Frock Flicks: Imagine my shock when I recently went looking to see if we had featured legendary costume designer Eiko Ishioka and discovered that we hadn’t! Eiko Ishioka is one of those designers whose designs you instantly recognize, and those designs instantly become iconic.
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Ishioka had this magical ability to merge fantasy and reality, which is what drew me in. She didn’t always stick strictly to historical accuracy, but that’s the beauty of her work. She knew how to take a concept, whether it was for Immortals or Mirror Mirror, and exaggerate it in a way that felt both dreamlike and rooted in something real. For instance, Mirror Mirror had these exaggerated silhouettes and bold colors that perfectly captured the whimsy and dark humor of the story. Yet, in Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, she used subtle design elements to deepen the film's exploration of the character's inner turmoil.She wasn’t afraid to depart from the norm or break historical conventions if it served the story. Her work makes me realize how much power costumes have in shaping a film's mood, character depth, and even the audience’s emotional journey.
I clicked on this article thinking I was unfamiliar with Eiko Ishioka’s work, but boy was I wrong! She has designed legendary costumes for Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Mirror Mirror, and Immortals, to name a few. I really connect with how she approaches costume design. My personal philosophy is that, while there is a contextual, dramaturgical obligation to a script (a period piece set in 17th century France should most likely contain costumes that evoke 17th century France), there is also a creative obligation that I think takes precedence. My favorite costumes push just a little past what is realistic—whether that means loud colors and patterns or an exaggerated silhouette, they make you remember that what you are seeing is intentional and has thought behind it. Ishioka has the same philosophy with a lot of her styling. In her first major feature, Mishima, a Life in Four Chapters, she dresses the characters in period-accurate clothes with an over-the-top complimentary color palette. The costuming certainly evokes the 1970s (when the film takes place) but you also get to see so much of Ishioka’s personal taste and thought process.
I was not familiar with Eiko Ishioka’s work before reading this article, but I love it a lot. Her designs have such unique silhouettes within their films, it is easy to tell which character wore what, even without all the details. The details and color also add so much as well, especially in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, there is so much detail and very stark colors. Mirror Mirror having exaggerated historical elements was such a cool way to bend reality with her designs. The way she bent historical accuracy made each costume really stand out with such different silhouettes and textures. My favorite designs out of this list of pictures would have to be The Fall. The Fall has some of the most contrasting and striking silhouettes, with sharp points and steamed shirts, to soft curves and draped fabric. Eiko Ishioka’s work makes me reconsider my stance on historical accuracy in shows. It may be alright to bend the rules a bit, if that bending creates such distinct silhouettes and feelings for the show.
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