Outstanding Contemporary TV Series BIG LOVE Costume Designer: CHRISI KARVONIDES-DUSHENKO What made this season different? The raid on the Texas polygamist compound was totally new. We needed to merge that style into our characters who were established in calico prairie styles from years back. Most challenging? Dressing my cast of fashionistas as your average middle-class polygamists and creating Mormon attire for their most sacred ceremonies, because it can’t be seen by anyone outside Mormon sanctums. Rewarding when we got it right! Comments? Just goes to show that strong costume design is all about visual storytelling … not about making a fashion statement.
DANCING WITH THE STARS Costume Designer: RANDALL CHRISTENSEN Assistant Designers: STEVEN LEE AND DANIELA GSCHWENDTNER What made this season different? The cast! We went from 10-12 couples competing to a whopping 16 couples! And we whipped up a slew of last-minute costumes for our Michael Jackson Tribute. Most challenging? Joanna and Derek’s “Futuristic Paso Doble” lighted costumes. Designed, built, and wired in four days! We were on pins and needles hoping they’d stay lit and not short circuit during the strenuous and athletic performance! Comments? I just hope everyone realizes that NONE of these costumes are prepared ahead of time and my ACDs make this insanity happen.
GLEE Costume Designer: LOU EYRICH Assistant Designer: JENNIFER EVE Your key inspiration? The characters themselves. The music. Ryan Murphy (creator, writer, director). Most challenging? The most challenging costumes continue to be the dance numbers in each episode with individual looks for the 14 principals. Your best advice to the next generation of designers? Your strongest asset is your crew. What keeps you focused? My crew. They are amazing. Comments? I’m so grateful for the opportunity to design a show where we get to explore so many varied characters and new creative challenges in every episode.
NO. 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY
Outstanding TV MOW or Miniseries GEORGIA O’KEEFFE Costume Designer: MICHAEL DENNISON Assistant Designer: MICHAEL CROW Inspiration? Alfred Stieglitz photography, colors and patterns from O’Keeffe’s paintings, and the palette of the Southwest. Most challenging costume? All were fun and challenging but the most rewarding characters were Georgia and Mabel Dodge Luhan. Advice to the next generation of designers? Perseverance and dedication should be your guideposts while kindness, trust, respect and honesty should be your catalysts. What keeps you calm? Visualizing the entire scene and focusing on the outcome. I trust the talent of my crew, and before you know it … it’s on film!
GREY GARDENS Costume Designers: CATHERINE MARIE THOMAS Assistant Designer: MICKEY CARLETON Key inspiration? The story of these two remarkable women. I envisioned their progression through the decades as a decoupage. Collecting pieces of clothing and incorporating them as they aged through the years. Interesting to me was Little Edie’s unique aesthetic. Favorite costume? The silk-hooded gown Little Edie wears to the bohemian party in the 1930s. We wanted to reference the onset of her alopecia and her progressive clothing choices even at such a young age. Advice? It’s good to be afraid of a challenge. It means you are learning.
LITTLE DORRIT Costume Designer: BARBARA KIDD Assistant Designers: CAROLINE MCCALL AND LUAN PLACKS Inspiration? The original drawings by Dickens’ illustrator Phiz and imagining these two men discussing the characters in Little Dorrit. Most challenging costume? I applaud ‘Sparkler’ and ‘Tip,’ who both bravely corsetted without complaint making their fashionable outfits work; their stance and ‘manliness’ enhanced. Advice to the next generation of designers? Be ingenious in your research. You are there to bring fresh ideas. And make friends with the alterations workroom! What keeps you calm? Focusing on the importance of making each costume perform at its best.
Outstanding Commercial Costume Design Winner
Costume Designer: JO KATSARAS Your key inspiration? The essence of Africa, the script and all its characters, and naturally, the late Anthony Minghella. Your favorite costume? My favorite character is Mma Makutsi. I just love her quirkiness, I have so much fun with her costumes. Best advice? Always trust your instinct and smile whilst working. It’s the best job in the world. What keep you calm? Early-morning meditation and my sense of humor, mostly.
UGLY BETTY Costume Designer: PATRICIA FIELD Associate Designer: MOLLY ROGERS Assistant Designers: JACKIE OKANIAN AND PAOLO Unavailable at press time
MILK, “MILKQUARIOUS” Costume Designer: CASEY STORM Assistant Designer: KAMMY LENNOX Illustrator: MEI-LING HUBBARD Key inspiration? Our vision was rock opera references like David Bowie and Kiss and weird futuristic films of the ’70s. Most challenging? The heroine’s outfit because of the politics of advertising. The costume had to be sexy but not too sexy. We made the costume as a two-piece but had to reconceived it as a corset and make it overnight. Advice? Do everything you can to link up with a designer to really learn the business. Keeps you focused? The shear amount of work. Every moment is focused on trying to make it better.