JOANNA JOHNSTON
STACY BEVERLY
Deirdra Elizabeth Govan
“PAUL TAZEWELL
MAGIC.”
PAUL TAZEWELL
EXCELLENCE IN SCI-FI/FANTASY FILM
(CONTEMPORARY FILM)
VIRGINIE MONTEL
EXCELLENCE IN COSTUME DESIGN
VANITY FAIR
“A ONE-OF-A-KIND CINEMATIC FEAT that ’s downright invigorating — both from a storytelling and craft perspective.” COLLIDER
“AN ORNATE MELODRAMA FULL OF FABULOUS COSTUMES.”
Cross: Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross, Isaiah Mustafa as John Sampson.
Photos: Amazon Studios. Saturday Night: Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Kaia Gerber as Jacqueline Carlin and
Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase. Photos: Columbia Pictures and NBC Studios. Exhibiting Forgiveness: Andra Day as Aisha and André Holland as Tarrell.
Photos: Roadside Attractions.
Paintings: Titus Kaphar. Here: Tom Hanks as Richard Young and Robin Wright as Margaret.
Photos: Sony Pictures.
COMMUNICATIONS & CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Anna Wyckoff awyckoff@cdgia.com
CREATIVE DIRECTORS
Allana Johnson allana@yokcreative.com
Turner Johnson turner@yokcreative.com
MANAGING EDITOR
Gary V. Foss garyvictorfoss@gmail.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Bonnie Nipar bnipar@cdgia.com
PRESIDENT
Terry Gordon tgordon@cdgia.com
VICE PRESIDENT
Ivy Thaide Ithaide@cdgia.com
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Brigitta Romanov bromanov@cdgia.com
ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Doug Boney dboney@cdgia.com
MEMBER SERVICES DIRECTOR
Suzanne Huntington shuntington@cdgia.com
SECRETARY
Michelle Liu mliu@cdgia.com
TREASURER
Nanrose Buchman nbuchman@cdgia.com
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Catherine Adair cadair@cdgia.com
Phillip Boutté pboutte@cdgia.com
Salvador Perez sperez@cdgia.com
Nancy Steiner nsteiner@cdgia.com
ACD REPRESENTATIVE
David Matwijkow dmatwijkow@cdgia.com
COSTUME ILLUSTRATOR REPRESENTATIVE
Oksana Nedavniaya onedavniay@cdgia.com
LABOR REPRESENTATIVE
Dana Woods dwoods@cdgia.com
BOARD ALTERNATES
Michelle R. Cole mcole@cdgia.com
Julie Weiss jweiss@cdgia.com
Daniel Selon dselon@cdgia.com
Ami Goodheart agoodheart@cdgia.com
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Cliff Chally cchally@cdgia.com
Jacqueline SaintAnne jsaintanne@cdgia.com
Barbara Inglehart binglehart@cdgia.com
Mikael Sharafyan msharafyan@cdgia.com
CDGA EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Kristin Ingram kingram@cdgia.com
BOOKKEEPER
Aja Davis adavis@cdgia.com
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Natalie Gallegos ngallegos@cdgia.com
PUBLISHER Moontide www.moontide.agency
ADVERTISING
Ken Rose 818.312.6880 kenrose@mac.com
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY
Danny Glicker & Jason Reitman Photo: Jade Greene
Communications & Creative Director
Anna Wyckoff Gary Victor Foss Managing Editor Associate Editor
Bonnie Nipar
Allana Johnson Creative Director
Turner Johnson Creative Director
William Goodman Contributor
Stacy Ellen Rich Contributor
This holiday season, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude. We are sincerely thankful that you continue to choose Western Costume to help bring your stories to life. Wishing you a joyful holiday and a prosperous New Year.
NEGOTIATIONS, CAMPAIGNS, ELECTIONS!
It’s a revolving door. As union members, we especially understand the weight and importance of raising our voices, doing the work, considering the issues, and then voting. Participation is essential in any organization. If you don’t engage at any level, you relinquish the right to complain or pass judgment. Civil discourse has sadly become a distant memory, as has civics history education. Stay informed and alert regardless of the winner. Get involved and be heard.
Our next, and all-important, IATSE movement is working with Sacramento to increase our production tax incentives. There has been a collective decline in jobs as production flees to various states and countries. Yes, our industry is global and the business we knew has changed drastically. We must be beyond competitive to keep our industry thriving in California. That relies heavily on increased tax incentives. Write to your representatives in Sacramento. We need to paper the town!
