The Costume Designer - Winter 2013 by Costume Designers Guild

COSTUME DESIGNERS GUILD NOMINEE EXCELLENCE IN PERIOD FILM JACQUELINE DURRAN

ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINEE

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

JACQUELINE DURRAN BAFTA AWARD NOMINEE

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

JACQUELINE DURRAN

“THE COSTUMES PULSATE WITH FEELING. SUBLIME. A passionate rendering of Tolstoy’s masterpiece.” A.O. SCOTT, THE NEW YORK TIMES

FOR MORE ON CREATING THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD OF “ANNA KARENINA” GO TO WWW.FOCUSGUILDS2012.COM

vol. 9, issue 1

FEATURES What Makes a Costume-Worthy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 CDG Award Nominees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Sneak Peeks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 CDG After Hours. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 COSTUME DESIGNERS GUILD 11969 Ventura Blvd., First Floor Studio City, CA 91604 phone: 818.752.2400 fax: 818.752.2402 costumedesignersguild.com

Union Label. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

GENERAL CDG CORRESPONDENCE cdgia@costumedesignersguild.com

The Costume Department. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

COVER Costume Designers Guild Career Achievement Recipients Eduardo Castro (Television) and Judianna Makovsky (Film). Photographed at the Paramour Estate by photographer Robert Reiff. Makeup by Debbie Zoller. Hair by Connie Kalos.

President’s Letter Executive Director Labor Report My Big Break History of Dress

In Focus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Boldface Names

Scrapbook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Winter 2013 The Costume Designer

EDITOR’S NOTE It’s the time of year when the world’s eye turns to film. As Costume Designers, we are swept into the spotlight. It is a thrilling time—with red carpets as runways and studios as sports teams, awards season is like our Olympics. But the fanfare always leads back to the same question: why are some projects singled out and others not? It occurred to me that so often, awards coverage focuses on the winner. In actuality, there are so few Costume Designers in the world, it is an accomplishment simply to work in such a richly talented and rarified arena. In this issue we bring you a comprehensive look at all Costume Designers Guild and Oscar® nominees in celebration of their work, and in celebration of our field. We look through their eyes and hear their stories firsthand. A small team—Christine Cover Ferro, Christine Jordan, Bonnie Nipar, Rebecca Raleigh, and myself—tackled this Herculean task in a matter of days, and I am indebted to their dedication. The stories are unforgettable, with no two alike. Our Costume Designers take us with them through snowstorms, swamps of alligators, or sweeping through several continents, all in a day’s work. They create entire worlds on immense or lean budgets. They bring us heroes of history and ordinary people—creating, inventing, and delighting us with the audacity of their ingenuity. One Costume Designer captivates us with the sheer beauty of texture, from paillettes made of insect wings to parchment folded to resemble bones. Another recalls the 19th century, modernized with a whiff of ’50s couture. Yet others re-create wars so accurately the resulting images can be cut back-to-back with news footage of the time. Beyond the Costumes Design, they share their passion. From the city they represent—be it Brooklyn, Nashville, or New Orleans—to their enthusiasm for the script, each designer is shaped by their process. As one designer puts it, to study his period in depth “has changed my professional and personal universe.” We journey with them, and as they change, so do we. Awards season may single out a select few, but we are on this journey together. Congratulations to our nominees. Anna Wyckoff awyckoff@cdgia.com

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

Terry Gordon

tgordon@cdgia.com TREASURER

Marilyn Matthews

mmatthews@cdgia.com EXECUTIVE BOARD

Salvador Perez

sperez@cdgia.com

Cliff Chally

cchally@cdgia.com

Julie Weiss

jweiss@cdgia.com

April Ferry

aferry@cdgia.com

Brigitta Romanov (ACD) bromanov@cdgia.com

Felipe Sanchez (ILL) fsanchez@cdgia.com

BOARD ALTERNATES

Mark Bridges

mbridges@cdgia.com

Susan Nininger

snininger@cdgia.com

Ken Van Duyne

kvanduyne@cdgia.com

Mona May

mmay@cdgia.com BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Peter Flaherty

pflaherty@cdgia.com

Jacqueline Saint Anne jsaintanne@cdgia.com

Karyn Wagner

kwagner@cdgia.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Rachael M. Stanley rstanley@cdgia.com

Member services ADMINISTRATor

Suzanne Huntington

shuntington@cdgia.com RECEPTIONIST/SECRETARY

Cheryl Marshall

cmarshall@cdgia.com PUBLISHER

IngleDodd Media ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Dan Dodd 310.207.4410 x236 Advertising@IngleDodd.com

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

BEST COSTUME DESIGN PACO DELGADO

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

EXCELLENCE IN PERIOD FILM

universalpicturesawards.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Award your top three Costume Designs, present year excluded.

Marcy Froehlich

Rebecca Raleigh

SuSAN NININGER

(History of Dress, Text) Gone with the Wind. Huge in scope, and you can make a dress out of curtains? My Fair Lady. The Ascot scene was mind-blowing at my young age. The Full Monty. When they’re sitting around in their underwear has such perfect character definition.

(Awards Feature) Clueless. It was the first time I watched the credits, saw “Costume Designer,” and realized it is a profession. Far from Heaven. I watched and felt the sadness in lavender. How to Marry a Millionaire. The private shopping scene. Enough said.

(Scrapbook) Little Miss Sunshine. I appreciate the subtlety of the design choices. Gangs of New York. I cannot forget those fantastic plaid pants! Sandy is able to create such fanciful, yet not distracting costumes for her actors’ characters.

PHILLIP bOUTTE

Christine Cover Ferro

Bonnie Nipar

(Scrapbook) The Cell. Vincent D’Onofrio wears a flowing cape integrated into the set, this was the first time I remember paying close attention to a costume. The Mummy 3. Jet Li’s costume was amazing in person! I am partial to this movie as it was my first professional working job as a CI. Edward Scissorhands. When I was younger, I used to draw Edward over and over again.

(Awards Feature, Boldface Names) Flash Gordon. What a visual candy store it is, the first throne room scene is a study in gleeful camp and excess. Great Expectations (’98 version). My favorite contemporatry costume movie, the clothes captured everything I’d imagined Dickens’ characters to be and translated it into modern times.

(Awards Feature) My Fair Lady. I was so enchanted by the elegant grandeur of Audrey Hepburn’s white lace dress that I ran home and tried to draw it. The first nude and spangled Mackie gown—which was not worn by Cher—but by “triple threat” singer-danceractor Mitzi Gaynor on her show. My newest favorite is Rumpelstiltskin in Once Upon a Time.

Stacy Ellen Rich CHRISTINE JORDAN (Awards Feature) Dangerous Liaisons. The 18th-century costumes left me wanting to know more about the history of fashion. Bonnie & Clyde. Bonnie’s look was stylish and edgy— a Hollywood classic. Atonement. The infamous green dress is breathtaking.

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

(Boldface Names) The Women (1939).The absolute technicolor style still wows me every time I watch it. Phantom of the Paradise (1974). ’70s glam. Dorian Grey meets Faust meets Phantom of the Opera, in a most fantastically cheeky, rock-n-roll manner. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989). A visual feast, period.

Robin Richesson (History of Dress, Illustrator) Pinocchio’s Blue Fairy. It’s the earliest memory I have of seeing a film and thinking “I want to wear THAT!” The Carol Burnett Show. As a family and laughed until we cried. Mame. Largely because of Theadora Van Runkle’s drawings!

COSTUME DESIGNERS GUILD AWARD NOMINEE

EXCELLENCE IN PERIOD FILM KASIA WALICKA MAIMONE

AN EXTRAORDINARY CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE.

“

An instant classic, ready-made for the distant future. The best picture of the year.”

