Romantic, heartbreaking, comedic and/or thrilling tales on the massive and small-screens have impressed us to possibly strive a brand new delicacies, discover a brand new vacation spot or take an enormous danger all through our lives. Equally, transformative storytelling has impressed younger creatives to pursue a profession in costume design.
From consolation watches to cinematic classics, the present class of working costume designers have been formed by a variety of TV and movie initiatives formed. Now, they’re those bringing their factors of view to the sector, they usually’re in a position to pay homage to people who opened their eyes to the career within the first place.
“In ‘FP2: Beats of Rage,’ I designed and constructed all the things from the bottom up, all from reclaimed supplies and doll elements. Somebody in contrast the light-up headdresses and silhouettes the Ninjawa characters wore to Miyazaki cartoons — simply that reference made my coronary heart sing,” says Sarah Trost, costume designer for “The Righteous Gems.”
Forward, 17 movie and tv costume designers share the on-screen second that pushed them to pursue their the profitable careers they’ve as we speak — and in flip encourage us to experiment with a brand new type, creatively cosplay for Halloween or possibly have a go on the job ourselves.
Salvador Perez (“Hocus Pocus 2,” “By no means Have I Ever,” “The Mindy Mission”)
“Nolan Miller’s work on ‘Dynasty’ (1980-1989) and ‘The Love Boat’ (1977-1985) made me notice somebody needed to put all these garments collectively, and I began listening to actors’ costumes. Then, watching ‘Flashdance’ (1983) starring Jennifer Beals actually intrigued me — Michael Kaplan’s work was inspiring. I took a design job on a TV film as a result of Jennifer Beals was in it and I wished to work together with her and discuss in regards to the movie. We turned nice mates and she or he signed a film standee from ‘Flashdance’ to me that claims, ‘You’re a vivid shining gentle in a trend wilderness full of darkness.’ It is one in every of my most cherished possessions.
“After I designed ‘4 Weddings and Funeral,’ the Mindy Kaling collection, she wrote a scene the place the characters dressed up as their favourite characters from romantic comedies, so I used to be in a position to pay homage to so many basic costumes I grew up watching. The most effective half: I used to be in a position to name the unique costume designers and get ideas from them.”
Molly Rogers (“And Simply Like That,” “Murphy Brown,” “Intercourse and the Metropolis 2”)
“I liked ‘The Munsters’ (1964). They wore the identical factor day by day — it was so impactful. I liked ‘Mommie Dearest’ (1981) and swoon over the costumes by Irene Sharaff in that film (and the drag one-liners!) ‘Overboard’ (1987) with Goldie Hawn … Camp! Camp! Camp! So impressed. I’ve payed homage by heightening costumes on ‘And Simply Like That.’ An excellent instance is Nicole Ari Parker on the development website scene within the Moschino safari outfit. Excessive! There is a humorousness.”
Whitney Anne Adams (“Three Months,” India Sweets and Spices,” “Freaky”)
“I received actually sick in highschool with a hereditary blood dysfunction proper across the time the Baz Luhrmann movie, ‘Moulin Rouge’ (2001) got here out on DVD. I fell in love with it the primary time I noticed it. This movie saved me sane whereas I used to be out and in of the hospital. I watched it day by day for six months! Watching ‘Moulin Rouge’ distracted me from that anxiousness and ache, and allowed me to flee right into a incredible fantasy world. A lot of the effectiveness of that has to do with the visuals and the design. It is nonetheless my favourite movie to this present day, and the costumes by Catherine Martin and Angus Straithe are breathtaking. Wanting again, I feel that was the massive first step on the trail to my profession.
“By way of a fancy dress design contest that I gained for the movie ‘Australia,’ I ultimately set to work for Martin and Luhrmann, and was on their design staff for a few years. I nonetheless cannot consider that each one occurred. I discovered a lot from them each earlier than I met them — and whereas I labored for them. They’re so beneficiant and sensible, and getting to inform them how a lot ‘Moulin Rouge’ meant to me in my younger life was thrilling.”
