Here, each dress, shirt or pair of shoes contains a unique message.
The 2024 Oscars ceremony has come to an end, with the brilliant victory of the “Poor Things” film crew in 4 categories: “Best Makeup”; “Outstanding Production Design”, “Outstanding Costume Design” and “Best Actress”.
“Poor Things” is a work that blends humor and science fiction by Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos, adapted from the novel of the same name released in 1992 by writer Alasdair Gray. The content tells the story of the adventures of Bella Baxter (played by Emma Stone) – a Victorian woman who is revived from the brain of her unborn child. With the mind of a child in the body of an adult, Bella Baxter has experienced countless ups and downs and challenges. Besides the content and images, the costumes in the film also make an extremely important contribution to helping the characters portray the mature aspects of their journey to explore the world as well as awakening society.
Official poster of the movie “Poor Things”. Photo: Courtesy of Searchlight
The film’s surreal set design was crafted by Shona Heath and James Price. Photo: Courtesy of SearchlightBreaking all the limits of traditional period film fashion, designer Holly Paddington has created many new combinations, blending the surreal painterly style and 1920s art of Aleksandr Michajlovič Rodčenko, knitting mixed with science fiction and futuristic elements. This unique approach helps to clearly portray Bella Baxter’s developmental journey from childhood to adulthood, with hedonistic travels across Europe, North Africa and Central Asia.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos and actress Emma Stone behind the scenes of filming ‘Poor Things’. Photo: Courtesy of Searchlight
Early in the film, after the brain implant experiment, Bella is actually a toddler, starting to learn how to talk, walk, and learn about the world. Maid Prim has carefully chosen outfits that suit Bella’s personality and current perception, typically childish designs with outstanding materials, big puffy arms, round neck babydoll dresses and combinations. Fairy-tale color combination. In addition, traditional clothing conventions are also broken, with items intended for private spaces such as traditional underwear worn on the outside, or the chiffon frame that was originally worn on the inside to create a shape, now used as half dress. These images reflect strange, eccentric visions that go far beyond any particular character moment.
Child-like characters in babydoll nightgowns with puffy sleeves. Photo: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
The detail of her shoulders plays a key role in defining Bella’s personality. Over time, they change in size to a more moderate and realistic proportion, which shows that the reality of life has gradually penetrated Bella’s dream bubble. Photo: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
Driven by insatiable curiosity, Bella Baxter sets out on a journey to explore new lands, freed from the constraints of Mrs. Prim’s dress code. From then on, we saw an explosion of bold colors and unique silhouettes in ruffled dresses and slacks, reflecting Bella’s euphoric mood. She randomly mixed clothes, like a child playing try-on in her parents’ wardrobe.Throughout the film, costume designer Holly Waddington took the initiative to ditch the corset, explaining at the Barbican Museum in London: “We ditched the corset to create freedom in clothing. This is a film feminist, and if you’re trying to make a feminist film, you can’t dress the female lead in an outfit that molds her body into the perfect shape that a corset does.”
Photo: Courtesy of Searchlight
Bella Baxter’s wedding dress. Photo: Courtesy of SearchlightThis idea becomes even more obvious in the wedding scene, where the protagonist wears a flowing white dress with a veil covering the lower half of her face. The sleeves puff up too much like a giant snow globe for the last time, emphasizing Bella’s feeling of confinement and desire for freedom.
Towards the end of the movie, the color of Bella’s outfit becomes darker, especially when she really commits to socialism and becomes a nurse. The main character wears a masculine structured black shirt, Bella’s signature details are still retained such as puffy sleeves and elaborate collar, but everything becomes more calm and restrained. The most surprising change comes from the combination of high socks and pointed shoes, adding a mature look. More interestingly, this change was not planned from the beginning, bringing a surprising and natural element to Bella’s development journey.
Photo: Courtesy of Searchlight”Poor Things” ends with many messages worth pondering.
The work takes us into a parallel world full of irony and surrealism, evoking awareness of the absurdity of the reality we live in. The film is a door that opens up new worldviews, showing the inner strength of women when freed from social pressures and expectations, so that we can appreciate and love them more. It is this hidden but extremely meaningful message that makes the character Bella Baxter more unique and different than ever.
