Favourite Outfits From 'House of Gucci' and How They Drive the Narrative

Director Ridley Scott's latest cinematic offering is the fashion spectacular 'House of Gucci'. It is the story of the murder of Maurizio Gucci in the 1990s by his wife, Patrizia Reggiani, a woman from humble beginnings who marries into the famous Gucci family. The movie takes the angle of her unbridled ambition which begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge -- and ultimately mariticide. As this is the story of the family Gucci, it's no surprise that the film is a fashion catwalk from beginning to end awash with 80s and 90s Italian style - from the outright gaudy to the classic. Costume Designer, Janty Yates, had unprecedented access to the Gucci archives, but the movie is much more than a Gucci showcase. Pieces from Valentino, YSL, Ungaro, Alaia, Cesare Attolini, Lady Gaga's (who plays the scheming Reggiani) own pieces as well as her own designs all weave their way into the movies narrative, defining key moments and speaking volumes where words do not suffice. Here I pick some of my favourite outfits from the movie.

Maurizio Gucci in a polo-neck and blazer

Unfortunate protagonist and heir to the Gucci throne Maurizio Gucci is the straight man of the movie, and the fashion antagonist to his wife's often gaudy wardrobe. When romancing working class girl Patrizia at the beginning of the movie, posh-boy Maurizio, takes his future wife on a boat ride, wearing a totally unsuitable for the occasion, but very classy, polo neck and blazer. It might be a look that in recent years has been hijacked by the Only Way Is Essex boys - who love the polo-neck's unforgiving nature and stretch, in order to show off their 3 x a day gym workouts, but it's a look that's been going strong since the 60s. Maurizio's version of the combo is a bulkier version of the sweater in cream, and he wears it with a classic navy jacket with gold buttons.

Patrizia Gucci nee Reggiani at Aldo's ranch

On marrying into the Gucci family, Patricia is invited to uncle Aldo's ranch to meet the family's prized cows which are turned into the leather goods that make the Gucci clan's fortune. In a perfect example in how to dress for the occasion, Patricia opts for a beautiful sky blue shirt dress with full skirt and laser cut, scalloped hem. The gorgeous dress is cinched in at the waist with a tan leather belt and she accessorises with cowgirl style boots and a matching bag. Her up-do and make-up are pure Sophia Loren. This is probably my favourite outfit in the movie for it's simplicity and the beautiful shape of the dress. Gorgeous.

Paolo Gucci in his bird kimono

Comedic relief is provided by the flamboyant nephew, Paolo Gucci, whose bombast and grand plans to become a world renowned fashion designer are unfortunately not matched by the Gucci talent. Duped by the scheming Patricia and his cousin Maurizio who has fallen under Patrizia's spell, Paolo plots with Maurizio in a phone conversation to reveal his father's tax fraud in order to force his father to finally take him seriously. 'I could finally soar' Paolo exudes, 'like a pigeon'. The next scene cuts to Paolo tending his pigeons on the roof in the most beautiful orange and cream silk kimono with bird pattern. We then see Paolo on the phone to his father, decrying his need for freedom and how he will no longer be held back - all the while wearing his kimono with the flying birds.

Aldo Gucci in his squash whites

When Aldo is arrested at the gym whilst playing squash, he is of course, not in one of his power suits, but an all white gym outfit. The crisp white Lacoste polo shirt with matching white sweatbands for the wrist and head and his eye goggles, have something of the Richie Tenenbaum about them. Aldo is all in white as he is the proverbial lamb to the slaughter. As he is marched out of the gym by the FBI, it is they, not he who are in the power suits he normally favours. He does however, wear the coolest retro velour Fila zip up tracksuit top in red/navy. If you're going to have a very public arrest, make sure you're dressed your best for those pap snaps.

