By Glenn Dunks.

Cinderella. Mirror Mirror. Bright Star. I Am Love. Australia. Marie Antoinette. The list goes on.

The costume design branch so commonly gives films their single solitary Oscar nomination that it’s become a prognosticator mission of sorts to figure out which couture creations the branch will extend this particular honor to. They are also the branch most likely to ignore critical and commercial receptions and nominate based purely on the craft and that’s why we love them. Perhaps it is because costume designers have spent decades being the frills-and-sequin-loving daughter of Oscar when all he wanted was sons, but they use their unique privilege more wisely than others (we’re looking at you, composers!)

It was obvious, then, to me which film I should be championing here and it is Marion Boyce and Margot Wilson for The Dressmaker...