Richard Brody, The New Yorker

Directed by Wes Anderson Written by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola

UNTIL HELP ARRIVES, I’M DEPUTIzING THE LITTLE GUY, THE SkINNY ONE, AND THE kID wITH THE PATCH ON HIS EYE. ” “

—Captain Sharp

For more on this year’s most original motion picture, and to experience the illustrated screenplay, go to www.FocusGuilds2012.com

FOR YOUR CONSI DERATI ON

JOANNA JOHNSTON “ THI S RE mA RkA b l E FIl m S E E m S OlD AN D N Ew TOO : gE NU I N E lY Ol D IN ITS bE AU T IFU l lY RE N D E RE D SE T T I NgS AND COS TUm E S ; gE NU IN E lY NEw I N I TS pl AC E m E N T OF OUR 16 T H pRE S IDE N T.” Joe Morgenstern, the Wall street Journal

H I S S T O RY I S O U R S T O RY

union label PRESIDENT’S LETTER Dear Members, I don’t think many would disagree that, if we were farmers, it was an excellent year for produce. Both film and television have been smaller in size but of a more interesting nature, far more story-driven. The final nomination ballots are out, thanks to all the annual volunteers who faithfully give their time to count ballots. After the final nominee counts were done, it was my responsibility to review the Costume Designers’ names before releasing them to the press. The phone had already started ringing: “When can we get press releases?” My reply was, “When I get it done!” At 6 a.m. Friday, press releases were sent out. Within a half-hour, the calls began, and the CDG office sent me The Hollywood Reporter that had just come online with our press release. These urgent sounding calls were surprisingly different from previous years: “The nomination for Downton Abbey lists the wrong name: it should be Susannah Buxton. If you don’t fix it, the press is going to start calling you to ask you why the Costume Designer’s name is wrong.” I explained to everyone who called that the original Costume Designer designed the first and second seasons. She won the Emmy® Award for the second season, which included Downton Abbey: The Christmas Episode, and then she bowed out as designer for the remaining second season episodes, leaving her assistant to take over. A few more calls came in, asking that I call Susannah Buxton, the original designer, as the 2012 shows had her name on it and so, therefore she should be the nominee. “Can you call and persuade her to accept the nomination, because nobody’s heard of Caroline McCall?” Knowing Susannah as more than just a casual acquaintance, I knew what her answer would be. Hating myself for having to do it, I reluctantly made the call. I explained that her episodes of the second season had aired here, and so she was the expected nominee for 2012, and that I was sorry. As I had expected, she declined again. Her final words on the subject were that she had already received several nominations and won the Emmy, that Caroline had been doing great work in finishing out season two since her departure, and that her hard work was worthy of the nomination. She would not accept the nomination and wholeheartedly endorsed Caroline for the honor: it is hers and her opportunity. Her sincerity was in every word, and I was moved by this, and the rarity of such sentiments in this competitive profession I’m in. I later called Caroline McCall to congratulate her on the nomination. Without my asking, she said how grateful she We appreciate the ongoing support of our corporate sponsors was to Susannah for giving her the job to take over. “I had no experience when she gave me my first job. I’m so lucky to have worked with her for two seasons. I learned everything Diamond Level from her.” Integrity and decency isn’t dead! Yours in Solidarity, Mary Rose mrose@cdgia.com

Sapphire Level

Special Thanks CDG Awards Balloting Co-chairs Mary Rose and Suzanne Huntington wish to thank the following members for their valuable volunteer efforts in this year’s 15th Annual CDG Awards Submission and Nominee Ballot counting. We couldn’t do it without them! Kimberly Freed Judy Gellman Kristin Ingram Pie Lombardi Takashi Morimoto

ruby level

Michele Rede Geoffrey Roiz May Routh Alan Villanueva Andrea Weaver

Winter 2013 The Costume Designer

union label executive director Dear Members, I love awards season! I love all the excitement around the nomination process, the predictions, the red carpet show, the actual award shows, and the after shows. As I am writing this, our CDG awards committee is hard at work counting the nomination ballots. By the time you read this, the announcements will have been made, the final ballots tallied, and the awards statuettes ready to be handed to those few whose work has been singled out. The work of our CDG members is superb and there are so many of you who deserve recognition for your brilliant work, and so few who can be recognized. So to all our Designers, Assistant Designers, and Illustrators on projects large and small, big budget or low budget, widely distributed or indie, I salute your work. I applaud all the hours you spent on getting from script to sketch and to fabric selection, for the hours spent in fitting rooms making sure each fold and pleat is where it belongs, the time spent agonizing over button choices, or with dye-stained hands pulling fabrics from the dye pots, for the endless meetings with executives, stars, directors, and crew to explain and create your vision, the long hours making sure that each accessory helps to complete the look, for the 18-hour days without lunch or dinner, the five-hour nights of sleep, and the patient family and pets who wait for your attention, I stand and say bravo! The statuette may not be on your mantle, but you have created something from a small kernel and helped it to grow. Your creative process is unique to you and you share it with all who see your work. Stand proud! You are a creator! Who knows, you may be a nominee in the future because with brilliance, all things are possible. In Solidarity, Rachael Stanley, rstanley@cdgia.com

2013 CALENDAR February 14 Final Ballots due for CDG Awards 19

CDG Awards Event

March 4 Executive Board Meeting 7 PM 16

General Membership Meeting 10:30 AM

April 1

2nd quarter dues due

Executive Board Meeting 7 PM

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to pay your dues on April 1 After April 30, a $15 late charge will be assessed. Costume Designer $250 Assistant Designer $206 Costume Illustrator $157

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

Warner Bros. Pictures

would like to thank the Costume Designers Guild and congratulate our nominees Excellence in Period Film

Jacqueline West Argo Excellence in Fantasy Film

Kym Barrett, Pierre-Yves Gayraud Cloud Atlas Excellence in Fantasy Film

Ann Masskrey, Richard Taylor, Bob Buck The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

union label LABOR REPORT The future bargaining by the IATSE International for our Local’s members’ healthcare will get tougher as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed by Congress in 2010, and upheld by the Supreme Court on June 28, 2012, is implemented between now and 2018. The ACA sets a benchmark that 10% or more of your income should go toward the cost of healthcare. The legislation sets a threshold in 2014 that, only after you pay more than 9.5% of your income for health insurance, do you qualify for a “premium tax credit.” The private health insurance industry will survive and thrive under the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA), ACA legislation mandating everyone not covered by an employer plan purchase health insurance. The so-called “Cadillac” tax will be imposed on the IATSE health insurance plans beginning in 2018. The IATSE health plans are getting more expensive. That’s not the IATSE memberships’ fault, and the rise in premium costs is not the fault of the producers. It is the insurance companies, the pharmaceutical industry, and the for-profit hospitals that have made good health coverage so expensive. Physicians for a National Health Plan (PNHP) say that with a payroll tax of just 3 percent to 5 percent, we could have a Medicare-for-all, single-payer system that would cover every U.S. resident, and put an end to deductibles, co-pays, and the insurance companies’ control of our healthcare system. Employers would also have to contribute 6 percent to 8 percent of their total payroll to finance such a plan, but that is a lot less than the 20 percent to 30 percent of payrolls that they now hand over to the private, for-profit insurance companies in the form of premiums. IATSE Local members must act together to win some relief and fairness in our health insurance coverage. Keeping our health insurance affordable while it’s controlled by profit-driven insurance corporations will continue to be very difficult, but with IA membership involvement and action, we will find ways to make healthcare more affordable and accessible to our members, regardless of their health condition. I will contribute to Labor United for Universal Healthcare during this fund drive period. Please join me and other IA members by donating $10, $15, or $20 to Labor4Health, online at laborunitedforhealthcare.org; click on “join us.” In Solidarity, Betty Madden bmadden@cdgia.com

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THE COSTUME DEPARTMENT

MY BIG BREAK ACD Zelda Lambrecht I started out in the garment industry and the company that I worked for at the time went bankrupt and I found myself in-between, and a high school friend of mine was a production designer. He was working on a non-union, kind of low-budget movie at the time and he knew I could sew. He kind of called me up one day, he was one of my closest friends. He said, “You know, we’re kind of looking for a Costume Designer. I know you can sew. Are you interested?” It was called The Making of ‘...And God Spoke,’ which was sort of a mockumentary of the film industry. It’s really funny, people still watch it today. That was the very first thing that I ever designed and I had a budget of, I think, four grand. I did over 300 costumes.We did a real film crew and a mock film crew because we filmed the real crew and I kind of—it was just one of these fast and furious experiences, but I thought, “Oh, they pay you for this, so I guess I could do this.”

CD Susan Nininger The Bodyguard. That break came because Barbara Gordon had just worked on Dances with Wolves with Kevin Costner, and she and I were working on a commercial together, and she offered to bring my materials over to Kevin’s office. A month later, I still hadn’t heard anything, so she gave the office a call. They said, “Oh, no one’s looked at it. But, we’re prepping a film, so I’ll take it into the director.” The next morning, I got a call from Mick Jackson’s assistant saying,“Mick wants to see you. He loves your work.” When I walked through the door, I already had the job. The moral of the story, so to speak, is I had documentation of everything I’ve done as an artist, as a costume artist, theater, and I was able to have an article published in a magazine. And I think that, you know, the glossy was really good. It got me the job. I always tell people, “Document everything.”

