From ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ to ‘The Invite,’ Costume Designers Shatter the Myth Behind Dressing Contemporary Characters: ‘It’s Very Difficult’
Costume designers said contemporary clothing in film is often mistaken for simple shopping, when it requires careful research and storytelling to make a character’s world and personality feel authentic. At a roundtable during the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, they described how clothing can document a period, reflect a community and shape how audiences understand a character.
Marci Rodgers said she studied New Yorkers’ everyday dress for “She’s Gotta Have It”, then used touches of purple and thrifted clothes to reflect Nola Darling’s interest in Prince and her circumstances. Arianne Phillips warned that luxury brand placements can conflict with a story, while designers need directors’ support to defend their choices. Ellen Mirojnick said she created more than 5,300 costumes for Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey”, using a red palette for Penelope before dressing her in blue as a sign of strength when Odysseus returns.
In short
- Contemporary costume design relies on character and story, not just shopping.
- Designers use clothing to reflect time, place and personality.
- Brand placements can put pressure on creative choices.
Explained simply
Costume design is the work of choosing and creating the clothes characters wear on screen. In a present-day story, familiar clothes can seem straightforward, but designers consider what people in a particular place and community wear, and what each choice says about a character.
Designers work with directors and other film-makers to make clothing fit the story and its setting. Their choices can show a character’s tastes, circumstances or changing role, while also helping a film feel rooted in a particular time and place.
Some films use well-known labels or historical settings, which can bring different demands. The work matters because clothing helps audiences understand who characters are and the world they inhabit.
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