Maurizio Gucci in predatorial black Lacoste

After Aldo's arrest, we cut to the guilty duo -  Paolo and Maurizio who have just thrown their father\Uncle in prison. Maurizio, the instigator of the betrayal, is wearing a black version of his Uncle's white Lacoste polo shirt, reminding us who is predator and prey, although Maurizio wears his black polo shirt with classic chinos indicating he is still a geek at heart. Would he have made such machinations against his Uncle without Patrizia whispering in his ear? The suggestion is no. He is still the clean cut lawyer underneath it all, but the black to Aldo's white suggests he has, albeit temporarily, been turned over to the dark side.

Paolo Gucci, the deluded clown

When Paolo staggers down the Gucci runway, aghast at his father's sentencing, his outfit is a mish-mash of fantastical colours and patterns. He wears a black and green suit with a pink shirt and beige pattern tie and tops it all off with an orange flower in his lapel. It's a masterclass in clashing colours - a ridiculous outfits that somehow works. There is no way Paolo would have plotted against his father were he not persuaded by Maurizio, who in turn was convinced by Patrizia. The suggestion is Paolo, the clown, in his ridiculous outfits, is just not bright enough to plot against his own family to get what he wants, nor is he hateful enough. It slowly becomes clear, that the Gucci family are collapsing from within, and all roads lead back to Patrizia.  

Patrizia hits the ski slopes in prophetic blood-red

When Patrizia, Maurizio and Maurizio's soon to be lover (Paola Franchi) all meet up on the ski slopes as the strained couple holiday with Maurizio's upper class friends, the ski outfits the two female adversaries are wearing are an indicator of the power play going on on the slopes.

The top-to-toe blood-red outfit Patrizia wears, is not only a power move on her part, but also an indicator of the bloodshed to come. From the animal pelt hat on her head, to the brilliant red skintight jumpsuit she wears, Patrizia looks like she is wearing raw meat (Gaga's meat dress?) - this is not a woman to be messed with, and she gives this warning to Paola literally through her words, and figuratively through her chosen clothes.When we compare Patrizia's OTT ensemble, from her gaudy jewels to the red of the ski-suit and the fur, on her head, and contrast it with the snow white outfit, simple jewels and make up free face, of Maurizio's mistress, the opposing outfits speak volumes. Not only is Paula no match to the dangerous 'woman in red - she is - in her sacrificial white - another lamb to the slaughter, or at the very least, another hapless victim Patrizia will not allow to get in her way.

Paolo's decline

After realising he is responsible for his father's jailing 'It wasn't meant to go this far!', we next see the tragic Paolo Gucci as his father is released from jail, no longer living a life of luxury, but instead in a small flat, cluttered with dirty dishes and Paolo clearly in a state of mental decline. No longer dressing in the gaudy but expensive suits he has designed for himself (in fact all of Jared Leto's suits bar one in the movie were the work of famed Neapolitan tailors Cesare Attolini) but instead we see him bedecked in gaudy shell suits. Again, the clothes in the movie are indicators of a character's mental state. Here, the choice of outfit indicate Paolo's life, wealth and mental stability have all taken a massive downturn. When father and son finally reunite and reconcile, father Aldo, hugs his son and tells him 'You are an idiot, but you are my idiot.' Poor Paolo is the family fool. And his clown clothes reflect this.   

The lover

When Maurizio's new lover, Paola, is at his swanky new apartment it is now the 90s and Patrizia, along with her gaudy 80s outfits and tacky grandiosity are clearly a thing of the past. Paola is presented to us as a 90s  It-girl - uptown to Patrizia's downtown. Her style is all clean lines, understated (but still expensive) jewellery, tasteful make up and hair. Her slinky black dresses and blond blow out contrast sharply with Patrizia's dark bouffant and heavy 80s aesthetic. Even her make up is in stark contrast to Patrizia's - there is no kohl or sexy winged liner and Dynasty red lips. Paola is all about the no-make-up make up look. 

Paola's look in the movie is reminiscent of another tragic 90s female figure -  Jacqueline Bessette-Kennedy, who worked at and was muse to Calvin Klein and whose understated elegance inspired a legion of fans who coveted her and what they presumed was her privileged lifestyle. 

