Colleen Atwood
Colleen Atwood
Colleen Atwood is an American costume designer...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionDesigner
CountryUnited States of America
american-designer based designs filtered gone movement musical quite strictly
The designs were based on quite a lot of research of what a movie musical is, filtered through the eyes of today. If we'd gone strictly with the '20s, the movement would have been impaired.
becomes change costume design looking people requires since understand worn
I think that sometimes people don't understand that a costume that has to be worn every day and doesn't change the whole movie becomes iconic. It's very important because it requires a different design process, since you have to make something that people aren't going to get tired of looking at.
american-designer walked
In Chicago, I walked in knowing what the dancers were going to need.
american-designer chicago definitely musical product
The first Chicago was definitely a product of its time, and Chicago the musical is definitely a contemporary look at another time.
american-designer colors heavy influenced materials original
I really like the original Apes costumes. The colors were great, and the use of heavy materials was something that influenced me for this film.
american-designer lambs silence
Sometimes a contemporary film like Silence of the Lambs is difficult. To make it look real but interesting is always a challenge.
american-designer kinds lucky work
I've been lucky in the things I've got to work on. I've been able to keep it fresh, always getting to do different kinds of things.
aware bought career connection costume design grew growing horror loved money remember saved small strange town washington white
I grew up in a small town in Washington State, so I wasn't really aware of costume design as a career growing up, but I loved clothes. I remember I saved all my money, and the first thing that I bought was a white blazer, which was to the horror to my parents. But I have always had a strange connection with clothing.
design prefer
My own style is pretty classic; I much prefer to design for others.
connection costume design final form level movement next shape technical wearing
I design for the movie and the character as well as the person wearing the costume. I show the ideas to the actor, then do fittings for shape and technical things such as movement in the costume. Once the costume in this form is on the actor, you have a sense of their connection with it. I then take it to the next level with the final fit.
design fan holds huge jean paul people three
For contemporary fashion, I'm a huge fan of so many of the people out there. I think Azzedine Alaia holds up through three generations of very specific, beautiful design. I think Jean Paul Gaultier also is very interesting with a long span.
death design happens rather
I really don't over-theorize about design. I'd rather feel it than talk it to death. A lot happens as you unroll the design.
american-designer beauty designing directed
Knowing who the actors were as you were designing them helped, with Catherine's beauty and Renee's frailty, they directed me visually just by who they were.
assistant bought buyer clients department design early private saint side store worked
I worked in fashion, but I worked more in the sales side of fashion than in design. I was an assistant buyer for a department store back in the '70s and the early years of Saint Laurent. And I used to have a lot of private clients that I bought for.