The Canons of Costume Design

Picture source: The Costumer's Guide to Movie Costumes (truly worth visiting!)

When it comes to the Oscar season (yawn...) the things that usually keep me interested are what I call "the glamorous bits": the red carpet fashion wars and the lavish period productions à la Merchant Ivory, typically nominated in the cinematography, art direction, costume design and best actress categories. As it turns out, this genre has been almost excluded from the race this year.

Almost. At least the Academy remembered to put Marie Antoinette forward for a costume design prize. This is a small token (I do think this eye-candy-of-a-movie deserved to be nominated in a few more categories) but never mind, I will still be rooting: Kirsten Dunst as the ill-fated queen parades no less than 60 sublime costumes designed by Milena Canonero. Each more decadently chic than the other, they convey the excesses at Versailles but also have a seductive power: the dress with belt shown above stayed with me well after the movie screening due to its simple yet alluring contrast of textures and colours.

Canonero really deserves a win. Slight problem is that she will contend against the equally canonized Patricia Field who, having shot to fame with her legendary Sex and the City wardrobes, is now nominated for The Devil Wears Prada. A case of "may the best dressed win".