I’ve heard some people blame our recent contract gains for the loss of production. Business has been moving out of California for years, and knowledgeable crews now exist everywhere. Progress always means change. We all have to adapt. Raising our rates to an equitable level with our counterparts did not end our industry.
As a local, we offer a variety of workshops, education, and panels discussing alternative employment avenues within our scope. Please get involved and embrace these new opportunities. We want everyone to be secure and working.
On that note, we invite your participation in the Assistant Costume Designers Negotiation Committee campaigning for ACD pay parity. Our next contract negotiations must support their importance and contributions to our department and production. Please join us to help strategize and create a cohesive campaign.
Our volunteer programs are essential to the health and welfare of our members. Highlighting just a few: Marketing supports members’ deals, resources, merchandising, and branding. The all-encompassing Education Program delivered a beautiful panel at the Museum of Tolerance spotlighting Jewish costume design stories in the industry. Our DEI programs are engaging, and created a heartfelt ofrenda honoring loved ones for Día de los Muertos. Labor offered essential voting guides. Our Movie Night presented RebelWithoutaCausein collaboration with Warner Bros. and Warner Bros. Archives. We appreciate our collaborators and costume supporters, and are thrilled to embrace them.
In solidarity,
Terry Ann Gordon
Terry Ann Gordon tgordon@cdgia.com
Photo: Kelly Serfoss
for your consideration in all categories including BEST PICTURE
EXCELLENCE IN PERIOD FILM
MASSIMO CANTINI PARRINI
“
BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED
.
MASSIMO CANTINI PARRINI’s stunning gowns include chic ensembles worn at public occasions and exquisite costumes for Maria Callas’ famed stage roles, some of which the singer is seen burning as she separates herself from the past.”
a film by PABLO LARRAÍN
Dear Members,
As costume designers, assistant costume designers, and illustrators, our work breathes life into every story, helping actors define their characters and shape the story’s arc. This thread of costume design connects audiences across the ether, each piece of fabric, stitch, and design decision building a world that captivates viewers and guides them through the narrative. Our members have dedicated their careers to honing this beautiful craft, refining their skills to tell stories that resonate deeply. The artistry of costume design is a passion and a profession that enriches both the film industry and the culture of not only California but the world.
Yet our industry is facing significant challenges here in California. The heart of film and television production, our state has long been where creative visions flourish, backed by countless talented artisans who power our productions from start to finish. In recent years, however, productions have increasingly moved out of state, drawn by tax incentives that make it difficult for us to remain competitive. This shift has not only impacted our members’ livelihoods but has also rippled across local economies, affecting countless businesses of all sizes that rely on production spending—from local fabric stores and costume shops to retail stores and dry cleaners.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent proposal to raise California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program to $750 million represents a vital step toward bringing productions back home. This boost would support our members and the state’s broader economy, allowing film and television work to thrive here once again. By investing in the creative workforce, the state reinforces its role as the entertainment capital of the world and safeguards the future for the talented craftspeople who make it all possible.
Thank you, Governor Newsom, for recognizing the artistry and economic impact of California’s film industry. We are hopeful that these efforts will create opportunities for our members to continue bringing their artistry to the screen and contributing to the rich cultural legacy of our industry and California.
In solidarity,
Brigitta Romanov
Brigitta Romanov bromanov@cdgia.com
Photo: Stephanie Romanov
“AN
BY GARY VICTOR FOSS & ANNA WYCKOFF
DEIRDRA ELIZABETH GOVAN
Deeply intertwined with her love for film and passion for costume design, Deirdra Govan believes that creating art is a form of activism. As vice president of our sister local United Scenic Artists, Local 829, she chooses her projects with a discerning eye, driven by commitment to both her craft and the stories she helps bring to life. “Being of service as a union leader is in my DNA,” Govan explains. “My father was a politician and a minister, and my mother a human resources administrator. This background gave me a deep understanding of the complexities of life and the human condition. When I read the Exhibiting Forgiveness script, I was drawn in—it spoke to both the personal and the universal.”
Exhibiting Forgiveness presented Govan with a unique opportunity to not only serve the script but also Titus Kaphar’s autobiographical story in the purest, most authentic way possible. Collaborating with Kaphar, a world-renowned artist and first-time director, Govan fully immersed herself in his world. “I was familiar with Titus’ work long before reading the script. His sense of color, texture, and large-scale works inspired costumes that could seamlessly float in and out of his paintings—creating scenes within scenes, or mise-en-scène.”
