animation elements like bluescreen, rotoscoping, and Johnston
found herself on new terrain when it came to solving the challenges
that this raised for costume departments.
She worked closely with animation director Richard Williams
to ensure that the live-action Angelenos and vivid characters of
Toontown complemented each other, incorporating the clean,
primary palette and color blocking into the live-action costumes.
She was responsible for the design of Jessica Rabbit's show-stopping
Schiaparelli pink ensemble, and, to this day, Mrs. Rabbit remains her
favorite actress to dress. Johnston chuckles, "She was no trouble [in
fittings], she had these brilliant, tiny feet, carried her clothes really
well, her hair was always in place. Perfect, actually, I would like to
work with her again."
What was originally written to be a much smaller, simpler
film would put her in the sphere of working with director Robert
Zemeckis, who Johnston calls the king of technology in filmmaking,
and producer Steven Spielberg.
26 The Costume Designer Winter 2018
Daniel
Day
Lewis
as
Lincoln.
Photo:
Walt
Disney
Studios
Motion
Pictures.
