'Spectacular Spectacular' - Moulin Rouge and its costumes

Being into music, without a doubt, one of the films that I just had to watch was Moulin Rouge. I thank the heavens that I did so at the beginning of our school semester since once presented with our assignment for film, I immediately thought of this particular film and it's wonderful costumes, especially those pertaining to the main female character. That was part of the main inspiration for my concept - designing a classy yet modern evening gown.

Moulin Rouge is a 2001 Australian-American romantic pastiche-jukebox musical film directed, produced and also co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Featuring the talents of the stunning Nicole Kidman (Satine) and Ewan McGregor (Christian), it tells the story of a young English man (McGregor) who travelled to Paris in the year 1899 to become a writer and make part of Montmartre's Bohemian movement. After accidentally meeting artist Toulouse-Lautrec and his fellow performers, he helps them finish their show 'Spectacular Spectacular' in the hope of selling it to Harold Zidler, owner of the Moulin Rouge. Christian is set to meet Satine (Kidman), the star courtesan of the cabaret. At the same time, Zidler is making arrangements with the wealthy Duke of Monroth, a potential investor in the cabaret. Satine mistakes Christian for the Duke, but soon learns that Christian is just a writer - though that didn't stop them from falling in love. After a series of events the Duke soon realises that the play is a metaphor for the love triangle consisting of Christian, Satine and the Duke himself, and demands a change in ending. The Duke warns Zidler that he will have Christian killed if Satine is not his. When Zidler informs Satine that she is dying, she tells Christian that they can no longer see each other because she will be staying with the Duke. Christian becomes depressed, and on the night of the show, he sneaks back into the Moulin Rouge. Suddenly finding himself in the spotlight, Christian pretends to be an actor, and finally walks off the stage in anger, only to return as Satine begins to sing the song Christian had previously written to express their love for each other. The Duke and his bodyguards try to kill Christian, but both attempts fail. As the show ends and the curtain closes, Satine succumbs to her illness, whose last words affirm her love towards Christian. The film ends with Christian at his typewriter a year later - 1990 - writing the tale of the two lovers. 

Costume design is essential in any film, together with the script, actors and soundtrack. Though probably on a subconscious level, the costumes determine how the audience portrays the characters that wear them. Through powerful colours and sparkling accessories, the audience may come to know of the character's role in the film as being central, while being part of the background when characters are seen in less varying costumes. It is worth noting that this film won an Oscar for Best Costume Design, and it was well-deserved in my opinion seeing as the level of creativity shown by the main costume designer Catherine Martin is of extremely high level. For me, she succeeded in giving the audience a glimpse of real people and theatre characters in the 1900s while also modifying them and giving the audience a more modern view. Particular attention must be paid to the costumes worn by lead actress Nicole Kidman. In an interview with national British newspaper The Guardian, Martin says:

"With Satine, we needed to make it clear that this is the most beautiful woman in Paris. Admittedly, Nicole is already very beautiful, but she may not be everybody's idea of ideal beauty, so we needed to make it clear with the costumes' signs and symbols that that's who she was. We looked to Hollywood's glamour heroines like Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo - all sexually available to the men in the movies but emotionally very unavailable, and we looked at how that manifested itself in their clothing. Their wardrobes tended to be very graphic, unfussy, dramatic in their colour choice. We then used that." 

(Martin, 2001)

There are two particular costumes which struck me most - the first being the Red Dress, also known as the "Smoldering Temptress" Dress.

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As one can see from the above costume designs, Satine's iconic Red Dress went through various before it arrived at the one used in the film. Made of red satin, with a corseted top that laces in the back and an intricate bustle, the dress is perhaps the most famous from the film. The colour of the dress was cleverly chosen to reflect Satine's character in the scene, primarily because it draws attention to her, and it also reflects her attempt at softening the Duke to invest in the show.

The second costume which I will probably use as a reference point in my design process is the Gothic Tower Dress. With reference to accessories, it is worth noting the necklace used in this scene.

The dress is made entirely of  black velvet, trimmed with reddish-brown fur along the train and the one shoulder. It is a pity that this detail is barely noticeable due to the minimal lighting used in the scene so as to reflect the unsettling atmosphere in the scene. The necklace worn by the actress was designed by Stefano Canturi and consisted of 1, 308 real diamonds and platinum, and was the most expensive piece of jewellery ever specifically made for a film. 

I couldn't help but add some more images of costumes from this film. To me, each one is a magnificent piece of art. 