Exhibiting Forgiveness: André Holland as Tarrell, Andra Day as Aisha, John Earl Jelks as La’Ron, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Joyce.
Photos: Roadside Attractions. Paintings: Titus Kaphar.
The central character, (André Holland), is heavily influenced by Kaphar’s real-life experience. Govan drew on his sophisticated personal style and appreciation for fabrication, detail, and craftsmanship.
“This isn’t a fashion film, though there are a few high-end pieces. The challenge was to make the costumes feel real and accessible while reflecting the subtle complexities of his character,” she explains.
Tarrell’s denim coveralls were custom-made, dyed, stitched, and splattered with paint to give them a sense of living vitality. His more private moments called for comfortable simplicity. “Sometimes he’s in boxer shorts and a T-shirt, because he walks right from his bedroom to his outdoor studio; other times he’s layered with painted coveralls—all inspired by what Titus wears in his own studio,” Govan shares.
As the film progresses, Tarrell’s clothing becomes more vibrant, symbolizing his personal and creative journey.
“Toward the end, he’s in canary yellow linen pants, a Japanese-engineered denim jacket, and a white piqué French-cuff shirt. I tied a handkerchief around his neck to reflect Titus’s love for fashion—a sophisticated look with a touch of eccentricity.”
Exhibiting
Forgiveness: André Holland as Tarrell, Andra Day as Aisha, John Earl Jelks as La’Ron. Photos: Roadside Attractions.
Paintings: Titus Kaphar.
Joyce (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), Tarrell’s mother, expresses her creativity through her personal style despite their working-class background. “She wears colorful clothing, funky accessories, and has her hair dyed aqua blue. Her vibrant form of self-expression is an inspiration to her son,” Govan explains. In stark contrast, Tarrell’s estranged father, La’Ron (John Earl Jelks), is homeless and disheveled, with costumes reflecting a life shaped by addiction.
Aisha (Andra Day), a musician, primarily wears loungeoriented pieces. “In the final scene, she wears one of my favorite looks—a beige textured canvas Japanese kimono, hand-dyed indigo, with detailed embroidery and an understated linen jumpsuit.”
Govan describes the experience as a collaborative dream. “Everyone was on their A-game, rallying around Titus. He approached the project with no ego—just genuine passion and joy for storytelling, and that was contagious,” she says. “During one of our final prep meetings before shooting, Titus said, ‘You are an artist, and I trust you and your process. Thank you.’”
Govan concludes, “As costume designers, we are key components of the filmmaking process, and we often have to fight to be recognized as formidable artists in our own right. This was one of the first times I truly felt respected and recognized. I was seen, and I was humbled and honored.”
Exhibiting Forgiveness: André Holland as Tarrell, Andra Day as Aisha, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Joyce, Ruth E. Carter and Deirdra Elizabeth Govan.
Photos: Roadside Attractions. Paintings: Titus Kaphar.
Do You Have Our Next Blockbuster Costume?
Do you own a piece of Hollywood history? Propstore is looking for classic, valuable costumes from legendary films and stars. Whether it’s a dazzling gown, a legendary suit, or a wardrobe piece worn by a silver screen legend, we want to hear from you.
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Titanic (1997) Rose DeWitt Bukater’s (Kate Winslet) ScreenMatched Sinking Coat
Scream (1996) Billy Loomis’ (Skeet Ulrich) and Stu Macher’s (Matthew Lillard) Screen-Matched Ghostface Costume
sold for $132,300* sold for $270,900*
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (TV Series 2022 -Present) Captain Christopher Pike’s (Anson Mount) ScreenMatched Starfleet Uniform Costume with Badge
sold for $50,400*
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I was tending bar in a jazz club the night Saturday Night debuted. The next day all my friends, many of whom were musicians or into nightlife and clubbing, were raving about it. That show changed late-night television forever. You wouldn’t think of Saturday Night as anthropological, yet it’s a study of history as much as it is creating a show. It captures a slice of New York, the characters, and honors the chaos surrounding the inception.
Up until this moment, there was a group of people who were not being spoken for. It appealed to a younger, edgier group who wanted to turn on the TV and see something that felt dangerous and spoke to them. I wanted to communicate that post-1960s hangover where people were still finding themselves and their own voices.
