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It might seem obvious but let’s cover the basics anyway. A costume designer creates the costumes worn by actors in film, TV, or in a theatre production. The role involves more than just choosing the clothes; costume designers work with directors, production designers, and actors to make sure that the costumes fit well with the character, as well as the overall look of the project.
“In contrast to movie productions, Broadway costumes were designed with the entire cast in mind, creating an overall style and mood. A costume designer was responsible for the entire cast, instead of a single star, and thus worked more closely with the art director when approaching the screenplay.” Blauw Films
Costumes communicate other information about a character, like their personality, background, and how they change through the narrative. A colour or fabric might give clues about social status, a time period, or how a character is doing emotionally. It’s another part of telling the story.
Costume design through the ages
In the silent film era during the 1910s and ‘20s, there was no costume designer specifically, but some producers were starting to introduce the idea of costumes being made specifically for films. Things were kept quite simple in the early days, primarily focusing on having silhouettes that were recognisable rather than anything in great detail.
As we moved into the “talkies” and there were larger scale Hollywood productions, costume design started to be given more thought, in terms of fashion and accuracy. At this time, costume design in film was heavily influenced by theatre, but the departments were still small with a limited budget. Actors largely wore their own clothes or used existing costumes rather than having something bespoke made for them.
Adrian Adolph Greenburg (who was just known as Adrian) was one of the first really notable costume designers in Hollywood. He came to Hollywood in 1924 and went onto work with some of the biggest starts of the day, like Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, and Katherine Hepburn. During the late 1920s to early ‘40s he worked with MGM, including on The Wizard of Oz (1939), which we’ll touch on more a bit later.
The mid-20th century is sometimes called the “Golden Age of Hollywood” where some of the most iconic films in cinema were created, and major film stars emerged. Film in general was flourishing, and so was costume design. Big studios like MGM and Paramount had in-house designers who were responsible for every part of a character’s look. Edith Head was a particularly notable name and worked on hundreds of films, including Roman Holiday (1953) and Rear Window (1954), winning eight Academy Awards for Best Costume Design.
When the Golden Age started to fizzle out, in part due to the popularity of television and rising costs, many existing costume collections were sold off, and in some cases, even dumped in landfill!
From the late ‘60s we entered a period called “New Hollywood” where, largely because of the scrapping of The Hays Code, films were getting a little bolder and more risky. And as films got more diverse, so did costume design, with designers starting to work with a variety of genres and styles.
In more recent years, costume designers have been able to use new advances in technology like 3D printing, digital design, and of course, CGI to be able to make more innovative costumes. They now also work more closely with the visual effects teams to make sure that the costumes keep looking realistic and work well if there are big action or fantasy scenes, for example.
What exactly does a costume designer do?
1. Research and interpretation
A costumer designer needs to understand what the director wants for the film, so that includes reading the script and then researching the time, setting, and characters. If it’s a period piece then they’ll need to study the fashion of that time, as well as any cultural and social nuances that might have an influence on what a character would wear. If it’s more contemporary then designers should be up-to-date with trends and make sure the clothes reflect the personality of the person wearing them. If it’s sci-fi or fantasy then they can often be starting from scratch and inventing entirely new clothing styles!
2. Collaboration
Like we’ve mentioned already, a costume designer needs to work with other departments to make sure everything fits together well, including:
- The director – to align the costumes with their overall vision for the film
- The production designer – so the costumes work with the aesthetic and colour schemes of the sets and locations.
- The actors – the costumes need to be comfortable and help the actor become their character.
3. Character development
A costume designer’s job is to make sure that the clothing is a sort of tool to help the actor portray their role more effectively. They have to think about a variety of things like the character’s personality, their job, their social status, and so on. They also need to give consideration to any physical demands the role might have, like if a piece needs to be flexible in an action sequence.
4. Designing
A costume designer will usually begin fleshing out their ideas by sketching some designs, either by hand or digitally, with additional things like swatches of fabric for their texture or pattern. These early ideas can then be used to make prototypes or mock-ups that they can present to the director and production team.
5. Producing the costumes
Depending on the budget, costumes might be made from scratch, rented, or bought. In some cases, vintage or historical garments might be found and adapted to fit. The designer also looks after fittings with the actors and makes adjustments so that it all looks right and fits well/comfortably.
6. Continuity
Continuity is really important in filmmaking and that counts for costumes too. The costume designer for the film has to make sure that outfits match across scenes that might be shot weeks or even months apart, from the way a shirt is tucked into trousers, to the amount of dirt on something… it all has to stay consistent.
7. Post-production
Costume designers also collaborate in post-production. As an example, they might consult with the visual effects team to make sure that any CGI elements look right and blend well with physical costumes.
Iconic films and their costume designers
1. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Adrian’s costume design for The Wizard of Oz, particularly with Dorothy’s blue gingham dress and ruby slippers is probably one of the most recognisable symbols of a character anywhere! The dress gave her a wholesome, rural look to represent Kansas and the slippers – which were silver in the book – were changed to ruby to take advantage of the relatively new Technicolor, and represent the colour and spectacle of Oz.
2. Cleopatra (1963)
Elizabeth Taylor’s costumes in Cleopatra just ooze grandeur, and really show off the luxury of ancient Egypt. The film had a huge budget which meant there were over 65 different costumes just for Taylor, including a stunning gold outfit with headdress. Renié’s costume design meant that Cleopatra’s power, attraction, and dominance all came through in what she wore.
3. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
The simple but elegant black dress, pearls, and big sunglasses that Hepburn wears in the opening scene became an instant hit. The minimalist style of Holly Golightly’s (played by Hepburn) costumes got across a complicated mix of sophistication and vulnerability, so it really reflects her character.
4. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001–2003)
The costumes in The Lord of the Rings were pretty faithful to what J.R.R. Tolkien had described in his books, but they were also very practical in terms of the film’s needs. Each costume had a lot of thought given to the design by Dickson, from the more rustic, homely outfits of the Hobbits, to the grand costumes of the Elves – with each still needing to be practical for a lot of action. Although fantasy, the designs still felt like they had nods to a history and culture that felt very believable.
5. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Beavan won Best Costume Design at the Oscar’s for her work on Mad Max: Fury Road, with her gritty, industrial aesthetic that was perfect for the dystopian, post-apocalyptic vibe of the film. Some really innovative an unusual materials were used, like upcycled car parts, weathered leather, and metal.
6. Black Panther (2018)
The costume design for Black Panther used inspiration from African cultures to create something that was futuristic but still rooted in real heritage. Each tribe in the film had their own distinct style, which represented and celebrated African culture, an important part of the film’s visual storytelling.
7. Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
Costumes in Memoirs of a Geisha needed to bring 1920s Japan to life, and so Atwood had the kimonos intricately designed to reflect the traditional artistry of Japan. Each kimono the protagonist wears, represents a different stage in her life, symbolising the journey from a poor fisherman’s daughter to renowned geisha.
Conclusion
Costume design is such an important part of filmmaking, but it doesn’t get nearly enough attention sometimes! It contributes to the aesthetic of the film, of course, but if done well, it also gives us a better understanding of characters and themes.
Even from the early days of cinema, filmmakers were realising how important costume was to the whole production, and whether it’s that little black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the strangely appealing mish-mash of dystopian futurism in Mad Max: Fury Road, or those famous ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, costumes have the power to define films and characters, and leave us with something really memorable!
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About this page
This page was written by Marie Gardiner. Marie is a writer, author, and photographer. It was edited by Andrew Blackman. Andrew is a freelance writer and editor, and is a copy editor for Envato Tuts+.