ACD Nicole WIEner I was born and raised in Los Angeles and studied painting and art history at Otis College of Art and Design. I started a clothing line while still in school. After college, in addition to designing my line, I worked as a visual researcher for directors, finding images to compliment their treatments. One defining moment came when a director introduced me to a stylist with whom I began working. This eventually led me to working as a costumer for the next 10 years. I honed my skills working as a key costumer and my big break was the opportunity to be the Assistant Costume Designer at Pretty Little Liars last year. I have worked with Mandi Line, the designer, many times over the years and was excited to work with her. I just finished my first season on Pretty Little Liars and I am looking forward to the next season, which will begin in the spring.

CD Sanja Hays When I interviewed for Star Trek, that’s when I knew that I was really on my way. I remembered going to the interview and I thought, “Oh, my God. Really? I’m going to Paramount and to interview for Star Trek?” As it happens in small industry, when I interviewed—another person after the job was Joseph Porro, who was my mentor for years. I happened to get the job and I’m really, really grateful to him because, obviously, he taught me really well. When I got the job, I literally cried because I was a huge fan of Star Trek. It was a crazy job, they gave me only eight weeks of prep. But, on the other hand, whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger and after that, I knew I could do anything.

ACD Lois DeArmond I thought I was going to be a fashion illustrator and was in class at Chouinard, when a Costume Designer who was working on a movie called A Man Called Horse, called up the school needing hundreds of sketches over a weekend. The woman who was in charge of that came to my classroom door and whispered to the teacher. The teacher looked around the room and—pointed at me, so I went. I worked on this movie for four days and it was all about Plains Indians. Richard Harris played a guy who was stranded among the Indians in very early 1800s, and it was very authentic. I think it was the first authentic Plains Indian movie that had ever been done. I just said,“Wow, this is exactly what I want to do.”

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

THE COSTUME DEPARTMENT

History Of Dress 1870–1880 Basque:

Piccadilly: A high-wing collar on a

A long bodice that fits closely over the bust and hips. Adapted from the traditional dress of the Basque region of southern France/ northern Spain.

man’s shirt.

Porkpie Hat: A narrow brimmed hat with short crown, resembling a British meat pie. Worn by both men and women (with the latter, it was smaller and perched on top of their hair).

Bustle: Ruffles, a pad, or cage that added emphasis to the back hips. Also used to describe the dresses that are worn over the pad and are draped up to add more dimension to the same area. It became quite enormous in the 1880s.

Princess Line: Knickerbockers: Breeches with full legs gathered under the knee and fastened with a buckle or buttons. (See Norfolk jacket illustration.)

Norfolk Jacket: A hip-length jacket with two box pleats in front and one center back, belted with patch pockets. Popular for hunting and casual wear, it was often worn with knickerbockers and made of plaid wool. Starting out more like a blouse—buttoned high at the neck with full sleeves—it increasingly became more like a tailored jacket.

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

A bodice with seams that join the darts over the bust down through the hips. It was named after Princess Alexandra of Wales (wife to Edward VI) who had a very slim figure.

Tea Gowns: A more elaborate version of the wrapper, a looser fitting gown, that became popular in the 1870s for serving tea to guests at home. It was often worn with corset and bustle.

Illustrations by Robin Richesson rrichesson@cdgia.com Text by Marcy Froehlich mfroehlich@cdgia.com

What Makes Costume Design

Awards-Worthy By Anna Wyckoff

Twenty-one years after the first Academy Award was presented in 1929, someone thought to consider the costumes. In the ensuing years, the awards for Costume Design— from our own Costume Designers Guild statuette, to the Emmy® and the Oscar®— have provided endless fodder for passionate discourse. What defines award-winning Costume Design? Certainly there is the excitement captured by a swoosh of period petticoats and taffeta, punctuated by a corseted wasp waist which sends audience hearts racing, or the fairy tale fantasy mashup of cunning cuts, style, and hyperbole. In other instances, understated and clever costumes capture quintessential characters, or garments evoke exotic worlds. Each occasion seems completely distinct and begs the question: why are gold trophies given to one film, television show, or commercial, and not another? That award-winning x-factor is difficult to pinpoint. Sometimes the Costume Design supersedes the project, while at other times various forces work together to buoy the Costume Design. In rare instances, one garment is propelled from a film, television show, or commercial to be fixed forever in the minds and imaginations of the public. Epic drama seems to have an edge. In a breathtaking moment of candor at the 2010 Academy Awards, Costume Designer Sandy Powell said, “…I’d like to dedicate this one to the Costume Designers that don’t do movies about dead monarchs or glittery musicals. The designers that do the contemporary films and the low-budget ones that actually don’t go recognized, as they should do, and they work as hard. So this is for you…” Budgets vary and time is always short, but in the final analysis, all projects are held up to the same scrutiny, regardless of handicaps. For each honor there are subtle distinctions. To select the Oscar® winner, all Academy members vote. However, for the Emmy®, only the Costume Design and supervision peer group vote for both the nominees and the winner. Our own Costume Designers Guild Awards are selected by the membership of our Guild, Local 892, and came about in an effort to recognize the many diverse types of Costume Design. Because it is so difficult to compare extremely different projects, the CDG Award recognizes seven distinct categories: Excellence in Contemporary Film, Excellence in Period Film, Excellence in Fantasy Film, Outstanding Contemporary Television Series, Outstanding Period/Fantasy Television Series, Outstanding Made for Television Movie or Miniseries, and Excellence in Commercial Costume Design. CD Mark Bridges, who won the 2012 Oscar for the film The Artist, says,

“It seems to me that award-winning Costume Design is an elusive combination of perfectly illustrating the dramatic action and the characters AND being a gorgeous feast for the eyes. Award-winning costumes seem to capture the viewer’s imagination and draw them into the piece and stay with the audience long after they have left the theater.”

Winter 2013 The Costume Designer

Excellence in Period Film Jacqueline Durran Anna Karenina

Photo: Laurie Sparham/Focus Features

It’s a very cinematic film, and it has a kind of strength to the image also. It’s designed to appeal to the modern eye, and it just leads the viewer. The collaboration between the cinematography, the production design, and myself brings the visual to the forefront. What [director] Joe Wright wanted to happen is that the general audience would just like the costumes, they wouldn’t necessarily know why, but they would appeal to a contemporary sensibility, so that they feel they’re connected. It is also such a great opportunity to be given this completely beautiful actress and for her to be playing beautiful. Keira is such a fantastic actress to work with, and she’s so great at wearing clothes. She’s so stylish, and she can pull off the period-costume look. So you have that element. Then you have the element of late 19th-century Russia as an inspiration, which you lay over a kind of 1950s couture silhouette. I tried to assimilate the kind of simplicity of the lines, the clearness. The ingredients are so fantastic that it’s an absolute gift to be given it. And because it’s such a gift, it’s slightly intimidating because you might not pull it off, but because the elements are so fantastic you have an obligation to do something with them. So, I think there’s that part of it, too, that it’s just a kind of amazing opportunity. An Oscar®-nominated film. ACD — Andrea Cripps

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Jacqueline West Argo

Chris Terrio’s script was such a page-turner. The descriptions were so vivid, you could see it all in your mind. It was also such a welldocumented period of time. We followed it on the nightly news like a serial thriller, so compelling, sad, and scary, all in one. I had vivid memories, and in revisiting that, it became almost a raison d’être for me to be so exacting and match it to the news footage. The way Rodrigo Prieto shot it, and with Sharon Seymour’s sets, it feels like a film shot then, which is what we were all going for, that feeling of the late ’70s, specifically paranoia films. [Director] Ben Affleck was so demanding that I think we all did a pretty good job at it. I couldn’t have created that feeling in just the clothes without those sets and cinematography, so it definitely took a village.

