The costume vault

This week I'll briefly expand on more of the recommendations I've been posting on social media so you'll be able to make a more informed decision when choosing your choice entertainment for the afternoon. This time I'll cover the final recommendations I made from April 30th to May 2nd. Recommendation for APRIL 30th Here I go with my controversial opinions. I absolutely can’t stand Thomas Hardy’s classic FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD. It’s one of the few books I couldn’t actually finish. And yet, I love this adaptation. Thomas Vinterberg combines vibrant colors with intimate natural light in a rich and tactile take on this rather simple story. Carey Mulligan is radiant and fierce as Bathseba and gives the character a strength that I could not find in the original novel. As for the costume design, an array of simple gowns, floral prints, and gorgeous bonnets constitute the wardrobe for this love story. Here Janet Patterson brings froward her usual taste and simplicity and pu...

Earlier this year I released my Part I of my Top 10 Film Costume Designs of the Decade list, which covered the number 10 spot all through the number 6 spot. Now (finally) ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, my number 5 through 1! 5. THE DRESSMAKER (Jocelyn Moorhouse, 2015). Costume Design by Marion Boyce and Margot Wilson. The Dressmaker is a story about lies, secrets, and fashion. It feels only natural then, that the movie, despite the tonal whiplash and overall weird storytelling choices, is blessed with a glorious Costume Design. The costumes here are not only eye candy but become an integral part of the story, the characters, and the film's themes. Indeed, such was the scope of the enterprise, costume-wise that they split the Costume Design into the hands of two different Designers. Marion Boyce did all the costumes regarding the townspeople, and Margot Wilson focussed only on the costumes for Winslet's character. The movie explores the true nature of people an...

This week I'll briefly expand on more of the recommendations I've been posting on social media so you'll be able to make a more informed decision when choosing your choice entertainment for the afternoon. This time I'll cover the recommendations I made from April 20th to April 29th. Recommendation for APRIL 20th 2016′s Spy-thriller ALLIED is a rather mediocre movie. It’s entertaining but hardly original. Still, there are two saving graces in this movie: the first one is the always splendid performance of Marion Cotillard, who continues to prove that she is one of the best actresses of her generation, and the second one is the stunning costume design. And by stunning, I mean STUNNING.  The main idea behind the design was to recreate the look and feel of the Golden Age of Hollywood. To bring back to life the world of glamour that Dietrich and Bergman inhabited in the 30s and 40s. And it needed to feel natural to the story and the characters whilst also managing to visuall...

This week I'll briefly expand on more of the recommendations I've been posting on social media so you'll be able to make a more informed decision when choosing your choice entertainment for the afternoon. This time I'll cover the recommendations I made from April 10th to April 19th. Recommendation for APRIL 10th Tiny disclaimer: I die for the Baroque aesthetic, so I’m not very impartial of the assessment of this film. With that out of the way: let’s move forward with today’s recommendation. VATEL is a story that talks about the individual and free will in a world where everyone is keenly aware of their place and the need to stay in it. It’s talking about a world divided into two groups: those who have (the King and Court), and those who don’t (the working classes). And these two ideas are the central guidelines that dictate the visual design for this movie. That division is created mainly through the costume design, by establishing very clear looks for both groups, the ...

This week I'll briefly expand on more of the recommendations I've been posting on social media so you'll be able to make a more informed decision when choosing your choice entertainment for the afternoon. This time I'll cover the recommendation I made from March 31st to April 9th. Recommendation for MARCH 31st It is hardly a secret to those who know me that I do not care for Jane Austen’s EMMA. It’s not open dislike, just simple indifference. Well, Autumn de Wilde’s new take of the story might have changed that to adoration. The film highlights the absurd, satiric, and comedic aspects of the story and the characters in a way that feels fresh. Not trying to make Emma likable might be its best bet and works wonders in making her seem three dimensional as a character, as well as having the ironic result of actually making me like her more. Here, the costume design plays a vital role in creating a highly plastic and artificial world to match the story’s ...