Snow White and the Huntsman Fansite The Enchanting Beauty

Saturday, February 9, 2013

LIGHT & DARK: COMPARING THE TWO SNOW WHITE'S OSCAR NOMINATED COSTUME DESIGNERS

The Snow White movie comparisons continue as the costume designers for both Snow White films released in 2012 (SWATH and Mirror, Mirror) are nominated for Academy Awards.

The Los Angeles Times takes a look at the costume designs and the color pallet decisions made by costume designers Colleen Atwood of SWATH and the late Eiko Ishioka of Mirror, Mirror.

Although each film is based upon the same Snow White story, each costume designer has taken on the characteristics of their films. SWATH is a darker dramatic version and Mirror, Mirror is more comedic and lighter.

The "two productions are on opposite ends of light and dark, fantasy and fear." "Ishioka, who died of pancreatic cancer last January, uses bright, almost Technicolor saturated hues — vibrant reds, blues, yellows, pinks, oranges and whites — Atwood works more subtly in the luscious dark and muted earth tones of navy, teal, taupe, gold and ivory. These core palettes invoke the magic or mystery and light or dark emotion of each film."

For Atwood, the appeal came down to the sheer fun of being able to go so over the top. "Snow White and the Huntsman," she says, "was a feast of creativity to me. Amazing characters, extraordinary Queen, Snow White, the evil brother, two armies, three courts — I built more costumes for this movie than I ever have." But the designs had to do so much more than look startlingly dramatic, they had to hold up as well. "Hand-embroidered gold dresses that did action as well as being drug through an oil slick!" Atwood says. There were 30 to 40 costume duplicates for both Stewart's Snow White and for Chris Hemsworth's Hunstman, she adds, since the costumes "went through all the elements."

Take a look at the photos of the costumes below and read more about costumes here.