. Trpcic couldn’t be more pleased creating costumes in a genre she enjoys: superhero/sci-fi. CD Cathy Crandall takes the designing reins on the new Ryan Murphy half-
Behind the Candelabra
The New Normal hour comedy series The New Normal for NBC. CD Pat Welch as costume supervisor and Jill Lucas as key, round out Crandall’s team on the latest Murphy creation about a young successful gay couple who hire a midwestern waitress and single mom looking to leave behind her small-town life. CD Jessica Peel Scott is presently designing the Disney show Jessie with CD Terry Gordon supervising, in a story of a young Texan teen that travels to New York in pursuit of her dreams and ends up a nanny to four rich, precocious Upper East Side NY children. Gordon states the show is a fast-paced burst of energy, Jessie and with a monitor lizard as part of the cast, I’m sure they are staying one step ahead… Since wrapping the CBS pilot Vegas in New Mexico, CD Kathleen Detoro has segued into designing the new drama set in the 1960s, now being shot locally and premiering this fall. CD Dina Cerchione is busy with Ricki Lake’s new daily daytime talk show shooting here in town and airing this September. There will likely never be any grass growing under the feet of CD Salvador Perez who, fresh from wrapping the Liz & Dick movie, launched right into the new Fox sitcom The Mindy Project, created by and starring Mindy Kaling (The Office.) ACD Devon Patterson and CD Dalhia Schuette as supervisor, have teamed up with Perez again for what is sure to be a hilarious new comedy from Kaling. The show creator stars as a funny, impatient, and wildly politically incorrect OB-GYN who, despite having a successful career, has a lackluster love life that she is bound and determined to see blossom into a storybook romance. 30
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CD Ellen Mirojnick is designing with Ann Foley as her ACD on Behind the Candelabra, the TV movie directed by Steven Soderbergh for HBO Films, starring Michael Douglas as Liberace and Matt Damon as Scott Thorson, and is shooting this summer in Los Angeles, Palm Springs, and Las Vegas. ACD Hazel Yuan has been assisting CD Nicole Gorsuch with the remaining third-season episodes of the Disney sitcom Good Luck Charlie after recently wrapping the indie-turned-union feature Mall, starring Vincent D’Onofrio, Gina Gershon, Mimi Rogers, and Peter Stormare. Mall is a film adaptation of the debut novel by Eric Bogosian, which follows the lives of five suburban strangers whose paths cross over the course of one hellish night at a shopping mall, with a drug-addled madman hell-bent on a shooting spree. CD Mimi Kaupe is in Austin,TX, for season two of the ABC Family series The Lying Game, starring Alexandra Chando and Blair Redford. Kaupe reports that the challenges of designing a modern teen drama far from a big city have been alleviated by not only a fantastic local crew, but also by the incredible high-end resale shops in Austin. To be able to slip in a little Lanvin, Chanel or Miu Miu piece with the affordable Zara standards is making the show a pleasure for Kaupe to design. CD Olivia Miles and ACD Brigitta Romanov are carrying over their television teamwork into their next project this month in Los Angeles on the independent feature Plush, co-written and directed by Catherine Hardwicke. The erotic thriller spotlights a psychologist who uses his psychic abilities to delve into the minds of his patients, and stars Emily Browning and Cam Gigandet (Twilight and Burlesque, respectively). CD Jacqueline West and ACD J.R. Hawbaker are back with their Tree of Life director Terrence Malick, currently shooting Knight of Cups with Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, Wes Bentley, and Freida Pinto in Los Angeles. In the world of sci-fi, Ills Phillip Boutté Jr. and Constantine Sekeris have joined forces with CD Trish Summerville on The
Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the second installment from the immensely popular young adult novel. The sequel has Summerville’s schedule slated through to mid-December and has her shooting in Atlanta and Hawaii. We hope Summerville will have the opportunity to take advantage of some R&R on one of the islands as a convenient wrap to the production and year. Boutté, always one to keep the wheels in motion, then The Hunger Games: Catching Fire crossed over to lend his illustrative talents to CD Isis Mussenden’s latest project on the James Mangold–directed feature The Wolverine, shooting in Japan. CD Kym Barrett and ACD Stacy Caballero are teamed up again and working on the Wachowski sibling’s ambitious sci-fi feature Jupiter Ascending , an adaptation of the David Mitchell novel Cloud Atlas, starring Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum. CD Van Ramsey just put the finishing touches on All Is Lost, the story of one man’s lonely maritime struggle against nature and filmed in Rosarita, MX. Ramsey then rolled right into Brownsville, TX, for his next film, the comedy Western Skydance, with yet another veteran star, RobAtlas Shrugged: Part II ert Duvall, as a cranky Texas rancher who, after being forced to give up his land, takes up his estranged grandson for one last wild ride. Summer weather in the Midwest and East Coast can be unforgiving, and CD Peggy Stamper is presently experiencing just that in steamy Athens, GA, while designing The Spectacular Now, an independent feature, through the end of the month.The story follows a troubled alcoholic teen that forms a bond with a socially awkward girl, played by Shailene Woodley (The Descendants). CD Lynette Meyer is presently shooting the comedy feature Toy’s House, starring Megan Mullally, Allison Brie (Mad Men), and Gabriel Basso (The Big C) about three boys who head for the wilderness with the ambitious plan to build a house and live off the land. CD Rita Ryack recently designed some new Smurfs for the upcoming sequel and prepped the principals for the feature with help from CD Nanrose Buchman and CD Maria Tortu in Los Angeles and New York, before the project moved on to shooting in France and Montreal. CD April Ferry has been in Toronto for the sci-fi feature RoboCop and made good use of her time while waiting for the actors to be cast (Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson, Abbie Cornish, Hugh Laurie, and Jackie Earle Haley) by getting acclimated with the area in her red, rented Fiat Cinquecento. Ferry
says that although a wonderful crew has been assembled with a creative, young Brazilian director (José Padilha), she still wishes the production was fueling the economy at home.Also in the neighborhood with Ferry is our New York–based ACD Donna Berwick, currently designing Hemlock Grove, a new Netflix series that weaves a gruesome tale of murder, mystery and monsters in a ravaged Pennsylvania steel town.The thriller based on the gothic novel by Brian McGreevy is directed by Eli Roth and stars Famke Janssen, Dougray Scott, and Lili Taylor. In other news around the globe, CD Janty Yates has begun designing Ridley Scott’s upcoming thriller The Counselor, written by Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist Cormac McCarthy. The feature is shooting in Spain and London, stars Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Penelope Cruz, and Javier Bardem, and centers around a young lawyer looking to make fast money in drug trafficking who soon finds himself in far over his head and swimming in trouble. CD Bonnie Stauch just finished the indie film Atlas Shrugged: Part II, directed by John Putch and starring Samantha Mathis. The film is set in the near future and will be released in October 2012. She also continues to work with Tom Rothman with Fox Legacy.
