A SUCCESS BY DESIGN
Oscar-nominated costume designer Arianne Phillips on bringing Bob Dylan to life, working with Madonna and asking A-listers to strip
Bob at The Savoy in London in 1966, after British influences such as The Beatles had begun to shape his style
Timothée carries a guitar on set, wearing one of almost 70 costumes designed for him by acclaimed creative Arianne (inset below left)
There aren’t many who could order a Hollywood A-lister to strip naked. But for acclaimed costume designer Arianne Phillips, it’s all part of the day job.
“We are the only department that’s like: ‘Hello, please take your clothes off,’” says the creative, who has been nominated for an Academy Award four times. “But you need to be sensitive. I think of a costume designer as a people detective – you have to read the energy in the room.”
In fact, she considers her people skills to be one of her strongest qualities – “if I say so myself” – along with the forensic attention to detail, nose for historical accuracy and creative flair that have made her one of the most sought-after designers in the film industry.
Arianne, 61, has dressed everyone from Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio to Reese Witherspoon and Madonna, with whom she has worked for 22 years. Her most recent project is A Complete Unknown, for which she has been nominated for both a Bafta and an Oscar.