Costume Designers Dispel Myths About Contemporary Film Wardrobes

Costume designers say that creating clothes for contemporary films involves deep storytelling rather than simple shopping trips. Molly Rogers, who worked on 'The Devil Wears Prada' as an assistant and returned for the sequel, stated that applicants who say they love to shop face an automatic exit. Rogers spoke at the Costume Design Roundtable at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, moderated by Variety Senior Artisans Editor Jazz Tangcay.

Discussion Highlights

Other panel members included Ellen Mirojnick, Arianne Phillips, Linda Muir, Amy Roth, and Marci Rodgers. Mirojnick noted that contemporary costume design is both very difficult and very beautiful, serving as a historical record of periods like New York in past decades. Rodgers recalled her work on Spike Lee's 'She's Gotta Have It' and 'Barbershop,' where she used thrift stores and community fashion to shape characters like Nola Darling. Phillips highlighted that studio executives and actors often misunderstand the field because their personal wealth gives them a different relationship to shopping. She also mentioned that luxury brands entering film financing increase pressure to use specific product placements. Mirojnick discussed crafting over 5,300 costumes for Christopher Nolan's film, including Anne Hathaway's Queen Penelope, utilizing a burned red theme for the House of Ithaca and a tight blue pleated dress as armor for the climax. Muir detailed her research on wool during Viking times for 'The Northman' and 'Werwulf,' while Phillips described working with Olivia Wilde on 'The Invite' using layered costumes to reflect character states. Roth shared her process of finding an original eBay jacket and aging it for 'I Play Rocky,' praising actor Anthony Ippolito. Rogers also detailed recreating the 'Thriller' look for 'Michael,' noting that Deborah Landis dyed white Levi jeans red and used two different shades of red for the beaded jacket.

Context

Costume designers play a vital role in visual storytelling by creating specific historical or contemporary looks that help actors embody their characters. These professionals must balance artistic vision with historical research, fabric availability, and relationships with directors and producers.