Elle Woods’s signature pink. Neo’s futuristic black. Patrick Bateman’s business formal/murder casual. For the most memorable characters of turn-of-the-century cinema, the wardrobe has become synonymous with the personality. “Costume design intrinsically creates character,” Oscar-nominated costume designer Arianne Phillips says.
For our September portfolio, Vanity Fair tapped Phillips and photographer Emma Summerton to reimagine nine of our favorite films of the era through a contemporary lens—with next-gen standouts playing the leads. The concept: a glimpse behind the scenes at classic screen tests; hair and makeup, lighting, actors reading lines between takes—all the elements that come together to define the role before filming begins.
Fourteen young stars, 25 trunks of clothing, more than 100 pairs of shoes, and countless accessories later, the nostalgia was in full force. “On the day of the shoot, we really went with the vibe of what the talent were doing,” says Summerton. Keke Palmer, cast as Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods, was all about embodying the character’s attitude. Patrick Schwarzenegger embraced his inner American Psycho “to the point where he was kinda scary,” says Summerton.
The films featured in our portfolio, from The Royal Tenenbaums to Moulin Rouge! to Love & Basketball, span comedy to musical to romance, but they have this in common: All nine original costume designers were women—including Phillips (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, 2001). For Phillips, honoring those original designs lent this portfolio special meaning: “It’s less about re-creating and more about paying homage, celebrating the work of all of these female costume designers,” Phillips says.
— Behind the Scenes of Anthony Bourdain’s Iconic Nude Portrait
— Will TikTok Save the Olympics?
— King Edward VIII, King George VI, and the Rift That Changed History
— New Summer Books for Every Mood
— Jeff Bezos and the Life-Changing Magic of Going to Space
— The Best Next-Gen Face Toners for Balanced Skin
— Jared and Ivanka Have Reportedly Closed on Billionaire Bunker Mansion 2.0
— The Rehabilitation of Prince Edward and Sophie
— From the Archive: How John Kennedy Gracefully Took His Place in History
— Sign up for The Buyline to receive a curated list of fashion, books, and beauty buys in one weekly newsletter.