If there’s one factor we love at The Curvy Fashionista, it’s seeing trend that empowers. So when the plus-size-positive film Empire Waist hit our radar, we couldn’t assist however fall in love with the way it portrayed the sweetness, confidence, and energy that comes with proudly owning your type, no matter measurement.
And who higher to speak about this than the costume designer herself, Francesca Roth? We sat down with the movie’s costume designer to get the within scoop on how she labored her magic to convey the movie’s characters to life—wardrobe first, in fact!
Dressing for Confidence—With a Aspect of Magic
Francesca Roth didn’t simply gown the characters of Empire Waist—she empowered them. Roth shares how the costumes had been extra than simply garments; they had been transformative instruments that helped the forged embody their roles, and typically, even reshape how they felt about their very own our bodies. “I believe it turns into an area that helps flip a private discomfort into confidence,” she says. That’s the magic of costume design.
Whether or not it’s a pair of denims that work completely for Marcy (performed by Daisy Washington), who makes use of a wheelchair, or the long-lasting closing gown worn by Lenore (performed by Mia Kaplan), Roth ensures that every look represents each the character’s persona and their progress all through the movie.
And the challenges? Roth didn’t draw back from these both. “The problem is that the majority garments right this moment are made for such a slim vary of idealized physique sorts,” she notes. Sound acquainted, trend lovers? Empire Waist confronted these hurdles head-on, exhibiting the fact of discovering garments that truly match and flatter in an business nonetheless enjoying catch-up with inclusivity.
A Forged as Various because the Wardrobe
We’ve received to speak about that beautiful and numerous forged. With so many various physique sorts, Roth had her work lower out for her. However, like the professional she is, she took all of it in stride. She revealed that a whole lot of the magic got here from understanding how every actor moved by the world and the way they expressed themselves by type. “I lean into their type and persona as strengths to make their character extra dynamic,” she says.
The top end result? A variety of wardrobe items that felt true to the characters—and, most significantly, that felt genuine to the actors sporting them.
Take Kayla, for instance, who will get her Clueless-inspired debut outfit. Roth shares how the over-the-top plaid skirt and faux-fur coat had been pieced collectively from not one, however two skirts sewn collectively to accommodate sizing. Roth’s flexibility and ingenuity spotlight the actual battle of discovering on-trend, plus measurement garments that match correctly. However the completed product? Pure gold!
Designing for the Plus Dimension Physique—It’s All Concerning the Match
Certainly one of Roth’s key alternatives in Empire Waist was dressing plus measurement our bodies in a approach that was each defining and narratively impactful. “Typically there’s a discrepancy between the sizes we predict we should always put on and what measurement we really want,” she shares. Oh, Francesca, we really feel that battle!
Roth took the time to get to know every actor, asking about their measurements, their favourite manufacturers, and the way they personally really feel about their our bodies. This meticulous consideration to element ensured that each costume not solely match however flattered.
The Iconic Seems: From “Clueless” Homage to the Showstopper Costume
When it got here to dressing plus measurement characters, Roth made positive that every outfit felt intentional and empowering. The answer to ill-fitting clothes? Alterations, alterations, alterations! And let’s simply say, Kayla’s two-skirt combo was removed from the one instance of Roth getting artistic with a needle and thread.
Okay, we couldn’t speak to Roth with out fangirling over a number of the movie’s most iconic seems to be. Her private favourite? Kayla’s Clueless-inspired ensemble that was each dramatic and so true to her character’s arc. “It’s Kayla’s ‘Clueless’ second,” Roth gushes, citing Mona Might, the legendary designer behind the unique Clueless costumes. Discovering a colourful faux-fur coat throughout a pandemic wasn’t simple, however Roth pulled it off.
After which, there’s the pièce de résistance: Lenore’s closing gown. This practice-made magnificence is the epitome of character growth, representing Lenore’s journey towards self-love. Designed with a metallic pastel cloth, it was created in simply 5 days, however the affect? Chef’s kiss.
As Roth places it, “The gown is supposed to signify Lenore’s progress towards loving herself and accepting her physique.” And in case you ask us, that’s precisely what it does.