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

The chador, the “Flag of the Revolution,” became deeply symbolic for me. Our background players in L.A., who were Iranian, found it extremely hard, emotionally, to wear them, even as a costume. When we shot the airport scene, they came off as soon as they yelled, “Cut.” I realized what it said about the revolution, that the Shah had gone against Allah in letting women not be veiled. In becoming mandatory, rather than a choice honoring your religion, it became a symbol of what was really lost. As my friend Christina Kim put it, “It’s a beautiful garment … if you don’t have to wear it.” ACD — R.J. Hawbaker

Kasia Walicka-Maimone Moonrise Kingdom

I fell in love with the script instantaneously. It brought back memories from my own childhood, from those fragile years of rebellion, love, and independence, and I thought it was a spectacularly written script. As far as working with [director] Wes Anderson, he has an incredibly crystal clear vision, but is at the same time organic and open to taking things to yet another level when he’s shown something that inspires him. The project was extremely difficult because we had a very short amount of prep and a wildly ambitious plan of building between 80 percent and 85 percent of the costumes, all with an extraordinary level of detail. Also, Rhode Island was a trying location for execution because the resources there can be quite limited. The reward in such a challenging project, one that was an extreme exercise in the highest level of design, is that I learned so much about the clarification of the characters, quick delivery, and just exploring. Within Wes’ narrative and visual vocabulary, he defines his characters so strongly and creates iconic characters. To arrive at those iconic characters, you have to be quite precise with your choices. I think that it becomes about the definition of a style that resonates with a lot of people. Getting there requires a clarity of style, color, fit, and a receptiveness to cultural resonances. I think with each character we tried to find the depths of those resonances as much as possible.

Joanna Johnston

Photo: Niko Tavernise/Focus Features

ACDs — Mickey Carleton, Keri Lee Doris

Lincoln

I know what Lincoln means to this nation and I know with the depiction of him by [director] Steven [Spielberg], the resonance of that. I think I have the same mentality with everything which I feel is important—you need to serve it correctly, you need to honor it, to treasure it because these are sacred things. Part of my contribution [to the depiction of Lincoln] is my wanting to show the warmth in the colors of his frock coat, the shawl, and these small moves that I did. The man within, Daniel DayLewis, is the driver. What he can project in his body language is quite incredible. My clothes on a different actor wouldn’t have the same movements as it does on Daniel, he is in a different stratosphere. It was big, the film, as regards to the scale of it. But you do that thing—putting one foot in front of the other, keeping your eye on the distance, but not necessarily covering the whole horizon, because that can pull you down if you get drowned by the magnitude. In the end I feel it is a united piece, and that the costumes are harmonious with each other. I’m pleased with that, and I think all of my incredible crew—this is a big team job—they are all happy. An Oscar®-nominated film. ACDs — Jane Gooday, Christine Peters, Ken van Duyne, Holly Waddington

DreamWorks Pictures and 20th Century Fox

Paco Delgado Les Misérables

The first thing I did was listen to what [director] Tom Hooper wanted from the costumes, and he wanted to go the source. Victor Hugo’s book is full of amazing detail about the characters and the environment. Secondly, Tom also wanted me to go to paintings of the period— Delacroix, Goya, and Ingres. Also important were the caricatures of the period in periodicals. Tom wanted a realistic approach to the costumes, but at the same time, he wanted it to have fantasy. This is one of the things we tried to do, to show time passing through the costumes. This movie happens between 1815 and 1848, and it’s one of the periods in history where costume, especially women’s costume, really changes dramatically. We start at the end of empire line, and when we finish the movie, it’s almost pre-Victorian. We have so many different sorts of silhouettes going through, and we have to be very careful with the silhouette of every single character. I have to be honest. When I got a call from Tom asking if I wanted to do this movie, I mean the first thing is I got scared, because the whole dimension of the movie was so huge. But I rapidly overcame that with the thought that this is an amazing opportunity to design such a beautiful story and such a beautiful movie. An Oscar®-nominated film. ACDs — Ana Cuerda, Pepo Rutz Dorado, Sonia Isla, Sally Turner Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

Winter 2013 The Costume Designer

Louise Stjernsward

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel When I read the script and found out that John Madden was to direct, I really wanted to do the film. After meeting John, talking about the superb cast, and the fact that I really wanted to work in India again, I was so happy when they offered me the job. Just being in India was inspiring to me. Choosing fabrics and having things made for the actors, mainly Judi Dench, was enjoyable. Every bit as satisfying was dressing the background actors and crowds. Sometimes, the chaotic nature of working in India was a challenge. Difficulties arose from assistants’ lack of familiarity with continuity, for example. The long drives to the location, as well as the heat and dust, got to be trying. Another challenge arose from the many masters we often serve: in making the character Douglas believable and relatable, I had to work within the constraints of [actor] Bill Nighy’s personal aesthetics and code of elegance. The things I enjoyed most about the production were being in India, creating the characters costume-wise for these wonderful actors, and working with such a fabulous crew.

ACD — Rosie Grant

Tena Desae as “Sunaina” and Dev Patel as “Sonny.” Fox Searchlight Pictures. Photo by Ishika Mohan

Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper star in Silver Linings Playbook. JoJo Whilden/The Weinstein Company

Mark Bridges

Silver Linings Playbook I think for me it was a lesson in staying flexible and constantly trying to nail the characters for the piece. There were a lot of changes, a lot of evolution, from our first fitting to what goes on camera. Where we eventually settled was with something that allowed the performances to shine through. It adds to the performance, rather than taking you out of it with something too extreme, which is always my goal. For me, for my process, it was very important to stay flexible and to rise to every challenge, both in design and in prevailing over the logistics of a 33-day shoot, out of town, with a 12th-floor production office, limited access to the freight elevator, and a dye room six miles away from the office. So staying flexible with what is thrown at you becomes the only way to get through it. I think it was a good lesson and, look, the proof is in the pudding. It turned out to be a beautiful movie. It affects people so much that even my mailman stopped me to talk about how he and his wife had something very similar in their family, and so they were deeply touched by the film. Maybe that’s the most interesting thing about the legacy of Silver Linings Playbook, is that it touches people in very surprising ways. ACD — Teresa Binder

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

Excellence in Contemporary Film George L. Little Zero Dark Thirty

Jany Temime

Courtesy Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.

Skyfall

I was so, so happy to be asked to do a Bond film. It was my biggest dream, and I knew that Sam Mendes was directing, so working with Sam Mendes on a Bond, that was two dreams in one. I think that it was very important for Sam to show that it’s an action movie, very physical, and at the same time it’s very English. He decided to keep the whole film in a very graphic style. If you look at it, the photography and the production design are done that way. I also kept it minimalist. I used very few colors: grey, dark blue, black, with the exception of Eve. With Bond’s suits, it’s a ’60s shape—a slim fit—which makes it very simple as well. You look at the body more than the suit, and it becomes almost sculptural. The goal was to make it look luxurious while keeping it minimalist and restrained. We were very careful because it’s such an icon. You come after 50 years of success and you have to be as good as all the ones that came before you. Also, you have a demanding public. It’s not a fresh public. It’s a public that goes to the cinema with set expectations. At the same time, you have to give them something new. So it’s difficult to find the balance in giving new elements and giving something that conforms to a known and iconic subject. That was the challenge.

It was one of the toughest movies I’ve done in a long time, physically and logistically. The company went to Jordan about eight weeks before shooting, so we were stuck here waiting for actors to be cast. Communication was difficult because of the time difference; even getting photos to the director was hard. As far as any single costume being representative, I can’t think of one. Our lead actress, Jessica Chastain, had somewhere in the vicinity of 60 changes. We tried to establish and follow through with an arc that ultimately comes full circle. Pakistan was her character’s first assignment out of Washington, D.C., and we dressed her fairly inappropriately for her introduction to Islamabad. She progressed gradually there to a grittier, more androgynous, strippeddown look, as she becomes more and more focused and immersed in her work. When toward the end she comes back to Washington to present her case almost 10 years later, her look is almost identical to where she started. I think what I’m most proud of is getting the feel of realism: the aging, dyeing, and not making things seem like outfits, rather more like what people really wear. The opening scenes in the prison show the progression of this guy’s life deteriorating as he’s being tortured. So basically, trying to get the true feel, you never want the clothes to be noticed unless there’s a reason—you don’t want to distract from the story. ACD — Daniel J. Lester

Quvenzhané Wallis as “Hushpuppy.” Fox Searchlight Pictures. Photo by Jess Pinkham

ACDs — Joe Hobbs, Vivienne Jones, Emily-Rose Yiaxis

Stephani Lewis

Beasts of the Southern Wild I read the script, and I remember telling the director, “I actually really like your script. I read a lot of scripts that I say I like, but I really like this script, I promise you.” It was a hard job, but worth taking. On the first day, I was in waders in the levee when they’re blowing up the huge fish, waist deep in dirty water, holding on to the side of the boat, trying to keep Quvenzhané [Wallis] comfortable, while there are people watching to make sure that no alligators came close to our crew. It was dirty and hot, and I was glad that we all got out of there safely. It was like summer film camp, people there every day making their art, and that’s what I enjoyed. It did however, take a while for my supervisor and I to realize that we came into their environment, that we had to let go, and do the movie their way. The director and producers didn’t stop until it was perfect, and I respect that. It didn’t go up for Sundance in 2011 because it wasn’t where they wanted it to be, so they held out for 2012. It’s neat that friends can get together and work, and their dream can compete with huge movies—I’m proud of that. And I’m incredibly grateful for the two girls on my crew—I could never have done this, emotionally or physically, without them.