Jill Bream (“The Different Two,” “John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch”)
“I bear in mind watching ‘The Truman Present’ (1998) in highschool and being struck by how a lot the costumes expanded the story. Everybody inside Truman’s world resides in a TV present inside the movie. The costumes are barely harking back to Fifties Americana: They’re unnecessarily cheerful and timeless. The wardrobe helped create the nightmarish existence Truman is a prisoner of — the pressured ideation of the American dream. It is a fairly complicated concept to nail, and the layers are completely illustrated in Marilyn Matthews’s designs. It is a film that I’ve watched again and again, and I am all the time impressed by how completely all the things works collectively.”
Janie Bryant (“1883,” “The Final Tycoon,” “Mad Males”)
“I have been watching outdated motion pictures since I used to be somewhat woman. My mom used to take me to the Tivoli Theater in Chattanooga, Tennessee to see basic movies. It was additionally the household custom to look at ‘Gone With The Wind’ (1939), ‘Wizard of Oz’ (1939), ‘Sound of Music’ (1965) and ‘The Ten Commandments’ (1956) yearly all collectively.
“The movie that impressed me essentially the most to change into a fancy dress designer is ‘Gone With The Wind.’ Walter Plunkett’s imaginative and prescient and design evokes me each time I watch the film, which I rewatch time and time once more simply to see new parts within the costume design that I have not seen earlier than. I used to be lucky sufficient to get a non-public tour of ‘The Gone With The Wind’ exhibition a number of years in the past at UT’s Harry Ransom Middle in Austin. I received to see Plunkett’s sketches and designs up shut and private and maintain, really feel and contact Scarlett O’Hara’s notorious inexperienced velvet robe and hat that was constructed from drapes. That was a dream come true! Plunkett was undoubtedly with me on that day. I would prefer to assume that he was with me in spirit after I designed David Milch’s ‘Deadwood.'”
Vera Chow (“The Strolling Useless,” “Boogie,” “The Modelizer”)
“After I was a teen rising up in ’90s Hong Kong, nobody knew that costume design was a job. However I used to be conscious what a designer was and what a film director was. On the time, I was gravitating in direction of John Galliano and Jean Paul Gaultier, whose design work was extra theatrical. Then Luc Besson’s ‘The Fifth Aspect’ (1997) got here out, and I discovered Gaultier designed it. That was affirmation for kid-me that costume design was, the truth is, what I need, and what all which means!
“Within the ’90s, the world was devoid of AAPI costume designer function fashions, till I discovered about Tim Yip (‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’,) Eiko Ishioka (‘The Cell’) and Emi Wada (‘Ran,’ ‘Home of Flying Daggers’) — Yip, particularly, as a result of he was from Hong Kong. On ‘Marco Polo,’ I lastly set to work with him; he was the designer and I used to be the supervisor. Younger-me would in all probability have by no means believed it!”

Audrey Hepburn on the set of ‘My Honest Girl,’ with costume designer Cecil Beaton in August 1963.
Photograph: Keystone Options/Hulton Archive/Getty Photos
Michelle Cole (“Grown-ish,” “Black-ish,” “#BlackAF”)
“I liked the time interval and the theme of the movie, ‘My Honest Girl’ (1964, above). We see Audrey Hepburn remodel from a working class woman into somebody who may very well be part of excessive society in 1912. My favourite outfit is the one she wears on the horse race: the long-lasting one with the massive black and white hat. Cecil Beaton was the costume designer and his design inspiration made me wish to be a fancy dress designer. The element he put into his costumes was extraordinary. Apparently sufficient, the primary play that I used to be the Assistant Costume Designer on was ‘My Honest Girl’ at the Lengthy Seaside Civil Mild Opera. Rex Harrison (who performed Henry Higgins)’s son performed his father’s function within the manufacturing.”
Derica Cole Washington (“Zola,” “True Story,” “Twenties”)
“My favourite movie rising up was undoubtedly ‘Clueless’ (1995) — that was simply such an iconic film for a teen, and I do not even assume I used to be a teen when that was out. Plus, ‘Romy & Michele’s Excessive College Reunion’ (1997), which was additionally costume designed by Mona Might. I simply was like, ‘That is unbelievable.’ I additionally was watching ‘B*A*P*S’ (1997), designed by Ruth E. Carter. Clearly, I grew up figuring out her work from Spike Lee ‘College Daze’ (1988). I really like Francine Jamison-Tanchuk’s work in ‘Low Down Soiled Disgrace’ (1994). The pink Frimi go well with that Jada Pinkett Smith wears is completely iconic, fingers down. These have been the designers and movies that undoubtedly impressed me to essentially discover my very own sense of favor and see what costume design work was, and what it was doing in a movie as a automobile — for not solely storytelling, but in addition the way in which that clothes labored on the physique and as artwork.
