When I was a sophomore in high school, I got to play a Rydell High student in my school’s production of the musical Grease. I had grown up watching the movie and I was so excited to sing the songs and see what our choreography would be! While our different variations of poodle skirts for the girls and leather jackets for the guys were easy for a high school musical, nothing compares to the costumes of the new prequel series to the beloved musical. The original movie was set in 1958 so poodle skirts weren’t exactly in style anyway, but we worked with what we got assigned to wear!
Besides creating the vibe for a movie or TV show, costumes are what finally bring the characters to life. It’s an art form and helps add to the overall feel of a project. Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies is set in 1954 and the show has done an amazing job of capturing that time period with their costumes. On Instagram there is an account called pinkladiescostumes that gives a behind the scenes look at the costume design process and is run by the show’s costume designer for episodes four through ten, Sam Hawkins. Not only did she capture the era of the 1950s, but she captured the individuality of each character.
For the character Jane who is played by Marisa Davila, the design of the costumes start out “a bit nerdy and slightly juvenile so that as we move into the season as she comes into her own she can relax into her look a bit, colors get a little brighter, prints a bit more fun, yet she always remains earnest. I like collars for her and slightly sporty/geometric prints and patterns.”
The look for Olivia, played by Cheyenne Isabel Wells feels more grown up. “I liked open collars for her and sweaters that show her collarbone. Her colors are a bit richer and darker and if she wears florals they have a bit of an edge to them. While Olivia is the ‘sexiest’ character I wanted to make sure she is in essence wearing the same clothes as the other girls around her. Her appeal exudes from her and is also something that others ascribe to her whether she wants them to or not. As Olivia finds herself and comes into her power it’s a delicate line to walk.”
For Cynthia who is played by Ari Notartomaso, the costume designer “wanted to show Cynthia’s discomfort with dresses. When not in school she wears pants and sneakers and men’s shirts, but in school she must conform to dress code and stifling societal norms. We used fuller skirts to give her ease of movement and nothing that would feel form fitting. I liked the occasional puff sleeve blouse or sweater mixed in to show that she doesn’t have a lot of options to choose from and isn’t able to be fully herself. Her details are sporty stripes, masculine plaids, and pockets in her skirts and dresses – utilitarianism!”
Tricia Fukuhara plays Nancy who “at her essence is a drag queen. She lives for a theme, her looks are smart, playful, tongue-in-cheek, structural, and camp! I left out the textural fabric backgrounds for her boards to evoke the clean magazine tears she studies every day. She makes all of her own clothes and is fearless. Coming up with how Nancy would respond to themes in each episode was one of the highlights of the show for me.”
Whether it’s a school play or Hollywood production, costumes serve as an essential part of the final product. They are the bridge from run throughs and pre-planning to the opening night or the sound of “Action!” as the cameras begin to roll. When everything is finally in place they help bring the story to life.
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