Winter 2013 The Costume Designer

Director Tarsem Remembers Eiko When I was in school in the ’80s, my friend Nico and I used to look at Eiko’s stuff because she was directing commercials in Japan. We were really big fans of hers. And when a film came along, I just kept saying, “I want this woman.” Eiko had a limited vocabulary, but her visual sense of things was so clear. She would just complete your thoughts. But the tough thing was with Eiko, when you would give her a brief to do, she would make it and she would give you an option of seven. My direction for one scene was that everyone is in white, but the queen is like a peacock. Eiko took that quite literally and she put her in a red peacock gown while everybody else’s costumes were white on white. One of my favorite things is the prince’s whimsical hat, with ears that fade from red to white. Or the poster of Julia Roberts next to Lily Collins; Lily’s shoulders were sloping and she has a kind of subservient look next to the queen’s picture with her shoulders up—it’s aggressive without having spikes. I don’t even remember having this conversation with Eiko. I just told her that usually Snow White is about beauty, but this is not about that, this is about power. I would always give a very small brief and she would grab it to the word and sometimes go completely literal with them, and sometimes not, but nothing was ever predictable. An Oscar®-nominated film. ACDs — Martine Gagnon, Caroline Poirier

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Sonmi-451 and her clone sisters in Cloud Atlas. Warner Bros.

Ann Maskrey, Richard Taylor, and Bob Buck The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Maskrey: It’s dream project, really. There is a back history with both the book and The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) films, which I had to honor. You have to be respectful of the piece, but still bring something to it that’s hopefully new and fresh. Most enjoyable for me was doing the characters that are new to the story: Radagast in this one, the Mirkwood Elves and Lake-town citizens in the next two. Taylor: Many would presume designing The Hobbit after having worked on LOTR trilogy was work as usual, but we had 10 times as many designed pieces in the The Hobbit trilogy than we did in LOTR. It is a testament to how we chose—and

Peter inspired us—to dig deeper into the mythology and the literature. We all wanted the audience to feel they were firmly back in Middle Earth, but in a totally different part of the landscape. Buck: It was our primary goal to take the design further than what the fans were expecting, so we had to push ourselves to create a complex but believable “reality” in the fantasy genre. We did also have the 3D and 48 frames to contend with, which highlights every detail, and therefore flaw, so we had to be incredibly vigilant about repeats of detail and scale. One of the greatest payoffs was seeing all 13 dwarves lined up for the first time, side by side with their scale doubles ... it was surreal and wonderful!

Excellence in Fantasy Film

Mirror Mirror

Judianna Makovsky The Hunger Games

Director Gary Ross had a very clear vision. We toned down the book and tried to work within the bounds of time, budget, labor, and weather. We were a little bold and tried to have some fun with it, but he was very clear that it not be sci-fi futuristic—that it had to be very relatable. That’s the charm of the story: that women can relate, that they can be in Katniss’ place, so it shouldn’t be so far in the future that it’s not recognizable. It’s a very retro book when you read it. It’s sort of Americana: there’s futuristic stuff in it, but it’s not very futuristic as a whole. You’ve got a girl with a bow and arrow. District 12 is in the future, but it’s a mining district that’s supplying coal to the Capital, so right there, it takes you back. It’s not very high tech, so there’s that whole feeling about the movie. It’s mid-20th century—a little before, a little after—from the description. When I read it, it was clear to me to not go very futuristic. It was a limited budget, that’s putting it nicely. It was terrifying trying to figure out how to do it and not call fashion designers. To have our own look was probably the biggest challenge. The other issue was the weather in North Carolina. It was 90 degrees with 90% humidity, so we also had to create a look that would stand up to that. ACD — Lisa Tomczeszyn © Universal Pictures. Photo: Alex Bailey

Colleen Atwood

Snow White and the Huntsman Well, I think that this show is interesting in the way that it was a slow boil. The first three months were really concentrated on what the two armies were going to look like, then we built up the rest of the worlds. One of my favorite things is the juxtaposition of texture, color, and layering. With the way that cameras have developed, even some of the shiny stuff, you can’t tell what it is. So, it’s fun to explore how technology changes the materials. I was inspired by some of the things I had never used before, like a parchment folded into an origami collar, which looked like bones. I found these beetle wings from Thailand, but they were super sharp and we had to drill them with a jeweler’s drill to make them sewable. I thought it was important that this queen is humanized. So, she started lighter, in a cloak of shimmering gold and then her wedding was portentous, because it had a kind of exoskeleton collar, which harkened to scarier times ahead. As she began to decay, her clothes were made out of more decaying matter. It was an opportunity that I hadn’t had before, to take a fairy tale to an unquestionably dark version of it. I had tremendous support from my producers and the studio as far as being able to make almost everything in the movie, so it was a massive undertaking. An Oscar®-nominated film. ACDs — Jane Clive, Lora E. Revitt

Pierre-Yves Gayraud and Kym Barrett Cloud Atlas

Barrett: The film had a really emotional storyline. A lot of the work the Wachowskis and I have done before was more action-based; we’d had really good technological challenges, but this was a very human script. The fact that we spent so much time with the actors as a result of them having to be different people, added a whole other dimension to the actual production. It really did have a very strong ensemble feeling, almost like a theatre troupe, the way a company might tour and have to do lots of different shows in the week. We were also running six units in different countries with different time periods. Gayraud: It was essential for Kym and I to stay connected with each other, so I think we worked very hand in hand. The challenge was to try to find bridges between the different segments, to find a good balance, to re-create the different worlds without isolating any of them. We tried to have a soft touch to make it easier for the editing to move between the different segments without too strong a cut. Also, because many of the characters are not so defined, it was important for the costumes to give some grounding and to help to build the character. I think it’s an amazing trip into a different world and I hope the audience is concentrated more on the emotional things than the Costume Design. ACDs — Serena Fiumi, Nuria Pascual-Andujar, Alice Wolfbauer

Winter 2013 The Costume Designer

Jill Ohanneson Revenge

We definitely want Revenge to be its own fantasy world, where it’s about living an incredibly wonderful, elegant, expensive life of leisure. We specifically don’t want it to look like New York with all the hustle and bustle and so many people going to work every day. The Hamptons is free of that, an escape in its own way. It is a more languid, demure world, where permanent residents live a relaxed, beautiful life full of parties and events. We have to continue to believe that this world is real, keeping an elegant high-fashion look even in casual clothes. My producers are very supportive of me, and my efforts to bring that Hamptons’ style to the screen. My mom grew up around Boston and had East Coast sensibilities that help me form this world. She used to say that it’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed, which I use particularly for Victoria, and that it’s important to make an entrance, an Emily trait. What that says is their calling card. In a way, I feel like everybody on Revenge is wearing a disguise. They use their clothing as smoke and mirrors to add an illusion to keep people off track. At some point we peel away the layers and strip them down to see their vulnerability, to see the real people underneath. I want the clothes to reflect these experiences. For me, that is the fun part of Costume Design. ACD — Senna Shanti Photo: JoJo Whilden/HBO

Jennifer Rogien

ABC/Bob D’Amico

Girls

Girls is resonating with audiences because Lena Dunham and our brilliant writers have created a world that is so specific and yet so universal that many people identify with one, if not all four, of these girls. I try to use costume to support and heighten that where I can, or stand back from that where I can, to really let these girls be who they are. It’s been such an adventure to absorb the landscape of Brooklyn and reflect it back by shopping in stores that are resources for girls who actually live in Brooklyn and work in Manhattan. We look at people in those shops and take inspiration from them, as well as the looks that are happening on the street, and try to incorporate them in our story. It helps us realize the world of the show that makes Girls so unique. The writing is so brave and so honest that it doesn’t necessarily have the conventions of television that I’m used to as a Costume Designer. An example: the sex scenes are sometimes so incredibly straightforward and real. It’s challenging and refreshing to me to extend the wardrobe all the way into the sleepwear, the underwear, the gym-wear, the snuggies and the onesies. I try to incorporate all those pieces into a character’s costume in a way that helps the audience identify more, as well as underscore the comedy. ACD — Natalia Parsons

