Slow Like Honey

After falling in love with the set and costume design in Atonement (not to mention the movie itself), I was pleased to see that the move was nominated for an Oscar for Best Costume Design, along with Sweeney Todd, Elizabeth:The Golden Age, La Vie en Rose, and Across the Universe. Within each of these movies, the clothes and costumes help shape the characters. The costumes add to the movie; without it, the film just wouldn’t feel believable.

Elle features an interesting look at these movies with a behind-the-scenes look and interviews with the costume designers, including an interview with Atonement’s designer Jacqueline Durran. I previously wrote about the stunning green dress Keira Knightley wore in the movie, and Jacqueline talks about how she created the dress.

“I went through books and books of ’30s photographs and drawings of the dresses. Every detail in the dress is taken from an original dress, but because they’re combined together, it’s a truly modern dress.”

Doesn’t that make you want to go digging around through past photographs and vintage albums? I agree with Durran’s method: maybe the answer to finding new styles is by studying the past trends.

Another movie I loved was La Vie en Rose with the gorgeous Marion Cotillard which is also nominated for Best Costume Design. This was the first Academy Award nomination for the late Marit Allen who died in November. Even without a big budget, Allen was able to create stunning costumes that depicted the life and times of French singer Edith Piaf.

“Ultimately, the costume designer managed to make meager resources work to her advantage; the thin black dresses helped to make Marion Cotillard’s Edith Piaf look all the more like a “little sparrow.” Lace, curved necklines, and draped sleeves all helped to enliven Piaf’s austere look onstage—and, in its wake, inspired a slew of fashion spreads.” The way they were able to transform Marion into Edith is remarkable. Marion literally becomes Piaf, from her makeup to her clothes and even her physical characteristics.

You don’t always need tons of money to create beautiful costumes. Word to the wise: find your point of view, look back for inspiration, and get going creatively.