Tyranny of Style

• Big Hero 6 Costume Design: High Fashion meets Animation

  Danny Flynn is a fashion stylist who has worked extensively in music videos, commercials, and editorials. Flynn owns a high-end fashion shop, Replika Vintage, in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo that specializes in Japanese and avant-garde designer clothing from the 1960s to present. His stock is a go-to for costume designers and stylists looking for unique or unusual pieces. So, when Disney Animation began work on Big Hero 6, which takes place in San Fransokyo (a futuristic highbred of San Francisco and Tokyo), Danny seemed like the most logical fit for costume designer.

  

  Read the entire Big Hero 6 Costume Design: High Fashion meets Animation article here...

• Costume to Collection: Arianne Phillips on Kingsman

  The Costume Council at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) recently hosted the latest event in its ongoing series of evenings dedicated to shining the spotlight on the art of costume design. In anticipation of the newly released film, Kingsman: The Secret Service, designer Arianne Phillips sat down with Sharon Takeda, LACMA's senior curator and head of Costumes & Textiles. The primary focus of the conversation was Phillips's design process for the film, which included the creation of a corresponding men's clothing line for the web retailer Mr. Porter.

  

  Read the enitre Costume to Collection: Arianne Phillips on Kingsman article...

• 23rd Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design at the FIDM Museum

  The FIDM Museum (at Los Angeles' Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising) opens its 23rd annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibit this week, featuring many of the highlights in costume design from the past year of film. As always, the exhibit features a broad cross-section of movies, celebrating the hard work and artistry of the designers. Almost a year's worth of planning goes into this wonderful event, as the curators put together an array of costumes that span all genres - from period pieces to fantasy epics to contemporary stories - in order to give the public a glimpse at details they may have missed on the big screen.

  
  

  Read the entire 23rd Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design at the FIDM Museum article....

• The Costumes of Dallas Opera's Everest

  Everest at The Dallas Opera is a masterful new work produced to full breathtaking effect for its World Premiere. In an age of closing opera houses, Dallas Opera showcases the type of work that is injecting an exciting bolt of energy to a classical art form. Taking full advantage of what opera does best, Everest tells a gut-wrenching story through a soaring score by Joby Talbot (his opera debut), captivating libretto by Gene Scheer, incredibly talented cast, and powerfully moving design by the entire creative team.

  

  Read the entire The Costumes of Dallas Opera's Everest article here...

• High-Fashion Historic Hybrid - The Costume Design of Reign

  The CW’s Reign, based loosely on the life of Mary Queen of Scots, has taken a decidedly modern approach to the retelling of this historic drama. And the costumes have played a huge part in this adaptation. Maddening to period purists, the show has purposely created a high-fashion hybrid, weaving in current fashion with historic styles. As a costume historian, I initially found it hard to settle into, as referenced by my first review after only one episode. However, I am thankful I took the time to revisit the show, plunging further into the storyline and costume journey. The show has proven an excellent fantasy hybrid, fascinatingly mixing period costumes for the background and older characters, but letting loose in reimagining the main and younger characters.

  

  Read the entire High-Fashion Historic Hybrid - The Costume Design of Reign article here...

• 17th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards Nominations

  The 17th Costume Designers Guild Award nominations are out! This annual award show honors excellence in costume design for film and television, as nominated and voted on by members of the costume designer's union. What makes the cycle so exciting is that, unlike in any other awards, costume honors are awarded in a variety of film and television categories, allowing designers to be recognized for something other than period frocks! See the designers nominated, and a few brief observations below.

  

  Read the entire 17th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards Nominations article here...

• Sneak Peek at The Costumes of Marvel's Agent Carter!

  Agent Carter has been captivating fans since she first appeared in the flesh in Marvel’s Captain America in 2011. A smart, stunning, hard as nails female agent who can talk or fight her way out of any problem. She’s appeared briefly since in a short film, aging in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and a cameo in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Now Peggy Carter returns to the small screen in an 8-episode mini-series full of twists, turns, not to mention terrific style courtesy of Emmy Award winning costume designer Giovanna (Gigi) Ottobre-Melton!

  

  Read the entire Sneak Peek at The Costumes of Marvel's Agent Carter! article here...

• Gowns, Illustrations and More - The Making of Gone With The Wind

  75 Years after its release, Gone With The Wind remains one of the most successful, and iconic films of all time. The making of the film, however, was filled with nearly as much drama, controversy, and uncertainty as the film itself. The Making of Gone With The Wind exhibit, currently on display at The Harry Ransom Center in Austin Texas, tells the story of the film’s rollercoaster development through more than 300 rarely seen and some never-before-exhibited materials. The exhibition is drawn entirely from the Ransom Center's collections, of particular interest to any costume enthusiast is the beautiful array of on-set photographs, makeup stills, costume sketches, the green curtain dress and other gowns worn by Vivien Leigh, displayed together for the first time in more than 25 years.

  

  Read the entire Gowns, Illustrations and More - The Making of Gone With The Wind article here...

• Super Suits and High Fashion: Costume Designer Michael Wilkinson

  On Sunday, November 16th, Austin Film Society welcomed acclaimed costume designer Michael Wilkinson for an Artist Spotlight event at the Harry Ransom Center in Austin, Texas. The evening featured a beautiful reception, with a chance to chat with Michael, as well as view costumes and never before released costume illustrations. The feature of the night was a conversation with Wilkinson about his wonderfully complex and jet-propelled career, moderated by “Ms. Costume 411” herself, the brilliant Bobi Garland.

  

  Read the entire Super Suits and High Fashion: Costume Designer Michael Wilkinson article here...

• Hollywood Costume: A Celebration of Design, on Display in Los Angeles

  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has brought the phenomenal Hollywood Costume exhibit, originally presented at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, to Los Angeles for its final U.S. stop, and it is not to be missed. The display is a glorious celebration of the artists who play an integral part in creating the look of a film, offering an in-depth exploration of the many elements of costume design. The stars of the exhibit are all of the beautiful costumes on view from a century of film history, but what really makes it a unique experience is the inspired integration of technology.

  

  Read the entire Hollywood Costume: A Celebration of Design, on Display in Los Angeles article here...