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If you’ve tuned into Netflix’s newest hit movie Do Revenge, you’ve in all probability left interested by three issues: “Glennergy,” the variety of iconic movie references and the unimaginable trend. The twisty revenge story, written and directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, highlights the bond between former queen bee Drea (Camila Mendes) and Eleanor (Maya Hawke), a clumsy switch scholar, as they attempt to get again at the ones who wronged them — the former, her ex who leaked a intercourse tape, and the latter, the lady from camp who outed her.
Read extra: This surrealist trend model goals up freakish meme-iverses onstage and in music movies
With a smattering of iconic movie references starting from Clueless and Jawbreaker to Mean Girls, the film is brimming with iconic appears to be like. And the mastermind behind the candy-coated model? Costume designer Alana Morshead. Working carefully with Robinson, she crafted the film’s most memorable trend moments: from the pastel mint inexperienced and lavender faculty uniforms to Drea’s admissions social gathering chain-link ‘90s runway number.
In our latest Gen AP interview, we speak to Morshead about the inspiration behind some of Do Revenge’s finest costumes and what tasks she has developing subsequent.
How did you first get into styling and costume design?
I grew up in England, and I did not even know what a costume designer was. I simply knew I at all times cherished garments. I acquired my undergrad and all of my electives have been movie. I nonetheless did not know what I wished to do, and I used to be like, “Well, I love film. I go to film school.” I’m going to movie faculty, and so they educate you all the things however costume design. When I graduated movie faculty in 2008, I wanted a job, so I began helping a star stylist, and that ranged from selecting up issues from boutiques to taking her canine to the vet to being on set doing dry cleansing. While I used to be doing that, one other pal of mine was engaged on commercials as an assistant and mentioned, “Oh, you’re assisting the stylist. You want to work on this commercial?”
So, I began helping on commercials, after which after some time, I actually realized what artwork is, and there’s a place for loving garments, but in addition loving movie. I did not ever simply need to be a trend designer or have my very own line — I simply cherished garments. Growing up in England, I did not know that this actually was a job. My first job once I was 15 was at McDonald’s as a result of I might stroll there from my home, and my total paycheck simply went to purchasing garments. I had a lightbulb second after I graduated movie faculty, like “Oh, there is a way to marry the two of them.”
How did you pull from totally different ’90s films to create the appears to be like in Do Revenge?
I imply, it actually started [with] making boards. When I learn the script, I felt prefer it already showcased what the vibe was. When I chatted with the director Jenn, it was obvious that we have been on the identical web page — my temper boards — so it clicked from the starting. It was simply the script that made it clear to me who these characters have been — particularly understanding that it was going to be Maya and Cami — that additionally helps create the character as a result of you understand what colours will look good on them or what silhouettes would look good on them. So, it was actually watching a whole lot of these films after which simply scouring Pinterest for hours, taking a look at photos, taking a look at magazines from again then, taking a look at advertisements. But one among my largest references, when I’m researching a job, is Instagram as a result of it is simply so “now.” You can put on something you need, be your self and categorical your self by clothes.
In the opening social gathering scene, Camila’s outfit appeared to parallel Cher failing her driver’s check in Clueless. Was that look meant to allude to that?
That explicit [outfit] wasn’t the inspo for that, however Cher [and] the film did. Maybe subconsciously it did. That was undoubtedly one among the films that I watched, cherished and grew up on. It was coming from that period and that vibe.
How did you land on the shade palette for the faculty uniforms?
We wished to have all these enjoyable garments, colours and prints outdoors of college, however how can we make {that a} uniform that is additionally plausible and never fully over the high? I believe that the pastels simply felt so Miami. When we have been determining what we wished them to be, after taking part in round, [we] actually landed on these two colours complementing one another. At one level, we thought of doing 5 totally different colours, however then it was like, “OK, now it’s going to be too much.” There was going to be pastel yellow and a child blue, however it began to really feel prefer it was too overcomplicated and a bit too chaotic.
The entire senior ring dinner scene gave me Romy And Michele’s High School Reunion vibes. Was that the inspiration for the scene?
For the ring dinner, Jenn mentioned the colours have been child blue, off-white and silver. We wished to do one thing for Drea that also felt fairly highly effective — not a gown like everybody else. We do not see Eleanor in attire that a lot, so at the ring dinner when she’s actually making an attempt to slot in and dropping herself on this group, we see her in a gown. Drea is the one taking management and in energy, so we put her in these child blue, high-waisted slacks however nonetheless discover a method to make it hers.
Tell me about the way you conceived Drea and Eleanor’s appears to be like for the makeover scene.
That’s in all probability one among my favourite items. We made that piece that Drea is carrying. Because makeover scenes are simply so pivotal in all the films we love, I wished it to really feel actually Miami, over the high, and so Drea, in fact, is in a scorching pink houndstooth outfit. I actually wished to place her in one thing that felt like she is assured and the queen bee and he or she nonetheless is aware of who she is and may transfer round comfortably. She had decrease heels on, so it wasn’t one thing uncomfortable. This was like an project for her, so she’s additionally dressed “practically.” It’s such an iconic scene, so I actually wished to have her in one thing that will be actually memorable.
Why was trend so pivotal to Do Revenge‘s storyline?
Because it’s such a enjoyable film. In all the films that we love, model actually is a big think about Clueless, Jawbreaker and in Romy And Michele. Those are the belongings you bear in mind as being a part of a cult traditional. When we see Halloween costumes or if somebody says, “Oh, the Romy And Michele outfits,” or discuss Cher’s yellow plaid outfit, everyone is aware of what you are speaking about. It’s simply making an attempt to create these moments the place you immediately know 10 or 20 years from now it will be superb so as to add to those cult films that we love.
So, what’s your subsequent undertaking after Do Revenge?
I’m at the moment designing a TV present for Hulu known as Tiny Beautiful Things, starring Kathryn Hahn, based mostly on a guide by Cheryl Strayed. It’s very emotional and really intense, and it’ll be a good looking present. That’s what’s nice about my job: Every undertaking is so totally different. I’ve a film on Amazon popping out in December known as Something From Tiffany’s. It’s the traditional, New York Christmas rom-com with Zoey Deutch. I’m so excited for that to come back out, too, as a result of they’re all such totally different tales. Finding a method to herald model or develop characters extra by the wardrobe is such a enjoyable a part of my job.
How did you go about styling Sarah Michelle Gellar as headmaster, contemplating all of the references to Cruel Intentions?
Since we solely see her in school and he or she has some emotionally vital scenes with Drea, it was a advantageous line of not placing her in one thing that was distracting or taking you out of the scene. My job is so as to add to scenes and improve these characters. I by no means need to be distracting or take away from performances. Since we solely see her in school, we did not need to simply do one thing the place it felt boring or like, “Oh yeah, we’ll just put her in a blouse and a pantsuit.” Like nonetheless giving her an identification of who she is however becoming into this world that we created. Her shade palette continues to be in the identical really feel as the faculty. Classic, clear strains have been the method to go together with her. She was skilled, however she nonetheless had her personal model. She slot in with the faculty and with the film.
What are your favourite tasks that you have labored on?
Maybe the film I simply talked about, Something From Tiffany’s. A New York rom-com is at the high of my record, and the individuals that you simply work with can also make the expertise higher. This TV present [Tiny Beautiful Things] and that film, they’re each Hello Sunshine productions. Really working with individuals you like and respect who worth your opinion…I’ve actually, actually felt that with Hello Sunshine.
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