BOLDFACE ENTREPRENEURS CD Dorotka Sapinska’s “Marvelous Parasols” line is on its way! The collection will feature carved wood handles, and the designs of the fabrics are digitally printed on 100% silk, which will be waterproofed by the Italian manufacturer. Two different frames will be available: 10- and 16-spoke models. Sapinska also has a collection of vintage parasols that she restores and sells. On Thursday, July 12, Marvelous Parasols’ line Opal Moon Designs hosted a launch party for their new design studio during the Downtown LA Art Walk.
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IN INFOCUS FOCUS
BOLDFACE NAMES
2012 Olympic Games. CD Wendy Benbrook is featured in this month’s issue of KISS magazine. The article discusses her design
BOLDFACE ENTREPRENEURS CD Kerrie Kordowski welcomed the public into her workspace and showroom, introducing her Deco Lux Collection along with her new design assistant and in-house stylist, Angelina Coscuna.
BOLDFACE HONORS Cheers to CD Joyce Kim Lee and crew on their win at the Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Costume Design/Styling for the show The Fresh Beat Band. Also honored was CD Mary Iannelli, who won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Costume Design for a Drama Series for General Hospital. KISS magazine and Wendy Benbrook with Gene Simmons process in creating the band’s costumes for this summer’s KISS/ Motley Crew tour “Monster” and also explores Benbrook’s past work with KISS as their Costume Designer. The piece was written by writer/producer Kelly Michael Stewart and is currently on newsstands CD Marcy Froelich did an interview for Central City Opera’s blog, discussing her design work for the musical Oklahoma!, which opened June 30. The interview can be viewed on YouTube. CD Ruth Carter was interviewed on the blog popculturepassionistas.
The Fresh Beat Band
CD Colleen Atwood is among this year’s nominees for the Gucci Award for Women in Cinema, which recognizes outstanding artistic achievement presented annually by the fashion house in collaboration with the Venice International Film Festival. CD Mayes C. Rubeo will Mary Iannelli honored for her contribution to motion pictures at the Corciano Festival in Corciano, Umbria, Italy. She will be awarded the Umbria del Cuore, a golden trophy in the shape of a heart on August 10. Rubeo, along with CDs Wendy Chuck and Sanja M. Hays, are among the 146 members of the industry invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this year.
BOLDFACE NEWS As part of Time magazine’s London Olympics coverage, William Lee Adams interviewed CD Suttirat Larlab about the process involved in designing costumes for the opening ceremonies of the
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Design work for the musical Oklahoma! The article primarily focuses on her work in the upcoming Sparkle and The Butler, but also includes a brief overview of her 25-year career.
Boardwalk Empire’s CD John Dunn and CD Lisa Padovani are appearing this summer on New York City subways and taxis as part of the “Made in NY’s” Reel Jobs ad campaign. The advertisements highlight various artists and craftspeople working behind
BOLDFACE NEWS
“Made in NY” the scenes in our industry. Karyn Mognet of Women’s Wear Daily spoke to CDs (and 2012 Primetime Emmy nominees) Gabriella Pescucci, Michele Clapton, Lisa Padovani, and John Dunn about the research and historical context of their respective series and, more specifically, on their use of corsetry and lingerie to complete their characters’ looks.The interviews ran in conjunction with her article “Intimates Trends: Under the Influence,” on the effect of popular fantasy and historical shows over the lingerie industry. CD Ane Crabtree will be featured in an article about Virgin America’s rebranding of their flight experience, uniforms, and amenities in the July issue of Bloomber Businessweek magazine. Crabtree will also be featured in Jezebel magazine, the L.A. Times , and the Atlanta paper for her work on the Sundance Channel original television series Rectify. Salvador Perez was asked to appear on Access Hollywood Live to show the costumes from the upcoming lifetime biopic on Elizabeth Taylor, the jewels and furs were a big hit.
Ane Crabtree’s designs for Pan Am
Complied and written by: Suzanne Huntington shuntington@cdgia.com Stacy Ellen Rich lastace@mac.com
Salvador Perez on Access Hollywood Live Summer 2012 The Costume Designer
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SCRAPBOOK
Nicholas Woodeson, Kevin McKidd, and Ciaran Hinds are flanked by the senate guards on the set in Rome at Cinecitta Studios. CD April Ferry calls her experience on the HBO series “a Costume Designer’s dream.” All 5,000 costumes used in the first season were made from scratch; not a single item was rented or “store bought.”
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The Costume Designer Summer 2012
Photo: Franco Biciocchi/HBO
The Official Magazine of the Costume Designers Guild
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