Designer Profile:Sandy Powell

Designer Profile:Sandy Powell

British Costume designer who, has been nominated 10 times for an Academy Award.
Alumni of Central St Martins, yet she left before completing her degree.

Her work includes, The Tempest 2011,Hugo 2012,Shakespeare in Love 1999,the Other Boleyn girl 2008,Gangs of New York 2002, and many others.

"But even if the silhouette and cut are historically correct, no period costume can ever be 100% accurate, because fabrics and techniques have changed. Clothes would have had tiny hand-stitching instead of machine-work" Sandy Powell, speaking about gwyneth paltrow's costume in Shakespeare in Love.

"Gypsies, a book of photographs by the Czech Josef Koudelka. I've still got it: it comes out on nearly every job I do because there are shots in there I love, especially two of young men. The photographs are mostly from the 1960s, but they seem timeless; you could transpose its subjects into any era. I used one as the basis for Leonardo DiCaprio's character in Gangs of New York." Sandy Powell, discussing her method of inspiration.

"For each job, I put together a reference book over a few weeks before doing any actual designing. Then I go fabric shopping. I'm looking for colour, texture, weight." Sandy Powell.

"Hugo could crudely and incorrectly be described as a ‘costume movie’. It is period (Paris, 1931 then flashback to early 1900s), fantastical and populated by kooky, literally colourful characters"Crhis Laverty.Clothes on film Online review.

Sandy Powell excellently worked on a chidlrens film, Hugo, where the costumes were designed perfectly. She choose predominant blues in the first half ot the film, with the brightest being a Police officers, as a method of highlighting  that specific character.This particular film allowed her to create a diverse costume range,this is particually due to the  predominant railway station scenes. These allowed for an assortment of backgrounds,characters and inspirations to come into play.

In Shakespeare In Love, i like Sandy Powell's stylized approach to the periodic fashion. For example,she choose art deco lace for Gywneth Paltrows collar rather than using authetic Elizabethan Lace.