Iconic fashion comes to life in “The Last Tycoon.”
The Amazon flick, which could become a series if it is well received by viewers, centers on the life of a studio executive in 1930s Hollywood.
With a cast including Lily Collins, Matt Bomer and Kelsey Grammer, the production is star-studded.
Here, costume designer Janie Bryant takes FN Spy through the standout looks.
How would you describe the fashion sense in the film?
“It’s set in 1936, during the golden age of Hollywood. It’s all about the glamour and gorgeousness of the period. The era is all about creating a façade and aspirational characters that live in a design world.”
What footwear styles do the women wear?
“When you look at the shoes, they seem sensible, but they are actually quite chic. The heels are sculpted and thick. We’re not in the platform era of the Forties just yet. For evening shoes, we used silk T-straps; metallic T-straps were very popular. Something interesting about this period is the heels are always covered. You don’t see the exposure of the heel too often. The heels are also not very high — the highest would be 2.5 to three inches.”
How did you achieve fashion looks that stay true to the era?
“A huge inspiration for me was George Hurrell. He was a famous photographer who shot every single movie star, male and female, from this period. I was also inspired by [actress] Norma Shearer and [producer] Irving Thalberg. I don’t use current brands for period shows. I designed a lot of the gowns for the lead actresses, and we used a lot of rentals — it’s a combination.”
“The Last Tycoon” is available to stream on Amazon Prime now .
