CDG - The Costume Designer

Working on period pieces suits her for several reasons. First of all, Davis fi nds it advantageous when working with actors. "When you're doing a period piece or a musical, actors want to be transformed," she explains. "This is their big opportu- nity to portray a character in a fi lm. So, they don't say, 'Oh, I only wear rada.' That doesn't happen in a period fi lm." Her interpretation of period dress is startling, particularly when there are fanciful elements involved. Django nchained is a prime example. Audiences are familiar with the visual vocabulary of the Western. The cowboy silhouette is ubi- uitous, but Davis' take is always uniue, bespoke, and sur- prisingly new. That's particularly the case when the script has fantastical elements that draw from a wide range of sources. "I take risks in every period fi lm. There is no real Django. The title is 'costume designer' and this is not a biography. eople sometimes say, 'Well, those sunglass- es are the wrong period.' Django is from a real period Django is a Black cowboy from the 10s with ele- ments from all over the 100s but set before the Civ- il War. He's a collage. Think of the blue boy costume that Jamie wears." Arguably, it is the width and breadth of her work that is the most impressive aspect of her ongoing career. She moves between historical eras with in- souciant grace. "I would get bored if I did the same genre over and over," she explains. "I really like to challenge my- self, and I guess that's really what it is. I really love a new puzzle. So, right after Django nchained, I designed Godzil- la." Her ability to switch gears isn't limited to decades. Da- vis moves eff ortlessly between fi lm and television, always bringing her heightened aesthetic to the small screen. "I learned a lot by designing Westworld. T, especially West- world and Watchmen, moves incredibly fast and furious. They demand so much cre- ativity and individuality. Once you con- nect with the showrunners you get to run with it and I really love that. It just W n ' do a p d piece a m ic , ac w t be tr s • d Photo: on Pictures, Dango nchained: amie Fo Dango nchained: amie Fo Dango nchained: Ke oncept rtist: Watchmen: lan illanuea Watchmen: lan illanuea Watchmen: W n ' do a p d piece a m ic , ac w t be tr s • d 21

• Cover