Emmy Review: Contemporary Costumes

by Cláudio Alves

The Creative Arts Emmys are upon us but, before their double ceremony, there's still time to look at the last Costume category for narrative programs. This particular awards race is focused on contemporary-set narratives, a sort of design challenge seldomly celebrated by other organizations like the Oscars. Due to some new rules, this lineup of seven contenders is also the biggest one in any costume category throughout Emmy history. Let's see who wins out of this supersized selection…

BLACK-ISH (ABC)
Episode: "Hair Day"

• Michelle R Cole, Costume Designer
• Juliann DeVito, Costume Supervisor 

This is Cole's seventh nomination overall and her third for black-ish. While this episode's focus is more on hairstyling than costume design, there are still a lot of memorable ensembles to be appreciated. The big showstoppers are featured in the fantasy and musical numbers sprinkled throughout, but the character-specific costumes are also brilliant, especially Bow's black-and-white outfit and Dre's ratty old t-shirt.

EUPHORIA (HBO)
Episode: "The Next Episode" 

• Heidi Bivens, Costume Designer
• Danielle Baker, Costume Supervisor
• Katina Danabassis, Assistant Costume Designer

A Halloween episode is a classic sort of Emmy submission in the Best Costumes category. The reasons why are both obvious and more complex than one might originally expect. Clothes are representative of a character's interests, how they see themselves, and, more importantly, how they want to be seen. Do they want to be an androgynous Dietrich-like presence or an Angelic Juliet? Are they attracted to a killer nun from an Abel Ferrara film or Bob Ross drag?

The Halloween party context makes these semiotic and aesthetic dynamics overt by having the text comment upon them. Moreover, Heidi Bivens makes all of this spectacular to behold. My only quibble is that everything looks a bit too pristine, perfect, and professional for a bunch of partying teenagers.

GRACE AND FRANKIE (Netflix)
Episode: "The Tank"

• Allyson B. Fanger, Costume Designer
• Kristine Haag, Assistant Costume Designer
• Lori DeLapp, Costume Supervisor

As always, Fanger's smart styling choices are crucial to the comedy of opposites exemplified by Grace and Frankie's friend dynamic. This episode sees them pitching their latest entrepreneurial idea on the set of Shark Tank, making for some slightly dialed-up TV-ready versions of their usual schtick. Fanger's been nominated for every season of Grace and Frankie and her work is one of the show's most consistent highlights.

KILLING EVE (BBC America)
Episode: "Are You From Pinner?"

• Sam Perry, Costume Designer
• Katie Broome, Costume Supervisor
• Justin Selway, Assistant Costume Designer

All things considered, this is an odd submission from the Killing Eve team. Either "Management Sucks" or the season finale would be more show-stopping contenders, but I get why Sam Perry would opt for this Russian rendezvous of an episode. Instead of well-chosen pieces from designers like Gucci, Loewe, and Halpern, this hour's more focused on the bizarre Slavic fashions of Villanelle's Mother Russia.

Jodie Comer still parades around in Paco Rabanne and the like, but the supporting characters and bit players bring a refreshing torrent of carnivalesque tackiness to the proceedings.

SCHITT'S CREEK (Pop TV)
Episode: "Happy Ending" 

• Debra Hanson, Costume Designer
• Darci Cheyne, Assistant Costume Designer

Like Halloween stories, the Emmys love a good wedding episode in the costume categories so this was a very smart submission from the Schitt's Creek crew, who was also nominated last year. While there are other Moira Rose ensembles I prefer to what she wears in the series finale, her papal finery to officiate her son's wedding is marvelously kooky. Even for someone who doesn't regularly watch the show, one look at the characters and what they wear tells everything one needs to know to understand their odd dynamic.

THE POLITICIAN (Netflix)
Episode: "Pilot"

• Lou Eyrich, Supervising Costume Designer
• Claire Parkinson, Costume Designer
• Lily Parkinson, Assistant Costume Designer
• Nora Pedersen, Costume Supervisor

How does one dress a cast of characters who are duplicitous to their marrow? In this scenario, the costumes don't so much work as delineate personalities, as they comment on the facades each person as curated for themselves. Lou Eyrich, who's doubly nominated this year, approaches this complicated challenge by leaning on caricature and stylization that calls attention to its artifice. It's a smart feat of design, often more consistent with its satire than the script itself.

UNORTHODOX (Netflix)
Episode: "Part 2" 

• Justine Seymour, Costume Designer
• Simone Kreska, Costume Supervisor
• Barbara Schramm, Costume Supervisor

Another wedding episode! This is a wise submission from Unorthodox whose costumes are steeped in tradition and cultural specificities as well as ideological clashes. There's much to admire in the ways Seymour defines Esty's growing independence and how clothes, both orthodox and secular, can be used as armor and prison, as affirmation but also as oppression. The wedding scenes are, obviously, the hour's most ostentatious passages, with the protagonist's white gown taking center stage.

That costume's a miracle of design, embodying the contradictions of community and religion that the show so painfully illuminates. There's beauty in its intricate embroidery and the props of ancient rite, but the whole thing swallows the petite frame of Shira Haas, visibly constricting her movement and dictating her posture. It elevates her to a paragon of matrimonial splendor at the same time it wears her, molding a fleshy body into a rigid sculpture of tulle and pearl.

Personal Ranking:

• Unorthodox
• Killing Eve
• Euphoria
• Schitt's Creek
• Black-ish
• Grace and Frankie
• The Politician

Predicted Winner: Unorthodox

Potential Spoiler: Euphoria

I believe the opulence of Unorthodox's submission will conquer it the win. After all, according to experts, the show overperformed come nomination morning so there's good reason to believe that Emmy voters feel strongly about it. That being said, there's always a chance that Euphoria's much-publicized style wins or even The Politician. The Emmys do love Lou Eyrich who has already nabbed five trophies from them.

DRAMA
Series | Actress | Actor | Supp Actress | Supp Actor | Guest Actress | Guest Actor 
COMEDY
Series | Actress | Actor | Supp. Actress | Supp Actor | Guest Actress | Guest Actor 
LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Limited Series | Movie | Actress | Actor | Supp Actor | Supp Actress
MISC
Costumes, Fantasy  | Costumes, Period | Animated Program

Comments

[NATHANIEL R]

I hope you're right about UNORTHODOX because those costumes were brilliant (and not just the obvious brilliance of the wedding) but i think because I love it so much I worry that it will go home empty-handed.

I wish also that GRACE & FRANKIE could ever find a way to win this prize because the costumes have consistently been strong each season.

[Kim]

Some of these looks are almost as impressive as the visual "by Cláudio Alves" at the top of a Film Experience post!

[Abe]

These are all fantastic nominees (though I don't regularly watch Black-ish and I'm at least a season behind on Grace and Frankie). I'm rooting for Unorthodox also but it's hard to argue with The Politician or Euphoria.