As a fan and admirer of the artistry that goes into filmmaking, I am absolutely thrilled about Sandy Powell‘s upcoming exhibition, “Dressing the Part,” at the SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film. Her 40-year career spanning countless iconic films, from Shakespeare In Love to Gangs of New York, Interview with a Vampire, and The Favourite, is truly remarkable.
Sandy Powell, a three-time Oscar and BAFTA winner with credits spanning from “Shakespeare In Love” to Martin Scorsese’s recent works like “Snow White,” muses, “I’ve had this idea for quite some time: wouldn’t it be wonderful to organize an exhibition?” However, she clarifies that a career retrospective for her isn’t about boasting or showing off. Instead, she simply wishes to impart and share her experiences with others.
Powell, with a grin, mentions that she’s amassed quite an impressive collection of personal costumes over time, secretly accumulating them. Consequently, when SCAD approached her unexpectedly, she eagerly accepted their offer.
Rafael Gomes, the curator and creative director for SCAD FASH museums, initiated their discussions by meeting Sandy in person on several occasions, one of which was during tea time in London. After this, he frequently conducted Zoom meetings with globetrotting Powell to brainstorm ideas for the exhibition titled “Dressing the Part“, set to run until March 16, 2025, at the SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta.
Highlighting the illustrious 40-year career of Powell, the exhibition will showcase over 70 costumes from almost 30 movies. “We have some truly iconic items,” notes Gomes, placing particular importance on the Oscar-winning costumes that have been carefully selected from her personal archives.
Powell, at 64, notes that all costume designers inevitably accumulate items,” he says. “They think, ‘I can’t discard this. I can’t let it go. It might come in handy someday.’
She generously donated costumes from the 1998 film “Shakespeare in Love,” such as Judi Dench’s splendidly adorned regal attire as Elizabeth I, Gwyneth Paltrow’s romantic silver and yellow brocade dress portraying Viola de Lesseps, and the blue velvet doublet and breeches worn by Thomas Kent in disguise. Additionally, she provided royal wardrobe pieces from Jean-Marc Vallée’s 2009 historical drama, “The Young Victoria,” including four grand gowns symbolizing the extended reign of Queen Victoria played by Emily Blunt. Lastly, she retained costumes from Martin Scorsese’s 2004 biopic “The Aviator,” including a sleek silver lamé evening dress worn by Gwen Stefani as Jean Harlow and a double-breasted peak lapel suit donned by Leonardo DiCaprio in the role of Howard Hughes.
Some items display exceptional attention to detail in their cutting, such as Cate Blanchett’s (Katherine Hepburn) striking mustard yellow crepe sheath dress from The Aviator, according to Powell, who completed Maggie Gyllenhaal’s 1930s-themed film The Bride this past summer. The exhibit allows viewers to scrutinize the minute details and masterful craftsmanship at close range, rather than merely glimpsing them briefly on screen.
Speaking about the visual aesthetics from “Mary Poppins Returns” in 2018, Powell expresses her hope that viewers will admire the vibrant, watercolor-like artistry – a style she employed. This technique lent a lively, illusionary 2D appearance to Emily Blunt’s Edwardian outfits as Mary Poppins and in the enchanting “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” sequence. Interestingly, the Disney archives loaned the iconic blue caped-coat and red hat ensemble worn by Blunt on the movie poster as well. Additionally, Powell draws attention to the authentic, mid-19th century costumes from Martin Scorsese’s 2002 historical epic, “Gangs of New York”. She notes that examining the wear, fading, and deterioration – the result of extensive work – up close is worthwhile.
Jennifer Powell’s celebrated costume design work spans various genres, including the 18th-to-early-20th-century period piece “Interview With a Vampire,” starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Kirsten Dunst; Yorgos Lanthimos’ period drama “The Favourite,” set in early-1700s England; and the 1950s melodrama “Living,” which earned Powell the SCAD Creative Impact in Costume Design award in 2022. The book, “Dressing the Part,” showcases Powell’s innovative blending of different eras, as seen in the yellow futuristic latex-punk fusion ensemble worn by Elle Fanning’s alien lover in the 2017 sci-fi teen romance “How to Talk to Girls at Parties.” Meanwhile, Nicole Kidman portrays the subversive Queen Boudicca in a striking mix of Vivienne Westwood, Elizabeth I, and warrior-inspired elements.
According to Gomes, who has worked on exhibits like “Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design” (2021) and “Dressing for Dystopia: The Handmaid’s Tale Costumes by Ane Crabtree”, the upcoming exhibition Dressing the Part aims to honor Sandy Powell’s impact on film design and history. This exhibit will give visitors and students a cinematic experience, taking them into the world of films. The environment is designed to be immersive with dim lighting and scenes featuring characters from the films framed within black boxes, resembling movie screens.
Powell describes the museum experience as somewhat reminiscent of CinemaScope, referring to its captivating nature similar to the impact of widescreen technology used in films like ‘Ben-Hur’ and ‘The Sound of Music’ during mid-century. For him, the emotional response elicited by viewing the exhibit is crucial. The costumed figures within each scene will be strategically placed for dramatic effect and interactivity, making it seem as if they are frozen in the midst of a powerful moment. Powell stresses that this isn’t about fashion; instead, it’s about costume and character.
Customizing costumes for on-screen use presents a distinctive challenge since each actor’s wardrobe is tailored specifically to their body shape and height. Consequently, regular mannequins are adjusted to fit the clothing, which necessitates significant “mannequinage” or manipulation of the mannequins, as explained by Gomes. With assistance from his team and SCAD student volunteers, he carries out a kind of surgical operation; cutting open cotton-covered dress forms, then layering and molding the styrofoam insides.
An upcoming documentary film, which includes interviews with Powell, frequent collaborators like Cate Blanchett and Julianne Moore, along with trusted team members such as costume designer Christopher Peterson and assistant Charlotte Law, will complement the exhibition. As Powell explains, “It’s a massive collaboration that brings the costumes to life on screen.
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2024-10-14 23:25