If you’ve been missing out on the pop culture scene since the start of this year, then we have some major news to bring you. Several high-profile red-carpet moments from 2018 were actually the works of one talented man: costume designer Robert Pattinson. And as it turns out, he had a few costume changes under his belt in 2018!
While promoting his new film, The Batman, in London, England, England on September 26, 2018, Robert Pattinson revealed a surprising fact about his Emmy Awards ensemble. He sported a Batman suit for the ceremony and received a standing ovation from the audience — and even some of the other presenters!
Pattinson has been known to change his outfits several times during award-show season. Remember when he wore a custom-made Louis Vuitton suit to the Golden Globes in January 2018? Or when he wore a chic black-and-white check suit to the SAG Awards in February 2018?
We’re used to seeing Pattinson on the red carpet. The Twilight actor has adorned magazine covers worldwide and graced the small and large screens with his gorgeous smile. But it appears that the best is yet to come. In fact, his latest red-carpet moment was arguably his best yet.
Pattinson’s first appearance as Batman at the Emmys was definitely a memorable one. The British actor took the opportunity to show off his dramatic skills as he donned the iconic costume. And judging by the roaring applause he received from the audience, it’s clear that he wasn’t simply wearing the suit as a publicity stunt. He genuinely connected with them on a personal level, proving that even in a fictional setting, he can still connect with an audience.
The actor’s second outing as Batman was no less spectacular. This time around, Robert Pattinson wore a custom-made Christian Siriano suit and felt even more at home as the Dark Knight.
The Designers Behind the Marvel and DC Comics’ Costumes
It’s no secret that fashion and film can be an inseparable part of pop culture. From the early 2000s through today, we’ve seen stylish men and women appear in films to save the day or to serve as our lead characters. And it’s always fun to explore how designers have interpreted these fictional characters. Through the lens of costume design, we can examine how fashion and film have intersected over the years.
While there are many famous fashion designers who work in film, it’s mostly the smaller studios that rely on freelance costumers to help them design looks for their fictional characters. Often these designers will work with several people to fulfill an order, so it’s important to keep that in mind if you ever want to collaborate with them. That way, you can ensure that your vision is maintained.
Marvel vs DC: The Battle of Fashion
When we’re talking about the costume designers working on the Marvel and DC Comics franchises, there’s one name that always comes to mind: Ricketts Jones. The South Londoner has worked on costumes for multiple Marvel films, and he’s also done work for DC Comics as well. He’s even created a number of comic book costumes, including a few for iconic villain Bane and Black widow!
But Ricketts Jones isn’t the only designer who’s worked on multiple franchises. There are several other prominent names out there. For example, Tim Gunn, who’s worked on films like Ironman and Captain America: Civil War, as well as the Marvel Netflix shows, has designed costumes for both the Ironman and Captain America characters, among others.
And, of course, we have to mention Christian Siriano. The stylist and fashion designer has worked on films like Ready Player One and Love, Simon, and designed costumes for several notable characters, including Spiderman and Black Widow. Not only that, but he’s also designed outfits for Marvel and DC Comics that will appear in future films and TV shows. So if you ever meet Christian Siriano, you have to ask him about his involvement with Marvel and DC.
A Quick History of Costume Design For Film And TV
It wouldn’t be a complete list without mentioning the countless TV shows that have used costume designers to make their characters pop. The Simpsons, for example, have used different designers to create unique looks for several of their characters. Here’s a brief history of costume design for TV and film, starting with the very first costumes and evolving into the contemporary styles that we see today.
In 1915, TV didn’t even exist yet, and films were used to display events, explain things, or simply tell stories. Back then, costumes were extremely basic — usually just one or two options for men and a few for women. Designers at the time would often copy existing historical costumes or combine different styles to form unique looks.
With the evolution of TV and film into what they are today, costume design has changed along with it. Today’s costume designers are often times responsible for several looks, creating an entire wardrobe for characters who only wear one or two options (such as Deadpool or Elsa from Once Upon a Time).
From Classic Hollywood to Modern Marvel: Costume Design In the Modern Era
It was in the 1950s that costume design really started evolving. Designers started experimenting with different materials and started using color more prominently in their work. As a result, the classic Hollywood looks of old started evolving into more vibrant and alive looks (think James Dean/Joan Crawford). These looks can still be seen today, but with more designers producing various looks for shows, it’s not always easy to determine which era a particular costume is from.
That experimentation continues today and evolved into more modern looks, creating a unique era of fashion that you can pinpoint if you know which shows you want to compare it to. From the early 2000s to today, we’ve seen great progress in the world of costume design. It’s no longer limited to traditional Hollywood films, as designers have expanded their design repertoire and produced many original works, including several major blockbuster films.
Hollywood Versus TV: Which Came First — The Chicken Or The Egg?
Sometimes it’s difficult to tell which came first: did the chicken lay the egg or did the egg hatch the chicken? When it comes to film and TV, it’s clear that the chicken came first and then the egg was laid on top of it (in a stereotypical manner).
Many TV shows began as films and were later adapted for TV. For example, the X-Men series began as a film starring Michael Fassbender (hence the name of the series) that was later adapted for TV. Similarly, the Harry Potter films were made into a TV series that was later released in the cinema. So it seems that the chicken came first and then the egg was laid on top of it. This is, however, not always the case. Sometimes the egg comes first, and then the chicken decides to make itself known.
The Evolution Of Costumes: From Back In The Day To The Present
As mentioned, during the early days of film, characters would wear a few simple options as dress codes were not developed. It was in the 1950s that costume design started evolving, and it was mostly as a result of women wanting to express themselves through fashion that costume design started taking shape. Designers started experimenting with different fabrics and using more color, and it wasn’t long before the characters from films started looking less like stereotypical men and women in dresses and more like the individuals that they were portraying. Costumes started evolving into what they are today as a way of expressing personal style rather than just following a fashion trend or a specific outfit style.
While films started evolving with the new designs that were created in the 1950s, TV shows continued to use a few costume options, adapting to the times that they were produced in. The 90s were a time of great change for TV shows, as they started to take on a more modern look (think: sharper lines and clean, simple designs). These shows continued to use costumes as a way of expressing fashion trends rather than focusing on a specific era or style, as is the case with many films.
Over the years, TV shows have continued to evolve, using different costume designers for different periods of time or adapting old costumes for modern-day interpretations. One of the best examples of this is the Simpsons, who have used several costume designers throughout the years to give their characters a fresh look every season. It’s also worth pointing out that not all TV shows have used this strategy – some have stuck with a single designer for multiple seasons, keeping the same look from one episode to the next, proving that not all fashion trends translate well to television.