In the often
under-appreciated world of modern costume designers, Nancy Steiner’s work proves
that costume design for productions set in the present day can have just as much
bearing on the overall style of a film as costume design for a period piece.
She’s gained significant attention for her jobs in contemporary productions,
receiving numerous accolades and nominations for contemporary costume design.
Last year she received critical acclaim as well as the Costume Designers Guild
Awards nomination for her work on Shopgirl, a modern-day comedy in which the
clothes were admired for their subtlety and thoughtfulness. Steiner’s most
recent work in the new comedy Little Miss Sunshine successfully fulfills the
costume designer’s key responsibility — communicating a character’s personality
through his or her attire.
Little Miss
Sunshine tells the story of a family who travel from New Mexico to
California to enter their
homely-looking daughter in a beauty contest. The movie’s charm lies in its
eccentric characters, and so communicating the family’s eccentricities through
each of the character's costume design was a key factor in the success of the film’s story
as a whole. “We wanted each character to be they’re own person, sort of
a character of themselves,” said Steiner. “Color was important too. That each
person had they’re own color scheme.”
The
post-suicidal and emotionally fragile Frank, for example, looks almost innocent
in white, virtuous and beatific. “I liked that Frank just tried to end his life
and yet he looks like an angel, pure in a way,” said Steiner.
As for Olive,
the little girl who sparks this whole adventure, Steiner explained that “We
decided that red was Olive’s color. And I wanted to portray a little girl with
an imagination and a quirkiness, like some of the kids I know.”
Grandpa, who at
first looks likes an ordinary grandfather, wears items deliberately chosen to
reflect his unusual nature. A dirty old man with a drug habit, Grandpa is no
ordinary patriarch. “I saw Grandpa as an old rock n’ roller who liked the
ladies, gambling and the fast lane of life. The vest is a nod to the old times
in his life when he was more of a swinger,” said Steiner. “I made the t-shirt
with an image of dancing girls and the word Vegas as something he’s had for a
long time too. The fanny pack is of course for his gear, needs it by him at all
times,” she said, referring to his drug paraphernalia. “The socks with sandals
reflect his lazy attitude, no effort.”
The planning
that went into clothing these quirky characters was complicated by the fact that
they live in the modern world. Because, while costume designers for contemporary
works don’t always create costumes for the entire cast as they would for a
period piece, they nonetheless must face a problem unique to modern apparel—that
of unlimited choice. “I think the major difference in designing contemporary
films is that the options are endless,” said Steiner. “With a period film you
are creating a memory or a precise slice of time that has already happened,
already been defined in a way,” she explained. “We are living in the world now
so it hasn’t yet been distilled down to memories.”
In other ways,
the costume designer faces similar challenges whether the work is contemporary
or historical. They read a script noting the story’s theme, main characters and
factors such as a character’s social status, lifestyle and location before
deciding the attire. The costume designer often makes sketches, or “character
boards,” to help communicate their ideas to other members of the production
team. Research often plays a big part, as well as contemplation of questions
into each character’s psyche.
“What brand of
t-shirt does the character wear?” asks Steiner when contemplating the
characters. “What kind of jeans? What stores do they shop at and why?”
After planning
the wardrobe comes the issue of finding the necessary items for it. Costume
designers usually acquire the outfits from a variety of sources, including
costume houses, and retail and thrift stores. Sewing from scratch may sometimes
be necessary for a certain look or to fit the needs of a particular figure type,
but more often the clothes are already made.
“I usually
start at the costume houses for a more worn in feeling if that is the effect
wanted,” said Steiner. “Creating from scratch or building is more rare as it is
quite costly for the most part. But I have made a few things that I want and
just can’t find on the rack.”
Costume
designers must also flatter the actor by disguising imperfections, carefully
choosing the color and shape of an outfit while staying true to the essence of
the character. Sometimes the opposite is true, as in the case of Abigail
Breslin, the young star of Little Miss Sunshine, whose clothes were chosen to
intentionally accentuate or create flaws. Breslin’s t-shirts are pulled tightly
around her padded stomach, making her appear awkward and pudgy, and emphasizing
the absurdity of her character’s beauty pageant ambition.
Creative
decisions such as these must ultimately meet the approval of a movie’s director,
which is why communication with the director plays an instrumental part in
successful costume design. Having a shared vision doesn’t hurt, either. Steiner
has a long standing familiarity and rapport with Little Miss Sunshine directors
Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, facilitating an effective work relationship.
“I have worked with Jonathan and Valerie for about 13 or 14 years doing
commercials and videos so I know they’re taste and they also trust mine,” said
Steiner. “We have a great working relationship where all opinions are
considered.”