From beginning to the end, there’s not a second that’s not alive and exciting. What spurred your intent?
Saturday Night: Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, Matt Wood as Jim Belushi, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, and Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd.
Photos: Sony Pictures
I felt the clothes represented their souls, not just what they were wearing. I wanted to see the messiness of their existence, the pleasure of popping in and visiting these people who have been culturally important to so many of us—creating a world of high-octane realism.
All these characters and people are beloved. What did it feel like to match them historically?
Whenever I’m creating a real person, especially a character we have a history with, the idea is not to do a direct impression, but express their essence. You have to be open to the marriage between your actor and the character.
This is your sixth project with writer-director Jason Reitman. When I met him recently, he mentioned your first interview. He said, “Danny talked about the importance of choosing the right necktie for each corporate character. When he said, ‘Ties are the window to the soul!’ I knew I had the right guy.”
I designed Jason’s first movie, Thank You for Smoking, in 2005. I really love growing with him as an artist and developing a shorthand. It’s rare to return to work with the same group of people. He has been wonderful making sure each project challenges him and challenges me, forcing us to keep stretching new muscles.
With over 80 speaking characters constantly moving and overlapping, how did you make the costumes work for each scene?
I spent a lot of time creating highly detailed boards. Jason and I agreed every character had to have one iconic element from the original show that made you automatically know who they are in this nonstop barrage of human beings. A visual trick I played throughout is when we see them in dress rehearsals, I never put them in a complete costume. I wanted the audience to grapple with the tension created when something isn’t complete, by showing them the puzzle pieces but never clicking them together. That was an “aha moment” when I realized, “Oh, I can have a big part in building the visual tension of this story.”
Saturday Night: Jon Batiste as Billy Preston, Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson. Photos: Sony PIctures
IN 2019, I DIDN’T THINK ABOUT IT. I'm a stuntwoman. And I've doubled for powerful actors. But I never thought of how an unscripted scene of PTSD and abuse might tear through my family and set us adrift. In a dark time, MPTF helped us make our way back. Back to a place where the future is bright, the stunt motorcycles ride fast, and the love runs deep.
Lorne Michaels is the center of the frame. How did you decide on his look?
I had one of those “kill your darling” moments with Lorne Michaels. There was a ’60s reindeer sweater that Lorne often wears in the research, and I found the exact vintage sweater. Lorne had to be instantly recognizable, and I was convinced it had to be the hero piece. But it wasn’t right. The knitted vest, shirt, and jeans were a custom-made recreation of another Lorne Michaels look. When the vest gets pulled off for “Weekend Update,” we see he’s been in a cowboy shirt the whole time. Then the blazer goes on and it’s too big, but we don’t realize it’s not working until Chevy Chase replaces him and gets the blazer. I thought that was the perfect metaphor— everything for SNL was barely patched together.
There was a controversy over whether John Belushi’s bee outfit was working or veering into absurdism. The original designer of Saturday Night was the legendary theater costume designer Franne Lee, and the bee suits were her creation.My job was to honor her edgy vision. They were made from store-bought union suits that were dyed and painted. I had to build more than 30 ’70s-style union suits in the specific dyeable cotton. Then we had to make sure the spray-painted stripes accurately reflected the sloppiness of the original for that dodgy, dicey feel. Saturday Night: Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster, Matt Wood as John Belushi, and Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels. Photos: Sony Pictures
Tell me about the iconic bumblebee costume.
How did you enhance Gilda Radner’s wild side?
Our unlocking moment for Gilda was when we realized that everything she wore had to be in service of giving her a floppy physicality. The pants had to be slightly too big to allow the suspenders to do their job, and if I kept her in her rehearsal slippers too long, her footing was just a little bit sweeter. Her physicality needed to be a rubbery clown who was always ready to jump into a scene and invent.
How did you dress the countless background actors?
Our crew plays “the crew” for the whole film and they became beloved members. We dressed the seasoned cameramen in respectable outfits—sensible shoes, polyester pants, a collared shirt—that were in contrast to our Not Ready For Primetime Players in their dirty jeans and makeshift costumes. Jason and I wanted to tell the story of a generational clash, and to make sure that we had both groups in that room.
The audience felt like they were hanging out with friends, which was a lot of what makes that show so successful.
