Blade Runner 2049: Costume Designing the future #book2movies

Ryan Gosling as K

Costume designer Renee Aprile told the NY Times that trying to meet the high bar set by the original, she began her work for Blade Runner 2049 with a lot of ‘over-the-top zoot suits, slashed stockings and other fashions that mixed punk and noir had made Mr. Scott’s hyperfuturistic world unmistakable.’ 

“You have no idea how many sketches I did of crazy stuff in the beginning,” Ms. April said, noting the film’s director, Denis Villeneuve, wanted these characters brought back down to earth.

According to Aprile, ‘‘the atmosphere of the original film, starring Harrison Ford as the troubled hunter of android replicants, was “dark, ominous, always raining, but this world is brutal,” she said. “It’s snowing, freezing, pollution everywhere. There is no fashion. We had to be humble.”

‘‘There is no fashion’’

‘As Officer K of the future Los Angeles Police Department, Mr. Gosling is almost never seen without a seemingly leather, fur-lined coat that looks as if it came from a line of dystopian trenches designed by Brooks Brothers. In actuality, it was made of a cotton fabric laminated before construction — “so the rain would not kill it,” Ms. April said — then painted over to add time and texture. “It’s a bit of a reflection of the raincoat Harrison Ford wore in the first film.”

Sketch for Mariette

Mariette, played by Mackenzie Davis, is an escort, a hooker, if you will. The costume designer says “She is probably the character where you can see the most affinity between the films.” Mariette is reminiscent of Pris — the replicant played by Daryl Hannah in the 1982 original with her faux fur, punk of the future look. “The oversized hat and coat are just another reflection of that world, everybody hiding themselves,” she added. “They wear big masks, big collars to hide their faces. The sleeves are long and hide the hands. I don’t know, maybe it’s a reflection on our world today.”

Ana de Armas is Joi, a chameleon

According to April, Joi (Ana de Armas) can be “many things; whatever is your fancy. So you’ll see her at one point larger than life in an advertisement, naked and painted pink. Sometimes she’s like a manga animation, sometimes she’s a geisha. And she can move from one to the other very fast, so you’ll see her change a lot.” 

The costume designer noted she changes about 25 times in the movie. 

Jared Leto is Niander Wallace, creator of the replicants

Jared Leto was easy, as Niander Wallace, he’s a recluse inspired by Steve Jobs! “Wallace doesn’t go out, so I wanted a sort of pajama uniform, something he could have 50 of hanging in his closet, a bit like Steve Jobs and his black turtleneck.” April said, adding that the sets of his home inspired his kimono-like robes. “Wait till you see it. It’s so empty, so Zen. Just light and the space. I couldn’t do anything more.”

Sylvia Hoeks is Luv

April says Luv (Sylvia Hoeks) as Wallace’s right hand “goes after the things he wants, so she has some very slick costumes at the beginning, all off-white suits with clean lines. They give the impression of purity. When the world is so gray and dirty, she is like an angel.”

According to the NY Times piece, ‘as the story progresses and Luv’s composure melts, her tightly tailored clothes begin to unravel and shades of gray work their way into her wardrobe.’ 

As her character becomes more embattled and in fact, more embroiled in brawls. “She crumbles a bit, and we see she is not so perfect anymore. She needs to be able to move with the fabric, so there’s stretch to it, but always clean lines,” she added. “No details, no frills. As I said, you have to be humble. Sometimes you need a mock turtleneck and nothing else.”

Blade Runner 2049 is set to open now. Will you be watching it?