26th Costume Designers Guild Awards Winners

During a legendary night of storytelling, Mary Shelley-Wollstonecraft told the tale of obsession, hubris, and revenge that would become, arguably, the world’s first science fiction novel. Like any foundational story, it has been adapted, reimagined, and elaborated upon many times. Costume designer Kate Hawley has collaborated with Guillermo del Toro on an adaptation of the book…

Full disclosure: when his granddaughter Valentina and costume designer Andrea Sorrentino started the Piero Tosi fan club, I was the first member. Luchino Visconti’s quintessential film adaptation of the novel The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa with maestro Tosi’s exquisite costumes is part of what pivoted me from fashion design to costume. Years ago, when rounding a corner in Tirelli in Rome, I encountered Angelica’s white ruffled gown on a mannequin. Famously worn by Claudia Cardinale in the film, I immediately teared up thinking of the scene. When Netflix announced their reboot for the small screen, I was skeptical but curious. Why tinker with a masterpiece? But when I discovered Carlo Poggioli was designing the series, I became obsessed. Among his mentors, Poggioli counts both the legendary Ann Roth as well as Tosi. When asked what it was like to walk in Tosi’s footsteps, Poggioli chuckles. His first reaction was to decline. It took several days of deliberation and discussion with friends and colleagues before Poggioli realized he could bring something unique to a story that the current generation has not seen. He explained, “The beauty for Visconti and Piero was perfection.” For Poggioli, beauty would be rooted in realism.

Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Richard McGuire, Here is the story not just of a location, but a particular view. Eras and generations appear, scene within scene, vignettes unfolding before a static camera. In her 12th collaboration with director Robert Zemeckis, Johanna Johnston tackles a story that has eight main threads interwoven across 500 years. Taking on the project was a foregone conclusion for Johnston. “I’ll do pretty much anything that Bob does because he’s a genius and breaks boundaries every time.”

San Diego’s Comic-Con International is right around the corner: Friday, July 20 to Sunday, July 23, 2023. The reimagining of Disney’s classic The Little Mermaid touts modern looks for two favorite characters. We asked legendary costume designer Colleen Atwood for her tips to cosplay the spirited young Ariel or her handsome Prince Eric.

The Star Wars universe quickly became part of the collective landscape. In the decades since many people have written themselves into Joseph Campbell’s monomyth—the broad concept that myths, folk tales, and religious stories from all over the world share unifying themes. Her own hero’s journey brought costume designer Suttirat Larlarb to the project after having honed her craft on projects like American Gods and the latest Bond film, No Time to Die.