Clothing trends often dictate and orchestrate around cinema. Along with reflecting the historically accurate indications of past fashions, it is interesting how important costume and design impacts on story-line and character description, wholly from just what the actor wears. We can see how fashion has transcended and evolved over time through cinematic history, and still be relevant today in fashion trends.
Credit: The Great Gatsby1. The Great Gatsby. (2013)
Adapting one of last year’s most anticipated films and beloved novels; F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, was no doubt an ambitious project for director Baz Luhrmann and designer/wife, Catherine Martin. The main aim was to create a fresher look at the romantic novel, as well as simultaneously give justice to Fitzgerald’s words. Luhrmann is known for modernising certain classics. His popular adaptation of Romeo & Juliet for instance truly reflects his transgressive style. This was also the case for Gatsby, a novel set in the prohibition era of the twenties. However, his goal was not entirely set to modernise the classic novel, rather, he intended to capture the main themes, such as the frenzy of movement and ambition towards the future. This was also what his designer wife, Catherine Martin had to keep in mind when she was designing the costumes.
The key ingredient happened to be one certain designer, Miuccia Prada. His participation enabled the costumes to convey Fitzgerald’s message, whilst also staying up to date with the audience, who would subconsciously reference Prada and relate the designer to the types of characters in the film, and their wealth. In one of the films most pivotal scenes, we see Gatsby’s love interest, Daisy Buchanan, hiding away at a lavish party to whisper sweet nothings to Gatsby. In this scene she is wearing a gold crystal dress adapted from a Spring/Summer 2010 Prada dress. As a modern audience, we understand her wealthy status perfectly through this strategy. The collaborations of Martin, Luhrmann and Prada really do stand the test of time, and with their artistic visions entwined along with the novel’s traditional message, it is no wonder the costume alone won an Oscar. The costume successfully propells Fitzgerald’s poetically visual words into real life in the most beautiful, cinematic way.