Molly Maginnis Smash

Smash is just about my favorite project I’ve done in years! It’s a very exciting design challenge, where I get to use my skills as well as my imagination. My beginning was in theater, where I did a lot of dance, musicals, and ballet, so putting all that together [in one job] was fun. I’m sure that’s why I initially got my interview. The producers were looking for someone who had designed feature films, television, and Broadway. I did a lot of research, looking at old films and stills of Marilyn Monroe. I have a wonderful book of Marilyn’s clothes with a photo of her in them, and then a picture of the actual garments that I used to make costumes for our leading ladies. Also, I make everything for the four lead dancers, often dyeing fabric to get the super rich colors that burst out in the ’50s. When the core group of dancers came in, I talked with them about what they actually wear to rehearsal. There’s a streetwise component to the dance clothes, so they are utilitarian but they have an edginess, a hip street look that’s a big component to the chorus dancers’ look. I think people really enjoy the theatricality of Smash. We have big musical numbers that are really first rate, with original music that comes out of character development. Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman write such gorgeous songs that the audience is getting the flavor of seeing a big Broadway show. ACDs — Michael Sharpe, Cristina Spiridakis

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

NBC

Susie DeSanto

Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes and Connie Britton as Rayna Jaymes in ABC’s Nashville. Photo: ABC/Andrew Macpherson

Nashville

Nashville is about the city and it takes place in Nashville, so it only makes sense to shoot it there! A recent article in The New York Times says that people are just starting to discover it, and it’s one of the new hip cities in America—so our show is very timely. Nashville has some cool parts that are very artistic, and then there are neighborhoods that are in the middle of transition. There are lots of layers and textures to the city, just like there are layers and textures to our story. Our creator, Callie Khouri, wrote great characters that present the many sides of country music. Our actors play people who sing, and the songs in our show are there

CD Alonzo Wilson and CoCD Ann Walters Treme

because someone is either performing a song or writing a song. The music is intergrated into the story. Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere play big country stars, but we also have singer-songwriters, musicians, and young artists who are struggling to make a mark. There’s a big crossover appeal that offers me lots of variety for Costume Design. It’s part of the challenge but also part of the fun. We work hard to make it look real, to be visually appealing, and not just about glitz and dressing up. It’s not just one note. We’re digging around vintage stores, swatching at Mood, shopping high-end stores, and little boutiques. We’re all over the place … that keeps it interesting.

Eddie Vanison, Rob Brown, Clarke Peters, Otto DeJean. Photo: Paul Schiraldi

Wilson: Treme is a post-Katrina drama that takes place five years ago. The real trick is to bring a realistic visual to these characters and the daunting lives they face using what’s available to us. I love it when a local says, “Thanks for getting it right!” Walters: I was born and raised in New Orleans, so it’s an honor to be a part of telling the story about my home and city. Alonzo and I strive to be true to the characters that we create and to where they are in their lives. The hardest part of Treme is the timing—making lightning decisions and trying to carve out the five minutes of quiet time to be creative while juggling all the other aspects of a shoot that has so many cast members, extras, and featured extras, knowing you’re putting the best product out there with the time and resources available. We don’t have the luxury of time … ever! Wilson: The show is important as a message to let the world know that New Orleans has a lot of things to work on and has a long way to go. It is a social, political, and economic journey for the viewers and all of us involved. New Orleans is a place worth saving for its musical history, its architectural history, and its cultural venues. Treme makes a statement: look, this is what happened—it’s still not right, and we don’t want people to forget.

Outstanding Contemporary Television Series

Outstanding Period/Fantasy Television Series

Caroline McCall

It’s a great piece of social history because it covers both the aristocracy and the servants, and we see the day-to-day life of ordinary people as well. So the challenge is to provide clothes for these characters. They shouldn’t be seen as costumes, you ought to believe that they are the clothes for each character. That’s really exciting for a designer, to be able to look at all the different walks of life and create that whole world. Also, it was such an extraordinary, innovative time in fashion—the designers were way ahead of their time. Things they were creating in the ’20s have influenced every decade that’s come ever since. Series three had huge events within it— designing two weddings and two sets of guests was quite nice. There are just a million things that you could choose to do. Although it was a massive

Downton Abbey

undertaking when you don’t have an unlimited budget, trying to make things work has been a really interesting exercise. Also, through that process, I found the most fantastic people [to work with]: absolutely brilliant makers, people with extraordinary skills, people who completely inspire you! And the actors are wonderful. It’s lovely working with them and developing their character through their clothes. It’s a wonderful project. It’s not only a great cast, but a fantastic crew, and we all feel very privileged to be part of it. ACD — Poli Kyriacou Supervisor — Dulcie Scott

Lisa Padovani and John Dunn Boardwalk Empire

Dunn: Interestingly, the twenties in America mirrors our time, as both eras are moments adjusting to major social upheavals and advancements. In the twenties, it was women’s rights and jazz. Today, we have the social network, gun and gay rights, all major recalibrations full of promise and anxiety. Padovani: I was very much into the character of Gyp Rosetti and working with [actor] Bobby Cannavale, creating a new kind of gangster. To have him stand out in his own way, we did stronger colors. The details of his suit featured a bit more bells and whistles because he fancied himself a dandy and a big shot. But he was a very unsophisticated guy, so we wanted to interpret that in a way that was a little tacky. To me it had a real Italian American “gangster” feel. We really enjoyed making his

stuff because Bobby could pull it off without it being clowny. Dealing with the fact that there’s not a lot of twenties’ clothing anymore out there in the world, we’re lucky we have very good drapers, cutters, and fitters. Even though we’re very detail-oriented, they can push it out and it looks good on screen. It’s physically and mentally challenging to keep that machine going. So, I’m very proud of the process. Dunn: I’m endlessly fascinated by the complexity of the 1920s. To study it in depth has changed my professional and personal universe. ACD — Maria Zamansky

Meg Chambers Steedle as Billie Kent in Boardwalk Empire. Photo: Macall Polay/HBO

Game of Thrones

The funny and strange thing that Game of Thrones offers is a fantasy show done in a real way. Fortunately, HBO gives you the space and time to do something properly. I can travel to do research and I have a workroom and team that can make almost anything. And that’s what we try to do. We weave, print, and break down our fabrics … we do everything in house. Now in the fourth year, we’ve developed ways of doing things where we rely less and less on costume houses and outside people. It’s like a little world we have created. We’re very careful about how we make things, the finish, and the techniques involved. Also, we try to do them thoroughly so there are very few shortcuts. There were a lot more numbers this year—epic numbers—and we created whole armies from scratch. If you have 400 people, and you want to say something about this group of people, but you have no idea about what shape or who these people are going to be, you almost make the costume give them a shape. One group I was really pleased with was “The Unsullied.” It was a costume that stood out by its silhouette. Everyone in the army could wear it, and it didn’t matter if someone was fat or thin, tall or short. A shape that you could give the extras and each would wear it differently, just as it would be in real life. ACDs — Chloe Aubry, Alex Fordham

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

Gwendoline Christie as Brienne. Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO

Michele Clapton

Lou Eyrich Sister Jude (Jessica Lange) Photo: Byron Cohen/FX

American Horror Story During this process, the most challenging elements were also the most rewarding. I learned so much about aging, dyeing, vintage fabrics, building endless multiples for all the stunts, and working with special effects makeup on all the gags. Much of the show takes place in the asylum with uniformed security guards and inmates. We had all the asylum uniforms made, and there were many levels of aging that had to be done. It took weeks to get it right. Sister Jude’s look while running the asylum was also a challenge. [Director] Ryan Murphy did not want the typical nun’s habit. The central theme throughout the season was how difficult it was for a woman working in a man’s world in the early sixties so she needed to look strong, yet feminine. Also, she had to wear the same costume for months, so it needed to be comfortable and easy to get on

Ruth Myers

Hemingway & Gellhorn

and off. That’s how we landed on the fitted cassock style. Two things stand out to me as the highlights of the season. We had an amazing cast and I thrived off of their energy and willingness to delve into their characters with me, through the costumes. We also shared an appreciation for the time period. I have been working in contemporary television for over a decade, and it was great to use a different design muscle doing a period show. ACD — Ken van Duyne

Photo: Macall Polay/HBO

I would say the most challenging and exciting part of the entire film was the Spanish Civil War, which has hardly been re-created. It was enormously important in terms of what it meant for democracy. It certainly was the prequel to the Second World War, and to actually get it right, to get it so correct that they were able to mix real footage with what we created ... was a very big challenge. But it was a wonderful challenge, incredibly exciting. A company called Cornejo, which is based in Madrid, not only had original costumes, but the grandfather—it’s a family firm—had fought against the Fascists. He had the most amazing research from the war that he shared with me. So I was enormously blessed with research and knowledge of the period, which is something I knew nothing about. This project was a love project; it was done with extraordinary passion, not only by me. It had been the director’s passion for 10 years. It was [actor] Clive Owens’s passion. It was [actor] Nicole Kidman’s passion. It was the passion of everybody that worked on this film, and it was done unbelievably quickly, in very difficult circumstances. I’ve designed several epics in my life and this was as big as any epic I’ve ever done, except it was done in an eighth of the time, on a tenth of the budget. I am enormously proud of this piece of work. Supervisor — William McPhail Illustrator — Ruth Myers

Karri Hutchinson

Tom Berenger Photo: Chris Large/History

Hatfields & McCoys

Our challenge was the breakdown. I didn’t want anything clean. It was more about building things and making them pieces of art from that time. That was the fun part. It was magical because it all pulled together. The budget was really low and we were working out of tents. We went to Transylvania and Bucharest, and the cast got in the day before. It was about getting the clothes and making them work. Everything fit and became worn in and a part of their character. We had 85 speaking parts and hundreds of background, but it had a wonderful flow to it through the entire experience.

