Blink twice if I’m in danger

In an unsettling anthem to female empowerment, actor, singer, and fashion arbiter Zoë Kravitz is spreading her wings in her directorial debut, Blink Twice. Cowritten by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum, this dark psychological thriller is about the treatment of women by the rich and powerful. Best friends Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat) are waitresses who decide to “party crash” tech billionaire Slater King’s (Channing Tatum) charity event gala. Dressed in chic bright red and royal blue cocktail dresses, they catch King’s attention and he invites them to join him and friends on his private island for a few days. Frida teasingly asks partygoer Rich (Kyle MacLachlan) to “blink twice if I’m in danger.”

Costume designer Colleen Atwood and assistant costume designer Kiersten Hargroder prepped what they could at Western Costume Company. Since Atwood had prior commitments, only Hargroder would be on board at the luxury spa resort an hour outside Mérida, Mexico. Their original plan was to have a local vendor make the women one-size-fits-all caftans that King provides for guests, but Kravitz, known for her keen sense of style, had clear ideas of what she wanted. Three days before shooting started, she requested the women be in similar all-white dresses and bathing suits. “The feeling was that all these women were interchangeable, so they almost had a uniform,” explains Hargroder.

It is a simple feat to change gears if shooting in Los Angeles, but not so much in a remote location. Stunt-loaded scenes required 70 dresses for multiples. When a quick hunt for fabric in Mexico City was unsuccessful, Hargroder called International Silks & Woolens in Los Angeles. “ISW to the rescue! They were able to arrange for the fabric and worked with our production customs agent to import.” Going through customs in any country with large amounts of fabric is always tricky. Because Mexico has embargos on silk from China and India due to noncompliance of silk production regulations, Hargroder decided to use local high-quality polyester for the stunt duplicates. “We used Western Costume to make the hats and uniforms for the resort staff, and Rory was a savior at Hargate’s, making my prototype dress for the film. It was an incredible challenge to deliver the amount of dresses we needed in this location.” Everything was custom-fit, including the swimsuits, which incorporated a few different cuts to flatter different body types. The switch to white against the bold red spa and lush green jungle was a dynamic choice. “We wanted the resort to be a stand-alone character.” It successfully conjures a sinister backdrop for the ultimate revenge tale.

“It’s a very tight palette,” Hargroder notes. “Even at the gala, where there is an abundance of color, there is a restraint shown in minimal jewelry and adornment. It’s as much about what’s not on-screen as what is.” For the men’s formal wear, there are a few subtle nods to personality. At the resort, they mostly wear similar looks in the same achromatic theme that speaks the language of wealth. “The idea is that they just leave clothing at this resort and it’s interchangeable. Slater has a decidedly sloppy silhouette, representing his low-effort approach to life. Even though he is wearing Armani and The Row, it’s meant to evoke a feeling that he doesn’t have to try. He’s so wealthy that he no longer cares.”

The cast and crew stayed at the resort, except a few, like Hargroder who needed to stay in Mérida for shopping reasons. The actors’ hotel rooms doubled as their dressing rooms. Since there was no wardrobe trailer, one was designated for costumes. All crew members were locals, except Hargroder and Adam Newport-Berra, the talented director of photography. After years of executing diligent continuity, Hargroder admits the challenging script and the way it was shot could have been “ripe for mistakes.” But when the film was edited to show flashes of chaos, her continuity worries became assuaged. The result is a story that is as harrowing as it is riveting.

“I’m so thrilled with how it has turned out. As the job transformed, I was able to move into the design position with the incredible support of Colleen and Zoë. She worked so hard on this project. It’s really fun to see it come together for her.”