The couch

A special mention goes out to the red lips love seat. The couch that Maurizio jokes 'cost more than most people's apartment in Monte Carlo' and that Paola ought to be 'a little scared' of - shows a new side to Maurizio. He is no longer inexperienced and afraid of women as he was when he first met Patrizia at the beginning of the film - he is no longer the frightened wallflower. In fact, perhaps Patrizia has left a little bit of a mark on her ex-husband. No longer afraid of, or intimidated by his wealth or name as he was at the beginning of the film, here we see a more confident Maurizio. He is unafraid to spend his money (partly gained let's not forget, through the duplicity and help of Patrizia).  

Patrizia plots mariticide

While Maurizio and his new lover are spending the 90s living like minor royalty in their swanky upmarket apartment, we see Patrizia, in full-on revenge mode, knocking around on the wrong side of town. Maurizio may be ridiculously wealthy and may have got his hands a little dirty to get where he is, but the suggestion is that he is no Patrizia. When we next see Patrizia, she is with her gypsy friend and psychic, (played by Salma Hayek). They are both kitted out in skintight jeans and high heeled boots. Patricia wears a tough biker jacket and hasn't seemed to have adapted to the new decade and it's less ostentatious aesthetic. Her hair and make up still scream 80s and her outfit errs on the trashy side. This is the outfit she wears to negotiate with the hitmen she hires to murder her ex husband. Patrizia is a tough cookie from a poor background - certainly not afraid of the hitmen. She is a woman who  has clawed and fought her way up the social ladder and isn't willing to let go of what she has achieved without a fight. Even a Gucci with newly found confidence and years of generational wealth behind him is no match for the Patrizia's of the world. 

Conclusion

My ultimate view of the movie? The fashions are great, but ultimately, it's a two-dimensional, misogynistic and hackneyed portrayal of a woman who sees herself as having lost everything she has worked for. The 'crazy ex wife kills her husband and manages to single-handedly bring down the men of the Gucci clan, but ultimately destroys herself' reminds us of that other 80s 'crazy jealous woman trope  - Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. It's a shame we never saw more from Patrizia's character than that of an unhinged gold-digger. Maybe there isn't more to her character? But one can't help but feel a little dissatisfied at Hollywood somehow blaming a woman for every man in an entire clan's downfall, and yet still not managing to flesh her out as a fully-fledged, rounded human being. Who was Patrizia Reggiani? You won't find out from watching 'House of Gucci'.

Clothes 8/10

Movie 5/10

Fashion and Styling in The Soprano's Prequel, 'The Many Saints of Newark'.

A young Tony Soprano, his father Johnny Soprano and new character, Harold.

The Many Saints of Newark, The Sopranos long anticipated prequel is set amid the race riots of 1967 and as such features a raft of new characters to conceive and to dress. But how does one imagine what already well-established and much-loved characters were like and dressed as before we came to know them on our television screens? One of the many features of what made The Sopranos one of the greatest television shows of all time, was it's incredible focus on the finer details - one of which was the clothing each character wore and what it subtly revealed about their personality at any given time. Costume Designer, Juliet Polcsa took great care ensuring the characters' outfits were not stereotypical, but instead nuanced and filled with personality. From Christopher's tracksuits to Carmella's pantsuits to Tony's silk short sleeved shirts, no detail was left to chance.

The Many Saints of Newark had big boots to fill in the costuming department, and Amy Westcott, the film's Costume Designer, does not disappoint.

Giuseppina arrives from Italy

The Sopranos authenticity was one of its hallmarks, and getting the costuming right without it coming off as caricature was an essential ingredient in what made it such compelling viewing. Too many mob movies have gone overboard with the costuming and the result has been a pastiche on Italian'American culture rather than a true depiction. From the opening scenes, The Many Saints of Newark nails the costuming. From the men's suits to the women's beautifully crafted late 60s fashions, the film feels utterly authentic. When Giuseppina is greeted from the boat from Italy full of hopes of the American dream, she is a perfect picture of freshness and charm. Her yellow floral dress and wide brimmed hat contrasts sharply with the expensive suits of the men who have come to greet her. Her innocence crossed with their more worldly, cynical look is perfectly visible in the choice of outfit.

