How Robert Pattinson’s Footprints Were Made

The actor’s footprints were made to epitomise the character he plays in the upcoming film, Twilight. But how did the star’s unique style translate onto the big screen? We take a look at the making of Robert Pattinson’s footprints.

From Script To Set

As the cast and crew of Twilight settle into the Los Angeles area and begin their prep work for the film, the city’s impressive skyline is seen reflected in the pools of the production.

The film’s director, Chris Morris, was most drawn to the LA landscape for its visual allure and for its ability to reflect the mood and atmosphere of the story he was about to film. He saw the city as a “powerful symbol” of America’s “rampant individualism”, and said it perfectly captured Bella’s “vulnerability and excitement” in the wake of her transformation into a vampire.

Morris was also keen to shoot some of the scenes in Santa Monica Bay, which he noted as being perfect for “a romantic mood piece” on the story of Bella and the Volturi.

Fashionising

The fashion designer of the Twilight family is, quite rightly, the most famous face in the franchise. Edward Cullen (Pattinson) sports a black hat, white shirt, pale blue necktie and pin-striped trousers in the first of the series. His outfit is inspired by a Savile Row suit, but with a contemporary twist. Morris sees his costumes for the Twilight films as a mixture of different periods and influences, from the 1930s to the 1990s. Costume designer Anna Katzmann explains that for the first film, “we took the influences of Edward’s era and mixed them with those of a more contemporary feel.”

For New Moon, the team looked to the next decade and what was fashionable then – clean-cut boys in white shirts and black trousers – to create Edward’s second costume.

Katzmann draws a parallel between the clean-cut look of Edward’s generation and the preference for simplicity in modern day design. “We wanted a classic look but with a contemporary twist,” she says. “We used thinner materials for the shirts and made it tie-waist style – very slimming. On the skirt, we added a flounce to the hemline that makes it feminine and not so plain. The black and white check is a vintage look associated with the ‘50s. We used thin black bands and added them on the collar and bottom of the shirt, which is a very chic way to add colour.”

Scared And Confident

Although he stars in a series of films about vampires and their thirst for blood, it’s not actually what Andrew Jackson’s (Pattinson) character is afraid of. As a physician, Jackson is more familiar with the harmful effects of blood-sucking creatures on humans. He’s more concerned about the possibility of a romantic liaison with a fellow doctor, which could put his own career in jeopardy. His outfit for the film, which sees him pitted against the supernatural in the fight for Bella’s (Kristen Stewart) life, is a bold choice, designed to reflect his bravado. He wears a white shirt, yellow tie and navy trousers, which were chosen because they are “the colours of the American flag”. The outfit is an ode to the American Revolution and a clear reference to the “yellow star” motif that appears on the cover of John Jacob’s “Rise Of The Werewolf”.

Morris sees both New Moon and Eclipse as a celebration of “old-fashioned Hollywood heroes”, and sees the series as an opportunity to showcase some of the designer’s favourite “power dressing” worn by Hollywood stars in the ‘40s and ‘50s.

Bold Choices

The team behind Breaking Dawn, the final part of the Twilight saga, were keen to keep things as “big” as possible. They opted for a more “traditional” approach to Edward’s costume, with white shirt, black tie and tails. The outfit is a nod to the ‘70s and a clear attempt to recapture some of the glamour of an Edith Piaf song.

Pattinson has previously stated that one of his favourite “power dressing” looks is that of Marjorie Merriweather Post, the fashion icon and widow of the late millionaire William K. Post. She was a trend-setter whose outfits featured large collars, high waists and full skirts. Post passed away in 1950 and, at the time, had a net worth of £20 million. The designer notes that “what I like most about [Mrs Post’s] outfits is the way she used colour and the fact that she included patterns and textures”. Morris draws a parallel between the clean lines, geometric shapes and white outfits of the ‘50s and ‘60s and the “massive women in the ‘70s”.

Materialising

The use of CGI (computer generated imagery) has become commonplace in movies, allowing for larger-than-life characters and worlds of fiction to come to life on screen. In the case of the Twilight series, CGI was used to great effect to create a more authentic and realistic setting for the films. The application of computer generated imagery was first seen in The Wolfman, which was released in 2014 and starred another British actor, Anthony Hopkins. The outfit for that film was designed by the late Tim Burton, who drew inspiration from the ‘70s and ‘80s, as well as the Great Wolfman himself, Larry Talbot (Hopkins).

The team behind the forthcoming The Final Score are known for their attention to detail and use of practical effects in their films. The main character, Jim (played by Robert Pattinson), is a professional puck banger who gets paid to go from game to game, battling the same opponents each time. The team wanted to achieve a film noir feel in their latest movie, which is set in the 1950s, and turned to the 1940s for inspiration.

The outfits for the film are a mixture of feminine fashions, in the form of the girl groups of the time, and “strong, confident men”, in keeping with the title of the movie. The designer’s favoured look is that of James Dean, the actor and film legend who committed suicide in 1955, aged 24.

Dean’s iconic white suit and black tie, often described as being a “perfect fit”, were combined with a red carnation for maximum effect. The design team based their interpretation of Dean’s outfit on the design of a Pucci jacket they spotted on a Spanish model. The white suit with black tie and red carnation, along with the shape of the jacket, are “very James Dean”, the designer notes. The Italian fashion house was quick to acknowledge the influence and, as a result, the design of the jacket was used to promote their Spring/Summer 2016 collection.

Fashionista

Pattinson was named the “sexiest man of the year” (2013) and “hottest actor of the year” (2014) by various international publications. These accolades continue to flood in for the handsome actor, whose good looks and celebrity status have made him the target of many a jealous female. He’s previously said that he tries to keep his look as constant as possible and avoid fashion faux pas – in other words, not to “rock the boat”. Keeping fashion trends and style changes to a minimum is a strategy that has served him well and, as a result, he has become something of an “anti-fashionista”.

The actor’s fashion choices may not be for everyone but, as we have established, he is certainly a style icon. Although fashion is a relatively minor aspect of the Twilight saga, these characters have shaped and influenced modern day fashion, as well as film in general. The stories, set within the framework of a traditional Gothic novel, gave rise to the “Gothic” trend, which saw women wear white and black clothing, and men opt for heavy metal music and mood music.

For a more in-depth analysis of the fashion influence of the Twilight series, read our in-depth breakdown of the 13 trends set by the fantasy films.