Costume design plays an important role in filmmaking. Films like Austin Powers, Lala Land, Boogie Nights, Black Panther, and Malcolm X transport us to a different time and place through costume. Have you ever wondered how the concepts for costume designs come together? We have—that’s why we’re talking today with Mimi Haddon, author of Palace Costume, a book about the most important costume house in Hollywood, and costume designer Shirley Kurata who was nominated for an Oscar for her work on Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Watch a short trailer from this episode, paired with a trailer from our interview with production designer Yashar Kassai, in the clip above.
We speak with Mimi and Shirley about the origin story of Palace Costume, how it's organized and how costume designers use its vast collection. We also talk about how working with a limited budget inspires creativity, how costume designers think about color in their work, and how they collaborate with directors and other colleagues to execute on the vision for the film.
Bios
Mimi Haddon is the author of Palace Costume, a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Palace Costume & Prop Co., an exclusive Los Angeles film-industry haven of dresses, gowns, garments, accessories, props, and jewelry featured in countless movies for more than fifty years. Acclaimed designers such as Sandy Powell (Carol, The Aviator, Shakespeare in Love), Ruth E. Carter (Black Panther, Malcolm X, Frankie and Alice), Arianne Phillips (Once upon a Time in Hollywood, A Single Man, W.E.), Shirley Kurata (Everything Everywhere All at Once), and Mary Zophres (La La Land, Babylon, True Grit) and Mark Bridges (Boogie Nights, Licorice Pizza) each share insightful anecdotes about the importance of Palace Costume as their go-to creative resource, especially for historic period films. Mimi and Melody Barnett (founder of Palace Costume) were recently featured in a Fast Company article.
Shirley Kurata is an Academy Award-nominated costume designer who has worked on films like Everything Everywhere All at Once. As a stylist, Kurata's clients have included celebrities such as Billie Eilish, Lena Dunham, Pharrell Williams, Zooey Deschanel, Beck, Mindy Kaling, and Tierra Whack.
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