Miuccia Prada worked with costume designer Catherine Martin to create over 40 looks for the Summer 3-D spectacular 'The Great Gatsby', each inspired by styles drawn from the Prada and Miu Miu archives, with designs taking the form of shimmering dresses, covered with crystals, fringing and sequins, in shades of emerald, jade, topaz and gold.
Luxurious velvets and furs made up the fabric, appropriately chosen given the excesses of the 1920's setting.
The creations were worn by the film's star cast, which includes Carey Mulligan as well as featuring in the two memorable "epic" party scenes at the Gatsby residence.
In fact, the Italian designer was approached to collaborate on costume design in the movie after several Prada and Miu Miu pieces were inadvertently worn during test scenes. Prada herself admits that the allure of working with director Baz Lurhmann on this particular project stemmed from the ease in which her designs fitted well with the fashion of the Twenties, as if they were indeed designed with that era in mind (when they were actually not).
For example, the "chandelier dress" worn by Mulligan was actually drawn from Prada's Spring/Summer 2010 collection.
"That's what interesting. The point of view can transform things so much," said Miuccia Prada.
Yes, probably a few [dresses] had that kind of edge, but almost none were meant to be Twenties when I did them. I was really fascinated by that.
"Baz and Miuccia have always connected on their shared fascination with finding modern ways of releasing classic and historical references from the shackles of the past," said Martin.
This connection is central to our relationship with Miuccia Prada on The Great Gatsby, and has connected our vision with hers.
"Our collaboration with Prada recalls the European flair that was emerging amongst the aristocratic East Coast crowds in the Twenties," added Martin. "The fashions of the time saw the development of a dichotomy between those who aspired to the privileged, Ivy League look of wealthy Long Island and those who were aspiring to European glamour, sophistication and decadence. Our collaborations with Prada reflect the collision of these two aesthetics."
Prada and Luhrmann have worked together before, creating Leonardo DiCaprio's suit in the director's 1996 film version of Romeo + Juliet.
Although maintaining the authenticity of original Twenties clothing was important to both Martin and Luhrmann, the idea of reconnecting audiences with the story was also a key focus.
"Baz was describing to me about the modern music in this version of Gatsby and he said, 'We've got to get the audience to feel how it must have felt to hear jazz for the first time at a party,'" she said.
You need to feel how scintillating, extraordinary, new and dynamic these things were; there needs to be a frisson of the new for people to actually understand what it was really like to be there in the Twenties.
Catherine Martin and Miuccia Prada Dress Gatsby Exhibition in New York City | See more photos: //senatus.net/album/view/10133/
Catherine Martin and Miuccia Prada Dress Gatsby Exhibition
An exhibition of selected Prada-Martin costumes went on display from 1 to 12 May 12 at the Prada New York Epicenter in New York City. The installation, entitled 'Catherine Martin and Miuccia Prada Dress Gatsby', featured women's gowns, accessories and jewellery - alongside sketches, production stills, backstage footage and film trailers.
The opening was attended by Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Carey Mulligan, Florence Welch, Katy Perry, Tobey Maguire, Isla Fisher, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Fei Fei Sun to name a few, as well as the host Miuccia Prada. See photos of the event at //senatus.net/album/view/10134/
The exhibition will next travel to Tokyo in June, then Shanghai in July.
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