No matter how naughty some of our “NRFPP” were, it was important to approach each character with a sense of love and radical empathy. They needed to feel like they were unlocked so they could enter this crazy world and be unhinged. This movie is like watching a pinball machine with 10,000 balls. I had to give them the foundation to feel safe. As costume designers, that’s the thing that gives us the most pleasure—sending our actors out completely empowered.
Saturday Night: Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster and Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris. Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman. Photos: Columbia Pictures and NBC Studios
JUSTIN KURITZKES LUCA GUADAGNINO
Here: Tom Hanks as Richard Young, Robin Wright as Margaret, Michelle Dockery as Mrs. Harter, Jonathan Aris as Earl HIggins, Paul Bettany as Al Young, and Kelly Reilly as Rose Young.
Photos: Sony Pictures.
BY GARY VICTOR FOSS & ANNA WYCKOFF
HERE IS EVERYWHERE: JOANNA JOHNSTON
Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Richard McGuire, Here is the story not just of a location, but a particular view. Eras and generations appear, scene within scene, vignettes unfolding before a static camera. In her 12th collaboration with director Robert Zemeckis, Johanna Johnston tackles a story that has eight main threads interwoven across 500 years. Taking on the project was a foregone conclusion for Johnston. “I’ll do pretty much anything that Bob does because he’s a genius and breaks boundaries every time.”
After the ferns and dinosaurs of the Cretaceous period, nature gives way to inhabitants. The first humans in the scene are Native people, the Lenni Lenape. Johnston spoke to two museums specializing in the tribe, but had to build all of the garments. “We had to construct the indigenous clothing in London where the film was shot. Sourcing all the skins and smoking them in a traditional way was very interesting, and it certainly stunk out the costume department,” she chuckles. Johnston also consulted with Jacqueline West, who recently designed Killers of the FlowerMoon,regarding some details.
Soon carriages cross the screen, their occupants in frock coats and panniers. Over time, a house is constructed in front of us and another around us. The scene transforms from Edenic to colonial to suburban. As families move in and out of the house we all now occupy, we become part of the lives of several generations. All of these stories overlap and intersect. Characters and scenes artfully fade in and out of the fixed view, weaving the location into a paradigm for the triumphs and tragedies of families everywhere. With such a complex plot, the costumes help the audience recognize not just characters but their place in the timeline.
ILLUSTRATION: RICHARD MERRITT
Here: Paul Bettany as Al Young , Tom Hanks as Richard Young, Robin Wright as Margaret.
Photos: Sony Pictures.
As the 18th century dawns, we see Benjamin Franklin in a cutaway coat and tricorne and a woman with a distinct silhouette of pannier beneath her walking dress.
A house is constructed around us, and we find ourselves with the Harter family during the turn of the last century as the nation progresses from rural to the Age of Flight. Mrs. Harter (Michelle Dockery) starts in sweeping Edwardian skirts and a parasol while John Harter (Gwilym Lee) eventually dons an aviator’s outfit, which at the time might as well have been a space suit.
In the 1930s, the house becomes a home, not just a residence. Starched collars give way to the relaxed freedom of silk pajamas, and undershirts with just suspenders.
The post-WWII era arrives with the Young family. Al (Paul Bettany) and Rose (Kelly Reilly) form a routine of holidays and birthdays that covers the tumultuous ’40s and ’70s. They arrive in a tailored 1940s victory suit and an army uniform. The clothes anchor the decades like moving title cards introducing each scene.
Here: Lauren McQueen as Elizabeth Young, Tom Hanks as Richard Young, Robin Wright as Margaret. Photos: Sony Pictures.
When the house is passed down to the next generation, the film reunites Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, 30 years after Forrest Gump. The continuum features everyman Richard Young (Hanks) and Margaret (Wright), covering their betrothal, marriage, divorce, and old age. “I had to tell the evolution of that time, not only through their style but through their body shape. Tom was in padding all the way through, even at one point where he is practically his own age. For instance, when he was youthful, I gave him a strong upper body shape to go with his de-aged young face. In middle age, he gets a bit of a belly. In old age, he becomes thinner and stooped.” More than just fluency in clothing, Johnston underscores Hanks’s age by cleverly creating a silhouette beneath the silhouette.
The last family we see in the house is the Harris family, a professional African-American family navigating sociopolitical issues within the audience’s lived experience. Their contemporary, stylish costumes bring them into resonance with the post-pandemic world.
