Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1352017
22 The Costume Designer Spring 2021 the illustrations in black/white/tonal scale." Rubio and her team experimented with color and tex- ture. "We learned quickly that reds became heavy blacks on camera and that textured fabrics in the mid-range were the most interesting to see. Pinks, greens, and light blues read very well. Also, some of the heavier textured wool suiting from the '50s and '60s looks beautiful in black and white. We leaned into texture and pattern to create the characters' identities. Agnes is very powerful and grabs your attention, and so do her graphic, patterned looks." Silhouette was also key. "We loved the cut of Mary Tyler Moore's capri pants, so we emulated those for Wanda and we also studied Dick Van Dyke's ties very closely," says Rubio. "We wanted Vision, who is a Synthezoid, to fit perfectly into the period. We needed him to be more than a superhero wearing a three-piece suit, so we created a lower, more human profile version of his regular physique to wear under the suits we made. We built his shirts and ties so they had a controlled, robotic feeling. We spent time making sure the hidden collar buttons were in just the right place so his collar held its shape—we engineered all of it!" The costume team was constantly learning and adjust- ing as well. "For Wanda's day dress in Episode 1, it was really about transforming her into that classic silhouette. We built all the underpinnings to be accurate to the period, shoes too! Her apron is very sheer and adds a softness to her—it's almost too delicate to be useful but she's magic and didn't need it to be truly functional. When we camera- tested that look on the kitchen set, we realized that she and the walls were too close in value so we outlined her collar and apron with a dark trim so she stood out in her environ- ment. That's when the look finally landed." For the second episode, the costumes needed to transi- tion on camera from black and white to color. "We worked very hard to find the right reds for Wanda's pants—inspired by the iconic Mary Tyler Moore—and her knit top. We dyed the vintage knit yardage first, and then hand-painted each flower to achieve the depth of color so when their world blooms into color, she was a vibrant scarlet!" An added challenge was shooting the first episode like a classic three-camera sitcom, in front of a live studio audi- ence. In addition to rehearsing the episode multiple times before shooting it all in one go, they dressed themselves and much of the crew in period dress. Rubio describes it as "a very memorable beginning," which she will never forget. Another vivid memory is that of standing on set with Paul Bettany, about to shoot a Halloween scene. "He came out in his bright, bright costume and we shared a look. A look that meant, 'I'm here to play this character in this costume, and you're here to make this for me. What are our jobs? My Mank illustration by Gloria Kim Amanda Seyfried in Mank Photo: Cean Chaffin/Courtesy of Netflix