In discussion regarding how she chose to depict such iconic characters as Silvio and Tony as young men, Amy says she tried "to take elements of their personality, and colours, and things like that. Each one of them had a colour palette and that was what kept to them. And also kept them in line with their character. So, I watched over all the shows and pulled out colours that I thought could translate into their past, so that it would be a little bit quicker [to recognise them]. And it was also what kind of things made them who they were on the show, whether it be just sweater choices or tie choices."

A young Tony and Carmella

Tony is not yet the feared mobster we come to recognise in The Sopranos. He is a naive teenager who is reluctant to even accept stolen goods into his home. He dreams of being a football player, although his family hint he might not be good enough. There is a softness and innocence to his character in The Many Saints of Newark. As Amy states: "Because he’s still sort of sweet. And you have to see that. You still have to empathize with him. I mean, even though you did on the show. You empathized with Jim [James Gandolfini] as Tony, you had to see that soft side as he grew. So, I think it was important to have that. And it subtly kept him youthful with stripes and flares and things where he was just fitting in with kids his age, and not Tony, the mob boss."

Livia and Johnny Soprano

The idea of 'dressing to represent' is evident in the movie. As second generation immigrants, dressing well, dressing more expensive than you can afford is something that is clearly important to the characters and would have been authentic to working-class immigrants of the day. Amy says "they dress much more expensively than they live. And they have nice clothes and nice cars a lot of the time. And it was because they’re representing. It’s a nice watch and a nice ring, but they live in a regular house and their wives dressed fairly, not extravagantly. And that was a conscious choice. We just wanted to keep them really, really grounded because this was a world that existed. It’s not some sort of fantasy. People know the next-door neighbour or whatever in Newark who was like this. And really this flash existence probably happened later, maybe in the ’80s, but we weren’t doing that.

Their heroes were Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. And they emulated them, even going into the ’60s and ’70s, when that stuff wasn’t fashionable anymore. Sharkskin suits and things like that, they went away fashion-wise. But these guys kept that, I think, well into the ’80s. Actually, probably even now."

Suited and booted John and Dickie

The main protagonist of The Many Saints of Newark, is father of Christopher, Dickie Moltisanti. As he does not feature in The Sopranos, the costumer designer had carte blanche on how she wanted to depict him. All his suits were custom made by Manhattan tailors, Gilberto's and all his shirts tailored by Carl Goldberg. Amy was particularly focused on the dual nature of his character. Dickie Moltisanti is at once the happy-go-lucky nice guy mobster who protects his mother in law from her violent husband, but at the same time a violent sociopath prone to fatal bursts of temper. As his character and mental state becomes darker throughout the movie, so do the colours of his suits. 

"He is this guy who’s so charming and so likeable, yet really complex. And he has strictly two sides to him. And we had to work on the veneer, the outside layer that everybody sees. And he worked really hard to make sure his outward appearance was this very important money guy, very high on the ladder.

I think, with him, a lot of it was staying lighter with the colours. The colours got darker as we went along, because his character got darker and his brain got darker. But in the beginning, it was very happy-go-lucky. That’s his whole attitude and demeanour. But always the bit of shine and the pocket square. And everything was always very together with him. So keeping him really looking good all the time."

The Sopranos universe always has a keen sense of Italian-American style

Regarding what the man of today can learn from the styling of the characters of The Many Saints of Newark, Amy suggestes the following: "I would say that the cut on a ’50s and ’60s suit, that’s the more tapered — and I don’t mean fitted, just tapered and a thin lapel — always looks classic. And I think it’s a beautiful look on most men. A nice flat-front pant. It’s a timeless look with a white shirt that I think men always look really, really good in a one- or two-button thin lapel. A well-fitted suit goes a long way.

The quarter break is perfect. I wish people would stop going so much further than that. And I also think that tailoring is everything. So you could get a cheaper suit and just have it tailored, and it will look great. 

Tailoring is the bottom line.

Amy Westcott quotes from 'inside Hook' interview.              

