This Sunday, my Oscar goes to

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This Sunday I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for Yorgos Lanthimos' "Dogtooth", nominated for Best Foreign Language Film
and Cohen Brothers' "True Grit", nominated among other for Best Costume Design - costume designer being the Greek-American Mary Zophres (Zafiropoulou).Red carpet PJs: check.
Vanilla- caramel pop corn stock: check.

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The Island - Costumes II

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The costumes of the series 'The Island' are as emotionally charged as the story itself. That's because most of them are real vintage items, existing way before the story was told. Part of what makes this new series a masterpiece, is the effort put to gather these precious bits of history that should later on be placed at a costume museum, no doubt.

All credit for the very special work goes to:
Costumes Supervisor Maria Kontodima
Costumes Designer Xanthi Kontou
Assistant Costumes Designer Marli Aleiferi
Dressers Foteini Papastefanou & Christina Tsoutsouligka Here's the huge storage space the costumes were kept at, at Elounda's school yard. An impossible giant closet, square metres of fashion history. Costume design team's work doesn't stop at getting the goods in one space. Past time series require special handling, like adding the marks of time, getting those gems realistically dirty to match the scenes' conditions yet keeping them in perfect shape for the actors. A movie is not just what you see, but also what you see if you look closer.
Costumes Designer Xanthi Kontou and Assistant Costumes Designer Marli Aleiferi were kind enough to talk about this truly unique and of international standards project:

How many costumes travelled to Crete, how much preparation was needed and how many people participated in the process?

Xanthi Kondou: We shipped 2.000 outfits which took eight months of extensive research to put together. Overall, the various stages from Costume Design to Dressing, was carried out by a team of five. All costumes were created based on tradition archives and some were selected from private collectors’ original garments.
What is special about these costumes and where should the audience focus throughout the series?

Xanthi Kondou: We aimed to achieve balance and harmony between the colours of the environment, Spinalonga and those of the clothes. We paid special attention to the conservatism of the era, something obvious in the clothes of women. We also worked our best to recreate regional style with elements of the traditional Cretan men’s attire (boots, pants, etc.)

There are many semiological details helping the viewers follow the plot, for example, the crosses around the little girls’ necks (Anna & Maria) is what links them later on to their adult years.
To what extent is costume important in such a big production and why?

Marli Aleiferi: It is vital to project the mood and overall atmosphere. You only have seconds to make the audience familiarize with the main characters and the image must communicate the role clearly and accurately in order to achieve a quick engagement.

Semiology is also crucial in order to have the viewer hooked, subconsciously getting the clues we aim to get across. The costume design department reads every line of the script just like the actors and works closely with the director for perfect close ups and powerful frames.
What is a good and what a tough moment for the costumes team during filming?

Marli Aleiferi: A tough moment is when you have to shoot a scene involving numerous extras, that have to fit the theme perfectly and at the same time have a visually balanced and realistic result. None is meant to stand out, other than the protagonists. Getting an immaculate result in limited time is challenging. So is making sure there are no goofs, i.e. if the actor wears a ring on the left finger in a scene, it has to be on the same spot during the next ones too.

A good moment is each and every time a scene is successfully complete. Thankfully we’ve had plenty and you’ll get to watch them all.
Congrats to everyone for the wonderful job, for bringing all these items to light and all 150-something characters to life through clothes. A strong reminder that attire is a big part of our herritage and should not be neglected. Next Monday, watch 'The Island', see the pictures, but read the costumes.

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Going luxury

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Another collaboration for H&M, the usual buzz going on. "I think that I loved the idea of H&M going luxury rather than Lanvin going public..." says Alber Elbaz. Err...

Also:
Special presentation for this collection. To be shown through a movie, released on November 2nd.

