Cinematography technique · used in 11 films
Designing wardrobes that carry character, status or change as much as the acting does. Clothes tell you who someone is or has become before they speak.
Examples
Billy Wilder · 1954
Sabrina returns from Paris in a sleek, adult look, and the change is the first thing anyone notices. Edith Head won the Oscar for costume design, though who designed Audrey Hepburn's outfits has long been disputed between Head and Hubert de Givenchy.
Where to see it: Sabrina's return: After 2 years at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Sabrina comes home an attractive, sophisticated woman.
Federico Fellini · 1969
Donati's costumes make each character look like a creature from another world. They carry status and decadence before anyone speaks.
Where to see it: The feast guests: their dress and makeup show wealth and excess.
Federico Fellini · 1972
An elderly noblewoman stages a fashion show for a Cardinal with priests and nuns in bizarre outfits. The clothes tell you what Fellini thinks of the church's pomp.
Where to see it: The ecclesiastical fashion show: models parade religious costumes before an audience of clergy.
Francis Ford Coppola · 1992
Eiko Ishioka's costumes are central to the film's look. Dracula's clothes and makeup, including nearly 7 hours to age Gary Oldman, make him look different in each phase of his life. You read his power and desire in what he wears.
Where to see it: The prologue. Dracula, in armor, returns from battle to find his wife dead and stabs his sword into a chapel cross.
Todd Haynes · 1998
Sandy Powell's costumes tell you who Slade is becoming. The alien Maxwell Demon look shows a star building a character. Powell won a BAFTA for the work.
Where to see it: Slade as Maxwell Demon. His outfits show the rise of the alien stage persona.
Sofia Coppola · 2006
Marie answers her loneliness by buying lavish clothing. Clothes let her feel in control in a court that gives her none. You read her mood from what she wears.
Where to see it: The shopping montage. Marie buys piles of shoes, dresses and sweets to fill the empty days.
Jane Campion · 2009
Fanny is described as fashionable, and her clothes show her ambition and spirit. Her outfits stand out against the plainer people around her. You learn who she is from what she wears before she says a word.
Where to see it: Fanny's flair: when Fanny meets Keats through the Dilkes, her fashionable look marks her out. Her flirtatious personality contrasts with Keats' more aloof nature.
Luca Guadagnino · 2010
Costume designer Antonella Cannarozzi earned an Oscar nomination. Her wardrobe changes often, and the clothes show you her place in the family and her own taste before anyone says a word.
Where to see it: The hair scene. Antonio cuts Emma's hair, and a lock falls to the terrace where Edoardo Jr. finds it.
Ridley Scott · 2013
Janty Yates dressed the cast to announce who they are. Armani made the wardrobes for Michael Fassbender and Penélope Cruz, and Reiner wears loud pieces from Versace. Designer Paula Thomas gave Cameron Diaz's Malkina about 15 outfits and described her as someone who wants to be seen. Their clothes show money and ego before they say a word.
Where to see it: The party at Reiner's house: Reiner and Malkina host the Texas party where the Counselor talks through his first drug deal.
Ryan Coogler · 2018
Costume designer Ruth E. Carter made about 700 costumes. The Dora Milaje outfits are based roughly 80% on Maasai dress, and each tribe gets its own colors and patterns. You can tell who belongs where before anyone speaks.
Where to see it: The casino mission in Busan. Okoye in a red gown and Nakia in a green one go undercover with T'Challa, and the Dora Milaje look is carried into evening wear.
Celine Song · 2025
Harry's clothes are luxury brands, John's are cheaper and Lucy's style shifts depending on who she is dating. You can read class and desire from what a person wears before they say a word.
Where to see it: Lucy's two love interests. Harry dresses in luxury brands, while John's wardrobe is more affordable.
Questions