In fittings, I basically started with the hat. So if the hat fit, we went from there. [Actor] Jim Vance had a lot of changes, starting with a fur coat. He was more of a mountain man and to make him different, we kept him in leathers and suede. But as we were shooting I toned him down, keeping him really rugged of course, but still mean looking. I wanted the audience to know who the Hatfields were and who the McCoys were, and I tried to do that through the color palate with the families. The Hatfields are in blacks, blues, and grays, whereas the McCoys are more in the earth tones: yellows, browns, and faded reds. Costume Supervisor — Adina Bucur

Outstanding Made for Television Movie or Miniseries

Judianna Makovsky Captain Morgan Black

I got a call asking if I would fly to Budapest—I would have four days to find clothes, three to fit, and three to shoot. I hadn’t done a commercial in so long, I figured why not? It’s an adventure. When I got there, they there were all A-list. At the last minute, director Marc Forster couldn’t come, so they brought in Todd Fields. I thought trading one Oscar®-winning director for another could be fun! Todd wanted to make a mini-movie shot on film. It was a terrible winter and snow had shut down all of Europe. So we got into a car and drove to Vienna. Originally, they kept giving me all these ideas with white-powdered wigs. I said, “You realize that this 18th-century Marie Antoinette wig doesn’t have anything to do with 17th-century Captain Morgan?” They wanted that look anyway. So we bargained and went in the middle—1690. There was a little mixing and matching. Then they wanted this after party, which had some amazing characters in it. Because the commercial goes so fast I had to give up what I would create in a movie, and in a way it frees you up. The supervisor of The Borgias has a little shop and it was amazing. They would just whip up clothes, taking apart other costumes then making them in to new costumes. In the course of four days, we costumed at least 200 people.

Julie Vogel

Photo courtesy Captain Morgan Black

The Most Interesting Man in the World The Most Interesting Man in the World is a James Bond, Cary Grant type. He has done everything, and is very glamorous and gentlemanly. He wears ascots, and sometimes a bow tie. In his closet is Hugo Boss and Dolce & Gabbana. I have stayed very true to his character these past seven years. The director and the ad agency are continually dreaming up different vignettes, and every year it gets bigger. I do a lot of research, and the director and I comb through it. This past year had huge scenes in the 1960s and during the running of the bulls. I usually have five principles and sometimes as many as 45 background. This year’s spots were really fun. One day, we started in Africa where he is painting a rhinoceros. Later that morning, we shot Sword Fight, and ended that night in Bali with snake charmers. The next morning, we woke up in the Middle East in the desert. I learn so much about each culture through his travels. At least one of the vignettes involves designing indigenous people; this year, we had Tibetans. I get to jump into a culture, and I am obsessed with maintaining its authenticity. It is an amazing opportunity to not only research, but to be able the talk to the people—learning what they wear, firsthand. Photo courtesy Dos Equis

Rosanne Fiedler

Capital One - Thor Couture

Photo: Eric Rosenfeld

Capital One found their footing with commercials that feature the Visigoths. The barbarians resonate with audiences because they are silly and harmless guys living in a modern world, but still holding on to their ancestry. The Couture spot focuses on a small business: an up-and-coming fashion designer, Thor Couture. I was both a fashion designer and a commercial Costume Designer and I have to say this was one of the most fun jobs I have ever done. The client wanted it to be high fashion. Because I have designed their campaigns for years, they really let me go, which is rare. After I did a round of sketches, which they approved, I created something completely from scratch, finding inspiration from W, Vogue, and British Vogue. I thought, what would be fun? I’m going to take this bone, turn it upside down, then how do I attach it to her head? Everything was made. I worked with amazing craftsmen and artisans utilizing materials in different ways. My metalsmith fabricated the spiky heels. Yes, they were pretty dangerous. I designed crazy outfits that were beautiful moving pieces of art. The models had multiple looks, which you see in the background, but they are pretty quick. I also designed the two main characters, the fabric lady, and all the other background. I loved the fact that it was shot like an actual fashion show—the white runway was lit with flames and the music was super loud!

Excellence in Commercial Costume Design 30

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

The 15th Annual

Costume Designers Guild Awards

we congratulate our clients on their nominations ExcEllEncE In PErIod FIlm

LincoLn

Joanna Johnston* ExcEllEncE In Fantasy FIlm

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Kym Barrett outstandIng contEmPorary tElEvIsIon sErIEs

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Susie DeSanto Special recognition to

Eduardo Castro CAREERcAreer ACHIEVEMENT IN TELEVISION Achievement in FiLm AWARD AwArd *Shared Representation

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Alter fashion world!

ig n a s o s tu m e D e s C y d tu S 路 n as ig n Fa s h io n D e s n d b a g d e s ig a in h d A F n a B , a e o E a rn e ry, s h ,0 0 0 -p ie c e h o o s e m il li n to ry in th e 6 is h e e s to m a m in o r 路 C tu s o ry b o u n d a ri a rc h c a e n s li e R ip c 路 is s d e s v ro s ti o n . e le c ti , a n d a n im a o ll e c ti o n 路 C n C ig y s d e d tu S ic h n Fa s h io ti o n , g ra p c o m m u n ic a p s yc h o lo g y,

Gown by: Stephen Ferradino, Class of 2010 Photo by: Volker Correll

Join the fashion revolution: mcd.woodbury.edu/fashiondesign

SNEAK PEEKS Film

einventing an icon as deeply imbedded in the American consciousness as The Wizard of Oz, as well as expanding on Adrian’s original costumes, is a breathtaking proposition. CD Gary Jones of Disney’s Oz: The Great and Powerful says simply, “This movie does not deal with all the characters from the other film. For instance, Dorothy isn’t there. In other words, we had a chance to embellish on what is already in the psyche. And I’m hoping that this brings to life some new thoughts about the other movie.” Jones found that working closely on the costumes with Michael Kutsche, a German-based artist, was “magical.” Oscar, played by actor James Franco, is the linchpin of the film, and Jones wanted to infuse his garments with heart and soul. “His costume is the same throughout, but there are little changes. Sometimes he’s very worn, and sometimes he gets a new costume. He is the constant, and I wanted it to feel like he didn’t really care about his clothes. Once he gets to Oz, he has to work just as hard as anyone else to keep his place, and then he will eventually become the character we know. It doesn’t happen in this movie, but it could.” Jones chose to look forward instead of back, and reveled in the incredible access to research, product, and techniques to create costumes, which didn’t exist in 1938. The end result is a familiar world revived with modern sensibility and vitality. Oz: The Great and Powerful hits theaters March 8.

TELEVISION

n the other end of the spectrum, little information exists about the ancient Vikings. Contrary to their barbarous image, the Vikings were a sophisticated culture. History Channel’s new nine-part scripted series Vikings focuses on drama and epic adventure in that forgotten world. In order to depict the characters, CD Joan Bergin mined museums of seventh-century gravesites for clues, and decided to focus on the fact that the Vikings were skilled weavers. She considered every possible fabric that might have existed at the time, and had her costume shop work in a similar manner. Bergin was delighted to discover some unusual sketches. “To my amazement, working women used to actually wear the most exquisite linen.” The end result is detailed garments, which eloquently evoke the world. “I’m inclined to be very character-driven,” Bergin says, “because I really quite passionately believe that that’s the success of a garment. It’s lovely to create something very beautiful, but it’s something else to build for the fight scenes, where you’re talking about very earthy people. You have to really develop the characters so they don’t all look the same, and you have to make strong individual choices for the men and women. It is a fascinating world for me to be immersed in.” Vikings premieres Sunday, March 3, at 10 p.m. on The History Channel.