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SATC2 - I'll have another drink

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Yes, yes, I did go to watch SATC2. Actually, West Coast Cooler invited me + best mate to check it out and PR meisters at Value!com booked a private viewing at a Golden Class screening room. Reclining armchairs, SATC inspired munchies on our table and of course chilled newcomer WCC gave us a taste of what Carrie Bradshaw's life is like.
What did I think of it?

The Movie: Not going to over-analyze. The wardrobe would never happen to the average person in a lifetime (predictable). Even if it did, I am sure they'd manage better outfit sets for a walk at an Arab market. Then again, it's a movie. However, between exaggeration and surreal fiction, there were parts where the message was there: no matter how flashy your clothes are, you'll still have to face the same issues as everybody else. Motherhood overload, married life routine... menopause madness. But we already knew that too.

The Host: Ace. It was all beautifully organised and West Coast Cooler's taste was one pleasant surpise. I instantly wanted to know more about it and the crystal covered USB stick that came along with it was my source later that night. This baby is coming from Ireland, based on wine and infused with tropical fruit flavourings, 4% alcohol, 151 calories per bottle and fat free. Alright. Cosmopolitan, you've got one serious river-dancing, bubbly rival.

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The Greek Cinema Costume Design Award goes to...

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...Vassilis Barbarigos and Strella. Last Monday, May 3rd, was the Awards Ceremony of the new Hellenic Cinema Academy (our national 'Oscars'). The award for Cinema Costume design is (and should be) a big thing for anyone with an interest in clothes - way beyond temprary fashion. Congratulations to Barbarigos and wish him and Greek costume design every success in the future.
This blog had exclusively presented you the making-of of Strella's Traviata paper dress, a very complicated and award-deserving construction alone. However, I feel like mentioning Barbarigos' light piece too (seen here), now back to its original place, in his atelier's working space.
Apart from an award winning costume designer now, Vassilis Barbarigos has always been a fashion designer too, with his personal collections being sold to date at his Kleitiou str. atelier in Athens.
Last time I visited was in March and caught him working on yet another cinema costume project*, testing the effect of various types of fake blood on lace. "I know this looks good to you right now, but I think I'll go for that one which produces a realistic dry effect on camera", he had told me and for the first time I realised how much work it takes on the designer's part to get the right result in the scene. Acting is not all it takes. (*not allowed to reveal the project just yet)
Other awards for Strella:
Best Actress (Mina Orfanou),
Best Make-Up (Apollonia B. and Mary Stavrakaki),
Best Music (Michalis Delta) and
Best Set Design (Penelope Valti)

Congratulations, Strella.

Final thought: so it was the Greek Cinema Awards. So we have great talent and we reward it. So why isn't this a BIG thing on national television and press? I wish it grows.

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Pretty in Pink 1986

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"Pretty in Pink" is not just another cliché title glossies love to repeat. Back in 1986, it was a movie and now, a vivid record of the '80s floral saturated, accessories overdosed, shoulder-padded fashions. Each scene is to take notes of styling-wise, with the heroine supposedly making her own clothes and character Duckie Dale, an icon in his own right. A sweet transition between Easter holiday and getting back to work, special thanks to M for the ride.


Steff: C'mon, I'm talking about more than just sex here.
Andie: No you're not.
Steff: You know, I've been out with a lot of girls at this school. I don't see what makes you so different.
Andie: Well, I have taste.
Steff: [puts cigarette in mouth] You're a bitch.

Timeless. (source)

*Easter wishes to all*

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I'm on 3D

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I have just come back from watching the notorious 'Avatar' movie (& this post is on timer, obviously!). Whether you are a modern cinema tech fan, a nature lover or simply up for a good watch, I'd totally recommend it. Go for 3D projection. I must say that watching it like that made a whole lot of difference.

To give you an idea, today's post is in 3D format (I made this picture here). How are you gonna see me on 3D? Well, unless you have a pair of 3D glasses handy at home (because?!!), here's how to make one:



Easy peasy. Apart from checking me out and playing around with your own shots, wouldn't this be a cool gift for someone? A 3D photo of you or them complete with a set of handmade 3D glasses, now that would be different! Knock yourselves out, this is fun;)

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Strella's Traviata dress - exclusive making of!

