Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1124767
66 The Costume Designer Spring 2019 Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina) and Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek) in Frida (2002) Photo: Miramax Films Julie Weiss is a Costume Designer and artist who brings alchemy and intuition to any charac- ter she creates. For the movie Frida, produced by and star- ring Salma Hayek, Weiss and her team scoured sources from Los Angeles to Mexico City for peri- od garments and fabrics. Weiss felt it was important to dispel the misconception that Frida's native country was provincial and strove to richly represent the elegance of Mexico and its intel- ligentsia. The effort to assemble and build the hundreds of necessary costumes was supported by many, including locals that wanted to contribute to a film representing their beloved artist. One even brought Weiss her own wedding gown, which was used for the deathbed scene. It was an exacting task to honor the artist's iconoclastic style without overwhelming the actor. Above all, Weiss strives to create costumes that become clothing. She explains, "The audience comes to know the person not when they look their best, but in the quiet moments, when they look in the mirror." Frida was featured on April 13 in a CDG movie night. Film historian Justin Humphreys moderated the Q&A with Julie Weiss, which followed the screening. Frida Julie Weiss SCRAPBOOK