Winter 2013 The Costume Designer

Some members and guests enjoy the evening: Mandi Lane, Trayce Gigi Field, Felipe Sanchez, Hazel Yuan, Joanne Hilton, Bobbie Mannix, Jason Wanamaker, Pat Welch, Bonnie Nipar, President Mary Rose, Ret Turner, Sybil Mosely, Terry Gordon, Suzanne Huntington, Chrisi Karvonides, Jackie Martines, Dana Woods, Deborah Hopper, Cendra Martel, Steve Ferry, Rhona Meyers, Luke Reiche, John Muto, Mary Vogt, Christian Cordella, Courtney Hoffman

CDG After Hours 34

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

IN FOCUS BOLDFACE NAMES

BFN - Work CD Kym Barrett will be designing the 2014 opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and ACD Stacy Caballero will be joining her. Barrett and Caballero are also working on Jupiter Ascending, the new Wachowski siblings movie, starring Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum. CD Blair Levin is designing the new series Bounce for VH1 with support from ACD Lindsey Tervo-Clemmens and supervisor Jessica Fasman. Bounce stars Charlotte Ross and Dean Cain. Levin also recently designed the pilot Terminales for Lionsgate/ ABC, which features Mary Page Keller and Barry Watson.

CD Jill Ohanneson continues her work on the series Revenge for ABC.

CD Mandi Line and ACD Nikki Weiner are not only about to start back up at Pretty Little Liars in mid-February, but still haven’t stopped since wrapping the third season last November! Line is also designing the film 10 Things I Hate About Life, starring Evan Rachel Wood and directed by Gil Junger.

ACD Liuba Randolph’s Costume Illustration paired with the costume still from Glee. ACD Liuba Randolph created new sketches for the Glee Season Four with CD Elizabeth Martucci. Costume Department for the feature film 10 Things I Hate About Life CD Mairi Chisholm and ACD Kim H. Ngo recently wrapped Gregg Araki’s new feature film White Bird in a Blizzard, based on Laura Kasischke’s novel of the same name. The film stars Shailene Woodley and Shiloh Fernandez, among many talented others. CD Christopher Lawrence is excited to be designing his first television series, Showtime’s Ray Donovan, starring Liev Schreiber and Jon Voight. The show is about a “fixer” working within the entertainment industry. CD Courtney Hoffman is designing the L.A. feature Max Rose, starring film legend Jerry Lewis. 36

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

CD Stacy Ellen Rich designs AOL’s new black comedy Playdate, where crazy mommies take center stage.The series debuted on AOL Jan. 7, 2013, and stars Stephanie Lemelin and Alicia Witt.

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CD Kristin Burke had the honor of representing Costume Designers as a contestant on the Food Network’s new show Sugar Dome in the episode “We’re Off to See the Wizard,” which aired Dec. 30, 2012. CDG members Rebecca Raleigh and Barbara Palmer were Design sculptures created by CD Kristin Burke for the Food Network’s hard at work behind the show Sugar Dome scenes getting all the contestants, presenters and judges camera-ready.

WARNER BROS.STUDIO FACILITIES

COSTUME DEPARTMENT

Congratulations to all of the

Nominees & Honorees of the 15th Annual

Costume Designers Guild Awards.

Reina, Imaginary Friends CD Bonnie Stauch recently designed the American portion of the Japanese/American joint venture feature Imaginary Friends, directed by TaiChi. Stauch also designed a commercial for Vesicare Bladder Care, starring Kristin Lindquist. Directed by Mike Goubeaux, it will air during the Golden Globes.

We thank the members of the Costume Designers Guild for their continued loyalty & support.

BFN - PRESS The Los Angeles Times fashion critic Booth Moore profiled CD Dr. Deborah Nadoolman Landis’ accomplishments as both a designer and as a stalwart advocate for greater understanding and respect for all Costume Designers.

Winter 2013 The Costume Designer

IN FOCUS BOLDFACE NAMES

Costume Designer roundtable When The Hollywood Reporter assembled its first-ever Costume Designer roundtable, CDG members and CDs Colleen Atwood, Mark Bridges, Jacqueline Durran, Joanna Johnston and Julie Weiss were invited to take part in the lively discussion. Also joining them was CD Paco Delgado.

Cabin in the Woods The website Clothes on Film’s editor Chris Laverty was on BBC’s The Film Programme discussing the inversion of horror film archetypes and how they were served by the subtext of CD Shawna Trpcic’s costume choices in Cabin in the Woods. The three variety show–inspired covers of January’s Vanity Fair comedy issue are the result of a collaboration between CD Colleen Atwood and guest editor/director Judd Apatow. The magazine’s website also features an interview with Atwood on the brainstorming and preparation for the shoot.

The Los Angeles Times article on the relationship between Costume Designers and actors features the partnerships between CD Julie Weiss and actress Toni Collette to create Peggy Robertson on Hitchcock, CD Joanna Johnston and actress Sally Field for Mary Todd Lincoln on Lincoln, and CD Mark Bridges and actress Laura Dern for Helen Sullivan in The Master. 40

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

Catherine Nash’s Closet H e l p i n g D e s i g n e r s s i n c e 1983

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IN FOCUS BOLDFACE NAMES

Actress Cobie Smulders on How I Met Your Mother

CD Trayce Gigi Field was featured in a KTLA interview for her series 2 Broke Girls.

The 2 Broke Girls, Kat Dennings & Beth Behrs

Custom made and Alterations for the Entertainment Industry

Entertainment Weekly’s PopStyle Blog featured CD Reiko Kurumada discussing how she chose and perfected the outfits for the special proposal that closed How I Met Your Mother’s midseason finale.

COSTUME CO-OP

To mark the fourth season premiere of TV Land’s Hot in Cleveland, the AARP Blog interviewed CD Lori Eskowitz-Carter on her work on the show.

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Winter 2013 The Costume Designer

IN FOCUS BOLDFACE NAMES

BFN - Festivals & Events CD April Ferry has been honored by being invited to speak at CAFTCAD, the Canadian Alliance of Film & Television Costume Arts & Design. CD James Acheson will be visiting Indiana University to deliver a Jorgensen Guest Filmmaker Lecture at IU Cinema. In conjunction with the lecture, the university will screen of Acheson’s films: SpiderMan 2, The Last Emperor, Time Bandits, and Brazil. In mid-January, the Paley Media Center will be featuring the costumes from the series 2 Broke Girls, designed by CD Trayce Gigi Field. The Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans is exhibiting CD Alonzo V. Wilson’s costume design work for the HBO series Treme, from January 24 through March 31, 2013. Treme photo by Paul Schiraldi/HBO

BFN - Honors CD Luke Reichle, star of Secrets of the Red Carpet, is named one of the five nominees in the Best Host category for the third annual Streamy Awards. Reichle’s Secrets of the Red Carpet is also in the running for Best Live Series. Also nominated for a Streamy Award is CD

Kristin Ingram, in the category of Best Use of Fashion and Design for her show The Guild. Congratulations to our Guild members for their nominations! The Streamy Awards will take place at the Hollywood Palladium on February 17 and be streamed live. Compiled and written by: Christine Cover Ferro Stacy Ellen Rich lastace@mac.com

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

SCRAPBOOK

There are many great films by which to remember the diverse talents of Costume Designer Ha Nguyen, including Swordfish, Heaven & Earth, Mozart and the Whale, The Mask, Priest, and Super 8. Most recently, she designed the pilot for the television series Revolution. Those who worked with her speak of her generosity and excitement for the process of filmmaking. She embodied a strength of character that was infectious to all around her, and inspired the very best work from her crews because she created an atmosphere of true collaboration. Working with Ha meant working with her, and not for 46

The Costume Designer Winter 2013

By Susan Nininger With Phillip Boutte

her. She managed her dedicated costume crews with grace and style. At its best, Costume Design becomes a seamless part of an actor’s performance, and Ha’s work exemplifies this relationship. The films she designed are vastly varied in style. Because her purpose was always to serve and honor the vision of the director and to support the actor’s process of transformation into a character, Ha’s work was never pigeonholed into one genre. We celebrate the life and career of Ha Nguyen. 1955–2012

The Official Magazine of the Costume Designers Guild

Costume Designers Guild Local 892窶的.A.T.S.E. 11969 Ventura Blvd., First Floor Studio City, CA 91604 costumedesignersguild.com

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