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Strella - the movie, is making its debut for the public today, at the local cinema theatres. In Paris it's been played in 17 cinema's since last month, receiving excellent critics, but never mind, it seems that we like to follow even when it comes to stuff we produce ourselves. Having already watched it at Fog Films Fest earlier in November, I can tell you it's a must-see (look out for messages besides the obvious).

This blog is welcoming this premiere by hosting absolutely exclusive images of Strella's Traviata dress making of, through its creator's personal archive and his very own words. Costumes & fashion designer Vassilis Barbarigos that is, and the dress in talk is the amazing number Strella (Mina Orfanou) wore at the drag show scene (appearing in the official trailer, at minute 00:25) :
Like all other surprises in that movie, this dress is not what it seems. It is a paper dress, especially created for the needs and status of the particular scene. Here are the unreleased images of the construction process, followed by Barbarigos insights on the demanding project:
"The dress consists of 26 metres of hand-crafted paper lace. The paper used was light, with a delicate, mat laminated surface. The pattern is a perfect circle".
"It was made in February 2007 and it took myself and a small team of two to have it ready in about 10 days of full-time work. It involved sewing like with fabrics, but also silicon glueing resulting to some nasty finger burning! Challenging part was to make the low neckline stay in place during filming as paper does not behave like fabric on the human body".
"The brief was to create a dress based on famous performances of Giuseppe Verdi's 'La Traviata'. After reading the script, I felt that a conventional costume would not be the way. It was a drag show with surreal, comical elements and I found that a paper dress was more in line with the theme. Having had experience from a previous collaboration with the Benaki Museum for the exhibition 'RRRIPP!!Paper Fashion', I was both confident and inspired".
"The starring actress, lovely Mina Orfanou, embraced the challenge and wonderfully blew life into that paper dress. Of all the costumes I designed for Strella, I am more attached to this one by far. At the moment it is safely stored and at some point it will be exhibited".
"These are all images from my personal archive. Once upon a time, we used to shoot polaroids. Now it's the 3.2 Mega Pixels of a mobile phone..."
(above, Barbarigos with Orfanou at her birthday party)
Vassilis Barbarigos has been in the fashion industry for the last ten years. He's got numerous costume design projects under his belt, cinema, theatre, exhibitions and corporate, aside from his own collection and capsule lines for stores like Bettina in Athens. He agreed to unveil this material in a blog because he feels it is more personal, has a soul just like his work. Deeply honoured this blog is mine.

Best wishes to "Strella" the movie, costume designer V. Barbarigos, director P.Koutras and everyone behind this film. Above all, best wishes to the new Greek cinema.

Strella on wordpress
Strella on facebook
Strella for the french speakers

Barbarigos on facebook
Barbarigos on myspace

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Strella, tonight

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Strella, tonight at 22.30 at "Elli" cinema, Athens. A movie by Panos H. Koutras. Costumes by Vassilis Bargarigos. Drag costume design is among the most exciting, challenging and creative areas of the film industry. Expressive, colourful, kitch... I am dying to watch this. Costumes is not the only motive, it's meant to be one of contemporary Greek cinema's gems. If in Athens, make tonight a late night.



*update: 06/11/09. Intense make-up by Apollonia B, seriously good performances. Watch it with an open mind, look for the message beyond the obvious. A gem indeed, already well-received by the audience of Berlin's 59th international movies festival, tonight was announced that the French audience will have the chance to watch it too, distributed by Libération.

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Moviiiies

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The 14th Cinema Festival is officially on. The premiere is tonight showing Entre Les Murs at Attikon Cinemax Class - Apollon Cinemax Class. After party (partyyy!) at Pasaji, City Link. See full programme at http://www.aiff.gr/ . Let's go to the movies.

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