Telling a story as complex as Here was a logistical and continuity puzzle. Johnston notes that the
shooting schedule could demand three or four periods shot on the same day. “It was challenging and mental at the same time. Any given day’s shoot could be any of about 70 different datelines with principals and extras—who would do a corridor lineup outside the stages, like a quick-change—Christmas, Halloween, parties, builders, and so on. I wish I had put up a fixed camera to document the process. Honestly, everything was at 500 miles an hour.”
Here: Joel Oulette as Indigenous Man, Dannie McCallum as Indigenous Woman.
Photos: Sony Pictures.
“A
TRIUMPHANT SEASON OF TELEVISION.”
BY WILLIAM GOODMAN
BEVERLY
The first thing you’ll notice about Alex Cross (Aldis Hodge) of Prime Video’s Crossseries is his style. The adaptation of James Patterson’s bestselling and highly popular books puts the storied detective into some powerful looks, quickly conveying his sharp intellect and cunning instincts. For costume designer Stacy Beverly, having a lead as charismatic as Hodge makes it so half the work is already done—but nailing the distinctive style of this District of Columbia detective involved a quick turnaround.
Beverly met with Cross showrunner Ben Watkins—a call she was “super excited to take”—a few weeks before the holiday season 2022, only to land the job and head off to Toronto for production soon thereafter. As such, many of the boards she used in her
STACY
LISA
LOVAAS
“A VISUALLY DELIGHTFUL JOURNEY FULL OF HOPE AND WONDER.”
SCREEN RANT
interview immediately outfitted the cast as the series got underway. Of course, Beverly built it as she went, curating the pieces alongside an “amazing and supportive” Toronto crew. She confirmed that “we hit the ground running” and developed their character as the show told a narrative separate from the books.
That involved placing Hodge in extremely bold garments, including a coat bound to be the series’ signature. It was conceived by Hodge and his late friend, fashion designer Waraire Boswell. Beverly then reimagined the coat with
embellishments—the trim on the cuff and a belt buckle—which is meant to mimic both a peacoat and a noir-inspired trench. Cross and his partner, Detective John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa), frequently sport double-breasted silhouettes and darker hues to convey their power. “They are strong individuals, very intellectual,” Beverly says. “I wanted to give them an edge and pull all of it together for them.” The result is a crime thriller where half the thrill comes from one stunning look after another, thanks to Beverly’s quick thinking and leadership.
BY ANNA WYCKOFF
DONNA BERWICK 1958–2024
Costume designer Donna Berwick was born in Queens, and after receiving a BFA from the School of Visual Arts and a degree in fashion from FIT, she worked in New York fashion. Notably, she designed custom clothing for singer Grace Jones. Art was never far from her mind. She was a member of Rodeo Caldonia, an artistic collective of female creatives whose pieces were featured in Interview magazine, among other publications.
Berwick worked on Spike Lee’s early films such as Mo’Better Blues, Jungle Fever, and Malcolm X under Ruth E. Carter. Upon hearing of her passing, Carter noted, “You gave us all so much, especially me. Together we climbed mountains and made such beautiful films. Your sexy style and artistic
April Ferry
Ruth E. Carter
Rodeo Caldonia
Denzel Washington
Grace Jones
talent was infectious to everyone who met you. We all learned so much from you. You were the example of how to live life as a designer in the art world.” Berwick designed HBO’s LifeSupportfor director Nelson George and worked with Caroline Eselin on If Beale Street Could Talk. She recently received a nomination at CDGA 25 for Best Contemporary Film for Spike Lee’s Da5Bloods.
Her brother Stephan said in a recent HollywoodReporter article, “Today we lost the coolest, most magnetic, joy of life woman I’ve known, my incomparable older sister, Donna Berwick, to a return of breast cancer. She met the battle with an unrivaled tough cheer that was so ‘Donna,’ and those who knew her will know what I mean. Being around her was a lesson in joy. Being close to her was a feeling of acceptance and embrace without judgment. She lived with a fearless celebration of life without boundaries. Donna embodied the ideals of the artist she was since high school, through her career as a film costume designer.”
Photos : Courtsey of Stephan Berwick
Illustrations: Donna Berwick
Cuba Gooding Jr.
Stephan James & KiKi Layne
Tupac Shakur, Omar Epps & Khalil Kain
KhalilKain,OmarEpps, TupacShakur&JermaineHopkins
DenzelWashington&CyndaWilliams
SOPHIE MONKS KAUFMAN
