30 Academy Award-Winning Costume Sets From Absolutely Phenomenal Movies
They deserved an award for being that amazing.
We think we can all agree that costumes are an essential part of films. Not only do they make the characters look much more amazing and believable, but they also make the fantasy world that we're watching on our screens feel much more real.
In addition to that, costumes play a significant role in showcasing character development. They often serve as the most prominent or subtle hints of a character's change.
Just imagine if the characters in The Lord of the Rings movie series or the Harry Potter series didn't wear what they wore. We doubt those movies would have sold as well as they have.
Nowadays, people put as much thought and attention into costumes as they do into other details of the movies. Even the tiniest details are crafted to be as perfect as possible.
Costume departments often spend entire weeks and months researching, crafting, and creating complete costume sets. Then they invest even more weeks and months ensuring continuity and replacing or changing costumes as necessary.
Their effort is commendable, and their creativity is brilliant. That is why they definitely deserve recognition from one of the most prestigious awards shows on the planet: the Oscars.
Keep reading to find out which movies have won the Oscar for Best Costume Design.
Black Panther (2019)
The costumes were created by Ruth E. Carter, who became the first African American woman to receive the Oscar for Best Costume Design. The collar and crown worn here were both created using 3D printing technology.
Marvel StudiosThe Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2004)
The team of Dickinson ONZM and Richard Taylor drew inspiration from 17th and 18th-century styles. Altogether, the designers were nominated for more than 20 awards.
New Line CinemaThe Grand Budapest Hotel (2015)
Costume designer Milena Canonero collaborated with fashion giants such as Fendi and Prada to create looks specifically designed to represent the individuality of each character.
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Alice In Wonderland (2011)
Colleen Atwood created the costumes for Tim Burton's film to emphasize the eccentricity of the characters. Only Alice's costume remained normal; however, there was difficulty in maintaining her costume as her size constantly changed throughout the movie.
Walt Disney Pictures
Titanic (1998)
Deborah Lynn Scott, who created the costumes for the film, spent significant amounts of time restoring dresses and creating new ones using restored fabrics and readings. She also sourced clothing from different countries for the third-class passenger characters, who had various ethnic backgrounds.
Paramount Pictures
Marie Antoinette (2007)
Believe it or not, the costume design inspiration for this film came from a box of Ladurée macarons that were given to costume designer Milena Canonero by the film's director, Sofia Coppola.
Columbia Pictures
Memoirs Of A Geisha (2006)
In the film, characters wore kimonos made from silk and decorated by hand. Each character also had an assigned color palette.
In an interview, designer Colleen Atwood stated that they had to exaggerate the designs significantly to tell the story, even though geishas were much more delicate than
Columbia Pictures
Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2008)
Although the looks in the film were inspired by the actual appearances of Queen Elizabeth I, the color palette differs from the one Elizabeth I preferred to wear in real life. Designer Alexandra Byrne chose to do this to capture the character of Elizabeth I through clothing and ensure she stood out from the crowd.
StudioCanal
Moulin Rouge! (2002)
The costumes were inspired by the actual venue called Moulin Rouge. Designers Catherine Martin and Angus Strathie ensured that the costumes remained true to that period while still being modern and eye-catching.
Bazmark Productions
Mad Max: Fury Road (2016)
One of the biggest challenges in creating these costumes, according to designer Jenny Beavan, OBE, was ensuring they reflected the characters' identities while maintaining practicality and not just aesthetics. Because of this, the costumes were made with materials that would blend into the overall scenery.
Kennedy Miller Mitchell
Gladiator (2001)
Designer Janty Yates revealed that during filming, the main actor required 12 sets of armor.
They then had to make 8 copies of each set: 4 for the actor and 4 for the stuntman. This included both clean and dirty armors.
DreamWorks Pictures
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1993)
Instead of focusing on the set, director Francis Ford Coppola decided to shift the focus to the costumes as the stage setting to help establish the mood of the film. He invited designer Eiko Ishioka, who created the designs in a way that showcased Dracula's transformation throughout the film.
American Zoetrope
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (2017)
Designer Colleen Atwood, who has won the Oscar three times for Best Costume Design, created at least 1,000 costumes for this film. She even took time to look for costumes that reflected the 1920s from various countries around the world.
Her biggest challenge, however, was designing Newt's costume because it would be what the audience remembered him by.