References:

IMDb. Moulin Rouge! (2001) [online]. Available at <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203009/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt> [Accessed 19th December, 2013]

Hadley Freeman, 2001. Can-can do [online]. Available at <http://www.theguardian.com/film/2001/sep/07/fashion> [Accessed 19th December, 2013]

Video Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MANzKbDuNw8

Image sources:

http://www.costumersguide.com/moulinrouge/ref17.jpg

http://www.costumersguide.com/moulinrouge/ref20.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9Jp4EWWsTMGPNFbO106WbNsGqdUVytQdkH734QJ3hMOZaybsK7E_8Ano_wJCmGF9Dfz7T3RTe-tVDyt1gjDDsGGgjPAXUQoiUunwC4Ht3y8wyOlFVt96h4WsAuC_NeM5PfPTSNJaNcKm/s400/mcx-top-movie-dresses-moulin-rouge-xln.jpg

http://www.costumersguide.com/moulinrouge/gothic5.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AdpmV6oqbpblFy2gfb9Hjn34iEfzBd01E80Zau9IvlxbpS4bEkZveuvif2jHuWllA8HPzubWp16QWomDXVcpaq4dE_kyM9dzU4H4mH2vpq1jaYEHu4LjbB-yE1LbqtJ-UXSsTp1zywqL/s400/gothic2.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiha29_OT7M-Srocdy9s0VomQFNfqo50lPBzR2Io2woCL2TiGXEm1mus0JHiWpUmsfV1_6bXPbRST9eSLTs3jSwkiEIWFcaMECb5iNMzxqNqsPUBHZR1hKmghjp3vVvQYfIWSBRgI3y-9if/s400/2013-05-07+07.17.45+pm.png

http://www.costumersguide.com/moulinrouge/black1.jpg

http://insightandout.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/moulin-rouge-nicole-kidman.png

http://www.costumersguide.com/moulinrouge/corset1.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXoHLmImsHNJwFXG0AOvO53q1d8zYXttz3Fd4t3D5qf824xXFi9fQuk5vi0cvIPe2Sdyj6Ub0Hk02CidHUWXfvaYY5VdTuW0DLbictWyBAJ-zWlO5tXIiYM5MrQwgcxFryy5QwzStC_Ox/s400/2013-05-07+07.14.59+pm.png

http://bios.weddingbee.com/pics/127250/satineweddingdress1.jpg

http://www.costumersguide.com/moulinrouge/hindi9.jpg

(Original) Elsa Schiaparelli - "that Italian artist who makes clothes"

The main idea for my visual concept is to design an evening gown with a twist, in that I want it to be elegant and classy yet modern. As I was conducting research for my previous blog posts, I came across a designer who was influenced by the Futurist movement - one of the avante-garde movements of the early 20th century which focused on dynamism, movement and modernity. I am talking about none other than Elsa Schiaparelli. My main aim is to focus on recreating a similar dress structure to that designed by the mentioned designer and also to be inspired by the patterns and colours she used in her designs.

"that Italian artist who makes clothes"

(Coco Chanel, n.d.)

Those were the words used by famous rival fashion designer Coco Chanel to describe Elsa Schiaparelli. Born in Rome in 1890 in an aristocratic family, Elsa showed signs of the need for personal freedom from a very young age - an aspect which would show up in her work later on. Living life with a certain amount of luxury thanks to her parents' wealth and social status was considered a bonus - in the eyes of others. On the contrary, she believed that luxury was stifling to her art and creativity, thus leading to her moving to New York City and later on to Paris. It was in 1927 that Shiaparelli began to design and make clothes with the encouragement of Paul Poiret, and later in that same year she started her own business.

Her first collection consisted of sweaters adorned with surrealist trompe l'oeil images - a theme that was to become Schiaparelli's trademark. It consisted of a black sweater with a white trompe l'oeil scarf at the neck. which was a particular success and was selected to appear in French Vogue. She then moved on to produce a collection named Pour le Sport, including clothing such as bathing suits, skiwear and linen dresses. She also created the revolutionary divided skirt. In 1931, Schiaparelli added evening-wear to her repertoire, strengthening her business further. Collaborating with Surrealist artist Salvador Dali on famous pieces such as the Shoe Hat, the Tears dress and the skeleton dress increased her fame not just in her time but also today.

Schiaparelli is known for introducing many styles and techniques into the history of fashion such as the creation of zippers in colours that matched the the rest of the clothing, introducing brooch-like buttons to adorn clothes, and also her association with a shade of magenta - which came to be known as "Schiaparelli pink". In her autobiography Schiaparelli explained that her fascination with the colour came from a Cartier diamond owned by her friend. She describes the jewel's colour as "bright, impossible, impudent, becoming, life-giving [...] a shocking colour, pure and undiluted."

