The Bowers Museum Cuts 1/31/2013

Discover the glamour, luxury and artistry of cinematic couture in this exhibition from the renowned British costumer, Cosprop Ltd and organized by Exhibits Development Group.  Forty-three costumes worn by 30 actors in 25 different films attest to the sumptuous fabrics, lavish lace and embroidery, unparalleled craftsmanship and creativity, and the essential ingredient costumes play in the authenticity of a period film. Many of the costumes have won major awards including Oscars from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and BAFTAs from the British Association of Film and Television Arts.

17th Century: As the wife of Charles II, Catherine de Braganza played an important role in the politics of the day. Her large dowry brought the port cities of Tangiers and Bombay under British control, a major development in the rise of the British Empire.

This richly decorated black and silver dress is probably influenced by the portrait of her as a young person, painted by Dirk Stoop, but the style of the dress and its decoration are very similar to a dress that appears in the Velasquez painting, Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor). The King, upon seeing the Stoop portrait and his new wife’s hair, is reported to have exclaimed “My god! They have brought me a bat to marry.”

The large slashed or paned sleeves with the undergarment showing through and the use of lace at the neckline and cuffs were representative of that time. The skirt is held out at the hips with a farthingale.

18th Century - Captain Sparrow’s pirate‐style costume is based on Restoration fashion as shown in the deep cuffs of the long frock coat and the deep cuffs of the boots. Other indications of the period are the long sleeveless vest and the multiple oversized button holes. The fabrics of the coat, shirt and breeches are rough and distressed emphasizing the life of a pirate. The ensemble is complete with the inclusion of a diagonal leather belt with buckle to hold the sword, a large and tasseled scarf tied at the waist and a tricorn hat. Captain Jack Sparrow’s now famous look is the result of collaboration in the first film between Penny Rose, makeup artist Ve Neill, hair stylist Martin Samuel and Depp himself. Says Depp, “Having spent some time with Keith Richards [from the Rolling Stones] . . . he was certainly a huge part of the inspiration for the character.”

Casanova's formal red frock coat with gold metallic embroidery is made of a patterned silk mixture woven with spangled gold lace. The waistcoat, complimentary to the silk coat, is woven with flowers and small paisley motifs with gold thread running throughout. Gold lace is applied to the pockets and cuffs with sequined spangles. The costume is accessorized with a cream shirt with a lace jabot and cuffs. Its exaggerated pleats at the back of the coat flare out as Casanova moves.
Heath Ledger is the clothes horse in this film, playing the fabled romantic character trying to find the true meaning of love. This costume with its red and gold trimmings illustrates his character magnificently and is one of the designer's favorites.

The Duchess is based on the life of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire. While the duchess's beauty and charisma made her famous, her extravagant tastes and appetite for gambling and love made her infamous. Married young to the older, distant Duke of Devonshire who was blatantly unfaithful, Georgiana became a fashion icon, a doting mother, a shrewd political operative, an intimate of ministers and princes and the darling of the common people. Costume designer Michael O'Connor described his process for creating the right look for the film:
Eighteenth century clothes were really quite extraordinary, but in the film the characters are speaking dialogue that needs to be paid attention to. You can take inspiration from the past, but you have to play down large patterns and bright colors. You don't want the clothes to distract, though in reality they were probably extremely distracting.