Warner Bros. Pictures
The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert (1995)
Designers Lizzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel faced the challenge of creating costumes for this film with a limited budget, so they worked with inexpensive materials and hot glue. It was also revealed that for an important scene in the movie, which involved 150 pom-poms, the pom-poms were made by Long Bay prison inmates because the movie creators didn't have enough time to do it themselves.
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Shakespeare In Love (1999)
For the costumes, designer Sandy Powell paid close attention to colors. Since rules didn't apply to the queen, Powell played with various colors for her, creating rich looks and contrasting them with those of the lower class.
The Bedford Falls Company
The Great Gatsby (2014)
While creating the costumes for the film, designer Catherine Martin not only had to ensure the creation of authentic and eye-catching apparel but also had to provide enough clothing for the main actors and extras. It was revealed that Brooks Brothers supplied 1,200 costumes just for men, and Miuccia Prada provided 40 background dresses and some of the dresses for the main character.
Village Roadshow Pictures
The Young Victoria (2010)
Designer Sandy Powell had to create these elegant costumes with budget limitations in mind. She also revealed that the costumes were inspired by portraits of Queen Victoria and her family, as well as information from the Queen's diaries.
GK Films
The Duchess (2009)
Designer Michael O'Connor revealed that none of the details in the costumes were there by accident, as the main character was known not only for her fashion taste but also for her personality. Important details in her life were often coded in her accessories.
Qwerty Films
Chicago (2003)
Designer Colleen Atwood spent a lot of time observing how the actors danced and moved during rehearsals to ensure their wardrobe suited their appearance and movements. One of the biggest challenges in creating the costumes, however, was to have them reflect the mood and time period of the film while being comfortable to wear during dancing and acting.
Producer Circle Co.
Anna Karenina (2013)
Although the movie was set in the 1870s, the costumes were inspired by the fashion of the 1950s. They weren't entirely authentic, but they were designed to create a more vivid character.
Working Title Films
Little Women (2020)
Designer Jacqueline Durran ensured that the costumes of the film reflected the spirit of the 19th century while showcasing each character's individuality. One interesting fact is that some characters actually shared clothing pieces with one another, such as the gold-colored vest with red spots that Jo and Laurie shared.
Columbia Pictures
Phantom Thread (2018)
A lot of people say that it's no surprise the film won the award for Best Costume, given that it was about the life of a 1950s couture fashion house and its designer. However, the costumes were created not only to look beautiful but also to reveal the identities of the wearers and allow the audience to understand who the man who created the clothes was.
Annapurna Pictures
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2021)
Designer Ann Roth, who has been in the industry for over 50 years, was given just 2 weeks to prepare the costumes. Beyond the time constraint, one of the biggest challenges in designing them was that there are only 8 pictures of Ma Rainey, making it difficult to determine what she actually wore.
Escape Artists
The Artist (2012)
Since the movie was in black and white, designer Mark Bridges played with vivid black and white colors to achieve the desired contrast in certain scenes. The costumes were also created in color because there was always a chance that the movie would be viewed in color, as revealed by the designer.
La Petite Reine
The English Patient (1997)
For the film, designer Ann Roth used soft desert tones to create male and female costumes. She also used muslin for the head coverings, which were necessary to protect the characters from the sun.
Tiger Moth Productions
The Age Of Innocence (1994)
A lot of research was conducted by designer Gabriella Pescucci to authentically and elegantly portray the lavish lifestyle of the characters. Once again, the costumes were used to depict the personalities and relationships of the characters.
Cappa Productions
The Aviator (2005)
Although the movie was based on real people, designer Sandy Powell didn't copy their looks. Instead, she used them as inspiration and visited many costume houses, selecting clothing and accessories she believed would fit a certain character.
Miramax Films
Cyrano De Bergerac (1991)
Designer Franca Squarciapino was known for her costume designs for major opera houses and theaters. Since the movie takes place in the 17th century, she ensured that the costumes accurately depicted the period.
UGC
Restoration (1996)
In creating the costumes for the film, designer James Acheson focused more on establishing the mood rather than on historical accuracy. This had to be achieved on a small budget, so he created elaborate costumes by reusing details from old costumes and using materials from craft stores.
Miramax Films
Topsy-Turvy (2000)
The costumes for the film were created by Lindy Hemming, who shared that when creating a costume, a designer must go through the same process an actor does. They must discover who the character is, how they are portrayed, and how they will act and behave.
Thin Man Films
All these costumes are definitely memorable and quite iconic. They've helped make the movies they are in unforgettable.
They also contributed to making many of these characters iconic, and they've created trends here and there in the movie industry.
Did your favorite movie make it to the list? Share it with us!