What the Vampires are Wearing in comedy vampire mockumentary series 'What We Do In The Shadows''

 If you're a fellow vampirophile, like myself, you will already have watched the first two seasons of vampire mockumentary comedy series 'What we do in the Shadows.' Based on the film of the same name created by Taika Wakiki and Jermaine Clements, the comedy series follows a similar premise. A den of vampires share a flat in upstate New York (the original movie was set in Melbourne and was based around a flatshare of three male vampires). The series has the brilliant addition of female vampire 'Nadja' played by Natasha Demetriou, a Greek vampiress who has some of the best lines and costumes in the show.

The budget of season 3 appears to have increased with the shows popularity, and with it, the set design, special effects and costumes.

Laura Montgomery has worked on the show since the first season and was promoted to Costume Designer for season 3. 

So how do you decide how to dress a vampire? The obvious choice is to go the Christopher Lee route - the 1950s and 60s version of a vampire - essentially the dark slicked back hair, the black trousers with a white shirt, and most importantly, the cape. This can be lined with a red silk or plain black, but is always long and high collared. Alternatively, there is the vampire trope of someone who is stucks in the fashion era of the year that they they died and were made a vampire, despite possibly having lived through multiple decades since. This is the clothing style followed by the vampires of 'Shadows' - and particularly in the film - is used to much comic effect as the vampires are shown to be completely out of touch with the fashions of the day and oblivious of how ridiculous they look 'out on the town and on the pull' in outfits from 100s of years ago. In the series, noone seems to notice that the vampires are dressed rather strangely, allowing them to swan about Staten Island and even Atlantic City dressed in their traditional regalia.

Colin the Engergy Vampire

As Laura Montgomery states "It’s a brilliant concept, vampires in a mockumentary format, living in Staten Island, New York! Each character comes to Staten Island with a unique background. Nandor The Relentless is from the fictional kingdom of Al-Quolanudar in Southern Iran and a warrior serving the Ottoman Empire; Laszlo Cravensworth was an English Nobleman, and Nadja is a Romani vampire." Colin, also a new concept introduced to the series is an 'energy vampire' - a less traditional vampire. He is able to walk about in daylight and is younger than the other vampires (100 years old we find out). As he is better able to assimilate, he dresses in a more 'modern' style of the 1940s and 50s - the era when he would have been a young man. Always in different shades of beige (Colin is meant to drain people of their energy by 'boring' them to death) season 3 sees his normal dull pullover and pant sets replaced with some beautifully tailored 40s cream suits.

Al Qualanadar ruler, Nador (centre)

Nandor, the ex ruler of fictional Persian state no longer in existence, 'Al Quloanudar' has perhaps the most cultural influence on his outfits. Laura researched the silhouette and textile designs of 1400s Persia. Laura states "I found it really fascinating last year [season 3] I did a lot of research into Nandor’s background, and I really wanted to make him as authentic as possible. So I started looking up Persian textiles and a lot of art from that period. I visited a museum in Toronto called the Agha Khan, where they currently have a great exhibition showcasing paintings of this Iranian epic poem. The kings in those dynasties started to get interested in illustrating the poem, so there were many illustrated versions commissioned around the 1400s. So I’ve been looking at those images to bring inspiration, even some of the colors. I was surprised by the way they would wear things the silhouettes."

Nadja and Lazlo, vampire power couple

Jermaine Clement stated that he always wanted vampire couple, Nadja and Lazslo to be matching. "We would bend over backward to do it, and then sometimes people wouldn't even notice. It's always a challenge because usually I'll find an amazing Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) fabric, and then it will be a struggle, like with Nadja's peacock outfit for Episode 3. How do we make peacock masculine for Laszlo (Matt Berry)? We use the same wool that we used for her coat, but we dyed the color a little bit deeper. And then this season, it's the same thing, especially with the talking heads. I'll always try to make them look matching as much as I can because I want to honor Jemaine's initial request and vision. But you know, I have to say it is fun when they have scenes when they're not together and we can go a bit crazier on each of them." 

