We asked Revenge Costume designer Alana Morshead tells how her favorite teen movie grew up, and the answer comes as no surprise: Know nothingfollowed by Romy and Michele .’s High School Reunion. These visually iconic ’90s movies (especially styled by the costume designer Mona May) not only set the tone for the teen movies of the era, but also marked a new era in on-screen fashion with its dazzling wardrobes, prototype accessories and inherent DIY skills just as important. less than the plot.
Streaming on Netflix, Revenge is an homage to classic teen movies of the ’90s and ’00s as well as an astute social commentary on today’s teen culture. While it combines elements of Bad girls, Jawbreakerand even a bit of Alfred Hitchcock Strangers on a train, Revenge is reference but purposefully modern. “I have a very clear aesthetic and vision of Revenge,” shared director and co-writer Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. “I knew I wanted to retreat from the ’90s runway for Drea and the ’70s mod for Eleanor. I want to pay homage to the worlds we’ve inspired, but it’s very important to me and the team that we are never derivatives. Morshead concurs, noting the shared love for ’90s movies and the need to avoid trespassing into fake territory: “There are slight nods, but it’s been updated to look like today.”
With an abundance of references throughout, the film’s overall look creates a world that stands out as one-of-a-kind. Morshead has worked closely with Robinson to create vintage and retro-inspired clothing that reflects the iconic characters’ wardrobes. “Alana is an encyclopedia of both fashion in general and fashion in movies, which is our cornerstone in creating looks. Revenge,” shared Robinson. “In our first conversation, I knew she was that person. She adores teen movies as much as I do, and obviously we both want to make the same movie.” Tall but never enough outfits to become distracting, her aesthetic Revenge as they say, is a total vibe.
The film stars Camila Mendes, Maya Hawke, and Austin Abrams as students at Rosehill Country Day, an elite private school in Miami, Florida. While the purpose of any school uniform is to create a similarity, the mix and match nature of the pastel purple and green wardrobe at Rosehill is not just indicative of the versatile style. personality but also, like any dress code teen attests, requires that the emphasis be on accessories. This attention to detail is where Morshead really shines. “Because there were so many scenes at school, I didn’t want to have these great looks outside of the classroom and then go to school and be completely in uniform,” she explained. “We had to find a way to fit in at school but also keep the movie interesting, so the number of socks, earrings and accessories we had was unrealistic.”
Sourcing everywhere from eBay to Instagram to small-town flea markets to vintage stores, Morshead and her team approach each look with DIY tactics devised by Drea, the main character created by Drea. Mendes performed. Besides being a Teen magazine honour, A tennis teacher and an aspiring Ivy League student, Drea is a gifted seamstress and makes most of the outfits she wears when she’s not at school. For example, the blue dress she wore to the party in the opening scene looks sleek but also looks like something Drea could have made herself. “Maybe she took off the sleeves, or it was a halter top, or it was knee length, and she cut it short,” Morshead mused. “We don’t have the budget to just buy people’s designs, and Drea’s character feels right to lean on references to ’90s supermodels.” The translucent wrap that Drea was wearing was purchased at a cheap store in Atlanta for $15. Morshead loved the color and the way it reflected light, but she had to rework the tissue paper thin design to fit Mendes’ body, removing the original bulkier sleeves for a better fit. “It’s very fragile so whenever we take it anywhere, it gets damaged. Finally, if you get too close to it, you can see all the tears and holes in it. “But imagine the audience’s first look at Drea without it? As if!
Originally slated to shoot on the West Coast, Revenge moved production to Atlanta to accommodate Hawke (who played Eleanor), as she was working concurrently on the fourth season of Strange things. “It was originally set in Santa Barbara, but when we moved production, we changed the setting to Miami, because it was a more visual fit,” said Robinson, a pre-college graduate. in Miami, explained. “It was a happy accident, but I think the Miami setting allowed us to create a look that never existed in the teen classics, which is incredibly exciting.”
In addition to the really cool pastel school uniforms, the relocation spurred Morshead and her team to explore Atlanta’s many beauty supply stores, where they found a wide variety of socks, clothing, and accessories. jewelry, headbands and belts. This proved essential to both Drea and Eleanor. After the necessary makeover scene, Eleanor sported a distinctly retro, ’70s-inspired look that included a bucket hat and dangling earrings.
True to form (and teen movie rule), the final outfits both characters wear are one-of-a-kind outfits crafted precisely for each character’s climax. At the Admissions Party, a social media-free night of debauchery for college seniors, Eleanor wore an electric orange jacket made entirely from zippers, and Drea wore a different dress. 90s with chic and light chains—two belts were originally purchased for $2 each—as the straps. Morshead recalls: “I wanted something a little harder because it was the climax of the movie, so the looks had the same industrial taste.
Whether it’s fashion discovery or farce, the details are of paramount importance and the world is building Revenge truly remarkable when you consider the incredible costumes, the perfectly placed needles, the skillful casting and the amazing twists. “I wanted the film to stand on its own and find its unique place in the canon,” says Robinson. “And I think we got there.”
Of course, there are plenty of easter eggs too — we see you, the soft, pink Cher pen — but you’ll have to see it for yourself to see how sweet it is. Revenge really can be.
Revenge currently streaming on Netflix.
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