“For Zola, there’s the concept that there is a Black woman and a white woman on movie collectively, which we actually have not seen that prominently since ‘Clueless.’ So I used to be undoubtedly impressed by ‘Clueless’ — and by ‘Romy & Michele’ — in how I did Zola [Taylour Paige] and Stephanie [Riley Keough] working reverse one another, and simply everybody in that movie as an ensemble.”
Suttirat Anne Larlarb (“Obi-Wan Kenobi,” “No Time to Die,” “Slumdog Millionaire”)
“Jenny Beavan’s and John Shiny’s costume design in ‘Room With a View’ (1985) was the primary time I would seen interval costumes that not solely felt authentically noticed, but in addition what struck me is that the alternatives have been so particular and trustworthy to every character, whereas being heightened to the proper diploma in order to not really feel like a museum piece. This had an immeasurable impact on the actors’ inhabiting their characters: They felt actual and extremely romantic, and the movie advantages a lot from this. Earlier than this movie, I am not satisfied that such a steadiness was ever so masterfully achieved.
“Ever since, I have been such an enormous fan of Jenny Beavan, mainly for the reason that ’80s. The good number of the movies she’s contributed to are all the time so pitch-perfect by way of costumes. About eight years in the past, I occurred to be studying an interview together with her for ‘Mad Max: Fury Highway’ and, unexpectedly, I noticed that she name-checked me within the article! I needed to re-read to verify I wasn’t hallucinating. Quickly after, I discovered myself sitting together with her on a fancy dress designers panel. After I was working within the U.Ok. a number of years later, she was engaged on one thing on the identical studio in London, and we had the prospect to have a number of lunches and workplace visits, and that simply meant a lot to me. She actually is my private costume hero.”
Antoinette Messam (“The Tougher They Fall,” “SuperFly,” “Creed”)
“I’ve a love/hate relationship with ’70s Blaxploitation movies. As a child I liked watching them. They have been so cool! The motion, the dialogue, the garments — come on, ‘Cunning Brown!?’ As an grownup, I knew that the title was coined as a result of some felt it was exploiting damaging stereotypes within the city African American neighborhood. However seeing folks that regarded like me as heroes was uplifting and enjoyable. Designing the movie ‘SuperFly’ a few years later was a full circle second: Paying homage to Nate Adams, the costume designer of the unique 1972 ‘Tremendous Fly’ was a honor. His characters have been the actual deal — the proper mixture of avenue and trend.”
Clint Ramos (“Respect,” “Lingua Franca,” “Frozen — Reside on the Hyperion”)
“I liked all of the Service provider Ivory movies, Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Barry Lyndon’ (1975), Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Ran’ (1985) and Eiko Ishioka’s costumes for ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’ (1992). The eye to element and the invention of recent worlds have been charming to me. I used to be as soon as in the identical workroom as Eiko and I used to be in a position to peek at her course of. She’s such an inspiration to me as an API individual, designer and storyteller. She solid her personal impartial path.”
Jeriana San Juan (“Halston,” “The Plot In opposition to America,” “The Get Down”)
“After I was younger, I had a V.H.S. copy of ‘An American In Paris’ (1951) that I watched again and again. It felt like a portal to a magical world, and the costumes designed by Orry-Kelly created lovely imagery and highlighted the contours of the physique so effortlessly in these early ’50s bodices and skirts.
“Within the Versailles episode of ‘Halston,’ I drew from ‘An American In Paris’ tremendously. The actual Battle of Versailles trend present choreography was finished by Kay Thompson, who was Liza Minelli’s godmother and mentor. I thought of what Kay would do in placing the theatrical parts of that present collectively, and thought the graphic nature of black-and-white with pops of pink in ‘An American In Paris’ could be completely proper for the set and the choreography. I am very happy with how that got here collectively. It felt prefer it had a layered that means, and nonetheless felt vibrant and recent.”