With regard to their backgrounds and the information she has to work with, Laura says, "Laszlo has a Victorian feel to him; we think he got turned in the mid-1800s. He’s from England, and Nadja has that Greek-ish background. Her story’s a little bit looser. She was born in, I think, the 1600s, but we go a little more Victorian with her as well. The show is contemporary, so that’s when they were born, but we have the freedom to use elements from the 80s – they’ve lived through all the decades. We can say, oh, they picked up this piece when they were clubbing in the 90s, or they picked up something you know they’ve got all these collected pieces."

Guillermo, Season 3

And what of Guillermo? The vampire-hunter familiar/bodyguard, ancestor of Van Helsing who is desperate to be made a vampire by his master, Nandor. Harvey Guillen who plays Guillermo is the beating heart of the show (literally). As a familiar, he started out in cosy jumpers and chino trousers, but as he's gained confidence and realised who he is, has started dressing in a more sophisticated fashion, aligning himself more with the vampires.

"He’s always wanted to be a vampire, and this is something that Harvey has brought to the table. Because he wants to be a vampire, Harvey always wants to bring in this idea that Guillermo is trying to dress the part.

The trench coat is something that was introduced in season two. When he had to do the fighting, that was his Van Helsing moment. Because he’s now the bodyguard, we had to toughen them up even more. We introduced waistcoats! We’re trying to keep him that soft and cuddly and Guillermo,  but at the same time, he is the bodyguard now. So he has a leather waistcoat with his Bandelier of detachable stakes."

Fashionista vampire, The Guide

Perhaps one of the most interesting characters fashion-wise is Kristen Schall's 'The Guide' aka 'The Floating Lady.' When we were first introduced to her character, in her French hood and veil with her, flowing peroxide locks, she looked perhaps the most iconic version of a bride of Dracula. Laura Montgomery states that from this representation, "I just decided; she’s obviously a fashionista. So for this season, she has a whole closet because she’s in, I think pretty much every episode. I wanted to play with the silhouettes – she has a lot of structure with a mix of 1600s meets very modern. There were a lot of designer influences – a lot of Alexander McQueen and Gareth Pugh." The Guide most certainly has a touch of Lady Gaga about her. 

Seasons 3 of What We Do In The Shadows can be viewed on BBC iplayer

Costume Designer, Debra Hanson, Talks Dressing Schitt's Creek Fashion Queen and Matriarch, Moira Rose

 Moira Rose, the peerless once-wealthy Rose family matriarch on Pop TV’s hit comedy “Schitt’s Creek,” is an over-the-top television style icon for the ages.

Costumed by longtime Canadian designer Debra Hanson (Emmy-nominated with her assistant, Darci Cheyne), the multiwigged Moira is played to quirky perfection by Catherine O’Hara.

With guidance from showrunner and costar Daniel Levy, O’Hara leaned in to the campy Moira to offer Hanson and her team inspiration for the onetime soap star’s oddball couture as she and her family settled into Schitt’s Creek, the small town the Roses once purchased as a joke and their only asset after a business associate left them penniless.

“Moira puts great care into how she presents herself; she wants the world to see who she really is, which is, of course, an off-centered target,” says O’Hara. “I suggested Daphne Guinness [British heiress and high-fashion icon] as inspiration for Moira’s look but otherwise just stood there while Debra and her team and Daniel put me together in the most beautiful, formidable and hysterical way. “Johnny’s [Eugene Levy] impeccable suits and Moira’s wearable art tell everyone that these people are not going to give up who they think they are while being furloughed from their rightful positions,” she adds.

“I have to say there was a great deal of laughter in the fittings with Catherine O’Hara,” notes Hanson. “She tried everything, and by her response to it we always knew: ‘Nah, this isn’t quite it,’ or ‘Oh, my God.’ Most of the time, it was ‘Oh, my God. Put more.’”

Dan Levy also credits O’Hara with both Moira’s look and the vibrant and collegial experience. “I can’t pinpoint what exactly it is about Catherine that makes literally anything from a wig worn backwards to a complicated, high-fashion piece from Raf Simons work,” he says. “Fittings with Catherine were always fun because we could really experiment, and the weirder things got, the better she looked. We had this saying during her costume fittings that when it comes to Moira Rose, more is more. Too much is never enough. I’ll miss those mornings.”