She returned to France after spending the war period in New York, only to find that the fashion styles have changed and she struggled to compete with Christian Dior's post-war 'New Look'. The doors of the House of Schiaparelli - her design house - closed in 1954. Despite this, she still remains one of the most influential and prominent figures in the fashion industry. Elsa Schiaparelli died in 1973.

As one can note from the images above, Elsa Schiaparelli was clearly interested in designing clothes that were form-fitting and which flattered the female form. She also opts for the streamlined silhouette, and forms that created some sort of shape and fluidity. I will definitely be opting for a similar style in my design for the dress.


References:

Vogue Style File - Elsa Schiaparelli (2012) [online]. Available at <http://www.vogue.co.uk/spy/celebrity-photos/2012/4/18/elsa-schiaparelli-style-file> [Accessed 16th December, 2013]

Reeder, Jan. "Elsa Schiaparelli (1890–1973)" [online]. Available at <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/elsa/hd_elsa.htm> [Accessed 16th December, 2013]


Image sources:

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O15655/cravat-jumper-elsa-schiaparelli/

http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/105737?rpp=20&pg=2&ao=on&ft=elsa+schiaparelli&what=Evening+dresses&pos=23

http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/105736?rpp=20&pg=2&ao=on&ft=elsa+schiaparelli&what=Evening+dresses&pos=22

http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/157803?rpp=20&pg=1&ao=on&ft=elsa+schiaparelli&what=Evening+dresses&pos=17

http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/156222?img=0

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/2009.300.1168a-c

Futurism. Colours. Movement.

After giving it some thought, I came up with a general idea for my visual concept, that is, to design an evening gown with a twist, in that I want it to be elegant and classy yet modern, inspired by the designs of Italian-born French couturière Elsa Schiaparelli. While conducting research regarding the mentioned designer, I found out that despite being greatly associated with the Surrealist and Dadaist movements, she was also influenced by the Futurists. That is why I decided that with regards to art, I would refer to the Futurist movement - focusing mainly on their use of colour, since that is the aspect which will be used as a source of inspiration for my design. 

Futurism was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century. It was founded by the Italian poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti who published his Manifesto of Futurism on the front page of Le Figaro - a Parisian newspaper. The movement was mainly based in Italy, although its influences reached out also to Russia and England, with key figures of the movement including Italian artists Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, Umberto Boccioni and Giacomo Balla, and Russian artist Natalia Goncharova.

It is fascinating to note that the Futurists made use of every artistic form possible to demonstrate their beliefs: painting, sculpture, industrial design, theatre, fashion, film, literature, music, architecture and graphic design amongst others. 

Being mostly based in Italy, the main aim of the Futurist movement was to rid the country of anything old, classical and not totally new and work towards a new, modern Italy. They felt that the past culture of Italy was weighing them down as it was particularly oppressive. That is why Marinetti states in one his Manifesto that the Futurists "will free Italy from her innumerable museums which cover her like countless cemeteries" (Marinetti,1909). What the Futurists proposed instead was the introduction of modernity. They emphasized and celebrated anything related to the modern world of industry and technology - speed, youth and violence; and objects such as the car, the aeroplane and the industrial city. 

‘We declare … a new beauty, the beauty of speed. A racing motor car … is more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace’

 (Marinetti, 1909) 

With regards to art, the Futurists incorporated elements of Neo-Impressionism and Cubism to create an original style that expressed the dynamism, energy and movement of modern life. Their art is distinctive in that most of the time they made use of a process known as divisionism, which meant that they broke light and colour down into a series of dots and geometric forms.

Sea = Dancer
(1914)
Gino Severini

 Abstract Speed + Sound

 (1913–1914)

Giacomo Balla

The City Rises
(1910)
Umberto Boccioni

While looking for more contemporary examples of art inspired by the futurist movement, I came across the art work (shown below) by Mark Webster. Comparing the works shown above with the one below, one can immediately notice the aggressive use of line and simple but bold colours. 

Abstract Geometric Futurist Figurative Oil Painting
Mark Webster

I will definitely be making use of a combination of these colours in my design and further enhancing the aspect of movement by including lines and shapes in subtle but effective way. 

References:

TATE - Futurism [online]. Available at <http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/futurism> [Accessed 15th December, 2013]

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation (SRGF), 2013. Collection Online - Futurism [online]. Available at <http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/collection-online/movements/195215/description> [Accessed 15th December, 2013]

Image sources: 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Umberto_Boccioni_001.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/12/GBallaArt.jpg

http://markadamwebster.com/workszoom/897562

http://www.designishistory.com/files/gimgs/32_futurism01.jpg