Luis Sequeira (“Nightmare Alley,” “The Form of Water,” “Cupboard of Curiosities”)
“I skipped college to see motion pictures. I bear in mind ‘Blade Runner’ (1982); Michael Kaplan did such an incredible job, and I am a protracted admirer of his work. I feel I noticed that film 23 occasions. I knew each line, and it was the primary time that we noticed future, with previous interval parts. Then ‘Out of Africa’ (1985), with Milena Canonero’s work. I had the chance to work together with her as soon as for a really quick time, however I am all the time awestruck by her aesthetic and her consideration to element. I all the time say, ‘It would not matter ’til it issues — and it all the time issues.’ That is what I really like about each of these movies: That they had so many layers, so many particulars that you could watch it repeatedly and choose up one thing new every time. I am completely awestruck by Milena’s creativity and her profession. I am a fellow nominee [for ‘Nightmare Alley] on the BAFTAs, so I am trying ahead to seeing her [nominated for ‘The French Dispatch’], as a result of I have not seen her in fairly a while.”
Anthony Tran (“How I Met Your Father,” “Andi Mack”)
“Rising up, there have been so many reveals that impressed me to wish to be a fancy dress designer, from Theadora Van Runkle’s work on ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ (1967) to Ngila Dickson’s and Richard Taylor’s world-building designs for ‘The Lord of the Rings’ to Kimberly Adam-Galligan’s quirky modern fashions for ‘Lizzie McGuire’ (2001-2002). Attending to design that ‘Lizzie McGuire’ reboot pilot was an actual full-circle second. Collaborating with Hilary Duff, who has such a transparent understanding of that character, after which attending to infuse that with my very own aesthetic whereas determining what she ought to appear like at 30 was a enjoyable problem. Attending to work collectively once more on ‘How I Met Your Father’ was such an added bonus.”
Sarah Trost (“The Righteous Gems,” “A.P. Bio,” “Vice Principals”)
“In the beginning, ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ adopted carefully by ’70s and ’80s fantasy movies, with a heavy dose of Miyazaki and films by filmmakers from James Cameron to Terry Gilliam to John Carpenter. I all the time are likely to gravitate towards an alternate universe, whether or not it is gritty and industrial, lined in textural sparkles and wealthy colours, or movies with any component of magic.”
Melissa Walker (“Dollface,” “Pen15,” “Malcolm & Marie”)
“Ever since I used to be a toddler, I used to be very drawn to costumes. My mom all the time informed me I used to make her pause ‘Mary Poppins’ (1964) to do my very own costume adjustments together with the acts. Movie and costumes have a big effect of the style of the time. The mid-90s had a transparent resurgence of Sixties type, and I bear in mind seeking to ‘Now and Then’ (1995) and ‘That Factor You Do’ (1996) to analyze the appears and attempt to recreate alone. Late-90s/Y2K traits moved to extra of a Nineteen Seventies aesthetic with the discharge of ‘Boogie Nights’ (1997), ‘The Virgin Suicides’ (1999) and ‘Virtually Well-known’ (2000). Pulling inspiration from the costumes I used to be drawn to in these movies actually helped form my love for classic and saved me on pattern. I used to be fortunate sufficient to return up underneath a few of my idols by pure coincidence and labored with ‘Boogie Nights’ costume designer Mark Bridges on ‘Marriage Story,’ and it was superb to see the way in which he labored on a recent piece with colour and texture.”
Ariyela Wald-Cohain (“iCarly,” “Sherman’s Showcase,” “South Aspect”)
“‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ (1994): simply the enjoyable and the creativity within the Oscar-winning costumes by Lizzie Gardiner and Tim Chappel. I bear in mind the scene with Man Pearce sitting on prime the bus within the high-heeled shoe, and he has this superb, simply large practice of silver chiffon flowing behind him. It was so fantastically designed. Then Hugo Weaving’s flip-flop gown (the ‘thong gown,’ in Australian) — the small print and the enjoyable that was put into the costumes… I do not assume that till then I had seen one thing so inventive and enjoyable on one thing that would have been simply plain and funky.
“I received to design a drag queen episode in season two of ‘iCarly.’ We needed to custom-design three or 4 costumes so shortly. It was actually enjoyable to go from a sketch to on-camera inside days, with that huge of a fancy dress. It introduced me proper again to ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.’ There’s all the time one thing behind my head, with the colours and the dimensions and the boldness.'”
The above interviews have been edited and condensed for readability.
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