Read full interview here

The Costumes in 'Judas and the Black Messiah' Offer Us a History Lesson in Social Justice

L–R: Bobby Rush (Darrell Britt-Gibson), Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), Jake Winters (Algee Smith), Jimmy Palmer (Ashton Sanders) and Judy Harmon (Dominique Thorne).

 "There are a lot of people anticipating his story being told," says "Judas and the Black Messiah" costume designer Charlese Antoinette, about the gravity and expectation involved in bringing the story of Illinois Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton to the screen. 

Starring Daniel Kaluuya as the charismatic 21-year-old community leader, the movie recounts the events leading up to Hampton's assassination by the FBI, Chicago P.D. and Cook County State's Attorney's Office on Dec. 4, 1969 — and the ultimate betrayal by teenage informant William O'Neal (Lakeith Stanfield)

Antoinette jumped right into the Shaka King-directed project (which was co-produced by Ryan Coogler). She and King have been friends and colleagues since his 2012 stoner comedy "Newlyweeds" (and the 2017 satirical short "LaZercism," also starring Stanfield), and she had a head start on late-'60s civil rights movement research from designing the Spike Lee-produced sci-fi racial justice film, "See You Yesterday." So, she eagerly dove straight into examining Hampton's life, work and legacy.

Antoinette immediately found herself invigorated and inspired by her findings, which include photos of civil rights figures like Illinois BPP chapter co-founder and future Congress member Bobby Rush (played by Darrell Britt-Gibson in the film) organizing and protesting, as well as images of quotidian city life, especially those by photographer John H. White's of Chicago's South Side. She also studied many documentaries like "FBI's War on Black America" and "Death of a Black Panther: Fred Hampton," which showed Hampton and comrades establishing the Illinois chapter, building a neighborhood clinic, running the Free Breakfast for Children Program and meeting with leaders of the city's fellow oppressed groups.

                                                Stanfield as Bill O'Neal discussing the scene with King.

The first time the electrifying Kaluuya hits the screen as Chairman Fred, he's addressing and galvanizing a group of college activists, including his future partner Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback). "It was really important that his looks are really grounded in and based off of the actual photographs we have with him," says Antoinette.

She took inspiration from footage of Hampton — sitting at a table giving one of his rousing talks to a rapt audience — wearing a brown corduroy jacket and a camo bucket hat. To emulate the look and feel, Antoinette "searched high and low" for a similar "duck hunting" hat and found a rich cinnamon-brown vintage jacket with suede panels on the lapels. She allowed a bit of creative freedom for the sake of filmmaking, though: "It's just a little bit more dynamic than the one the actual Chairman Fred wore — the lapels are bigger, the colors a little bit more vibrant," she says. 

Throughout her research, Antoinette also discovered that Hampton regularly relied on "key elements" to maintain his own "utilitarian" uniform, including Clarks boots and white T-shirts tucked into military-style trousers. "Especially as he was organizing and protesting, he wore a lot of these mock-neck turtlenecks," she adds. 

Reflecting Hampton in real life, King was "really adamant" that Kaluuya only wear the black beret in specific situations. "He only wore a beret when he was with his comrades and they were doing official business," explains Antoinette.

The movie progresses further into 1969, with Hampton's influence and community unification work on the rise, and J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen)'s FBI even more intent on quashing the unifying "Black messiah," as the Fed Director says. As he becomes more determined and world-weary, Chairman Fred's wardrobe deepens and matures into the iconic long black leather jackets and dark shirts (above). "My PA and I actually sat on the floor and put photographs in chronological order, just based off of his facial hair and how he looked," Antoinette remembers, who also consulted the rare date stamp. "We just figured out by deductive reasoning."

Read full article here

Talking Freddie Mercury Fashion with Bohemian Rhapsody's Costume Designer

Still from Bohemian Rhapsody

Capturing the sound, spirit and style of Freddie Mercury and Queen, in a film like Bohemian Rhapsody, is a mammoth task, especially when it comes to getting the details right. Queen was legendary, and their scrupulous fans – who will soon be in attendance in cinemas – will never forget it.

Many will pay attention to the music featured in the film, while others will cast a careful eye on the clothing worn by the actors who play Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon. After all, Queen’s outfits went hand in hand with their music and formed a large part of their rock and roll identity. The mighty task of assembling the wardrobe fell to costume designer Julian Day, whose credits include the Joy Division biopic, Control, and the upcoming Elton John film, Rocketman.

Freddie Mercury once said: “The whole point of Queen was to be original.” How much did Day honour that vision and how meticulous was he with specifics and research? Another Man had the opportunity to ask him about his integral role behind the scenes, plus some sartorial insights about Queen and the “dual sides” of Mercury.

Read more here

How Harry Potter Costume Designer Jany Temime Created a World of Magic Through Clothing

Jany Temime

It would be impossible for me to quantify my attachment to the world of "Harry Potter," just as I recognize is the case for a great number of you reading this. It's been six years since the final film came out and 10 since the last book was released; come June 26, "Harry Potter" officially turns 20, a fact that ages me more than any number of birthday candles ever could.

When I meet Jany Temime, the costume designer who came on board for "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" and stayed for the remaining six movies, I lose any cool I normally inhabit during interviews. I partially expect for her to deliver a response bordering on ambivalence — can you imagine how many times a day she hears the same fan-backed fervor? — but instead, she smiles. "At the time, I didn't realize how important it was," she says. "Thank God, because if [I had] I would have been completely paralyzed and incapable of doing anything. It's now that I realize what a nerve it [hit]."

Temime grew up in Paris in the 1960s and 1970s and spent her Saturdays at the studio of her parents' ready-to-wear company, designing sweaters on the side for pocket cash. She never had an inclination to go into the family business, at least directly; costume design was the only profession she ever entertained and now has the award-laden resume to show for it. While "Harry Potter" — or simply "Potter," a very Malfoyian way of speaking — remains her calling card, she's headed up costumes for such Bond films as "Spectre" and "Skyfall," as well as "Gravity," where she reunited with Alfonso Cuarón, who brought her into the "Harry Potter" universe back in 2004. She's also an ambassador for professional art and drawing supplier Prismacolor, which she regularly uses to sketch her work, relying on the soft-core colored pencils and the bold color selection to bring her visions to life on paper.

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Lou Eyrich, costume designer of American Horror Story gives the scoop on the shows killer looks

Gaga in AHS

Dedicated fans of American Horror Story have longtime been obsessed with the series not only for its exciting (and absolutely frightening) storylines, its complex characters and the insanely talented actors behind them, but also because of the magnificent wardrobe design.

With costumes birthed from themes ranging from colorful circus freaks to couture-dressed witches, the horror anthology series has cemented itself as one of the most stylish shows in all of TV’s history — all thanks to Lou Eyrich.

The Emmy award-winning costume designer has been behind the wardrobe since the series debut, as well as last season’s Scream Queens, Glee, and even the beloved late ‘90s comedy, Popular.

In celebration of the Blu-ray and DVD release for Hotel, we spoke to Eyrich about her inspiration for Lady Gaga’s stylish murderess, which costumes were the most challenging, and the “fashion witch” trend that is still prevalent three years after Coven first aired.

Interviewer: You’ve done so many themes and costumes throughout the seasons of American Horror Story. Which ones were your favorite, and which ones were the most challenging?

Lou Eyrich: I loved doing Hypodermic Sally because it was so different from Sarah Paulson’s other characters, and I just love how Sarah embraces her characters every season. We have a lot of fun collaborating so that was one of my favorites. There’s of course Dennis O Hare’s character, Liz Taylor, who was really fun. And then, of course, the Countess was both terrifying and terrific because there was so much involved in it, so many changes. I didn’t get to see Gaga until a few days before we shot so it was very challenging, but very rewarding.

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