Celebrating all things costume design at the 19th annual Costume Designers Guild Awards last night in LA at the Beverly Hilton with accolades getting handed out to the best in television, film and short form.
These awards are split into contemporary, fantasy and period, which means that a wide range of work is acknowledged as opposed to say the Academy Awards which tends to lean towards the more period costuming when it comes to which projects are nominated.
The award season juggernaut that is La La Land is one of the rare non-period contenders – it isn’t always period as Jenny Beavan won for Mad Max last year – and it also won last night. And for fantasy it was all about Doctor Strange.
Two of my favorite overall contenders this award season are Hidden Figures and Jackie; both were in the period category and while Madeline Fontaine recently won the BAFTA for her incredible work on Jackie it was Renee Ehrlich Kalfus who was honored by the Costume Designers Guild for her take on the early 1960s.
On the TV side there were some repeat winners with Game of Thrones and American Horror Story taking home the fantasy and contemporary accolades. The Crown’s debut season receiving the period award and the work on all three of these projects is incredible.
The red carpet was also awash with fabulous outfits from designers and those there to celebrate with them. This included some of the actors they dress on a daily basis and I want to take a moment to shine the sartorial light on both.
This is now the third win for Michele Clapton and Game of Thrones (sharing this award with April Ferry this year) as this show continues to dominate all things fantasy. Clapton was behind the incredible Cersei revenge ensemble and she will be returning to Westeros full time this season. This means she has to depart her other winning project and Clapton also won for The Crown last night; I particularly love all things Margaret on The Crown.
Clapton’s geometric patterned gown is a big departure from either GoT or The Crown, but there is a hint of Daenerys with her choice of choker. Plus those all important pockets tick all those boxes.
Hala Bahmet is currently working on This is Us and she is responsible for making me want to dress like Mandy Moore in the late ’70s/early ’80s. Here she is giving great black frock and accessories.
This is now Lou Eyrich’s fourth win for American Horror Story and this year she shares this with Helen Huang. I don’t always make it through a whole season of AHS (I’ve only seen Coven and Hotel in their entirety), but the costuming is always next level. As Ryan Murphy’s main costume collaborator it is no surprise to see Eyrich working on Feud and the promo shots from this mini-series are already making me drool all over the keyboard in anticipation.
Eyrich delivers on the dramatic here in a fabulous green ladysuit, oversized glasses and earrings, whereas Helen Huang is going more classic all in black.
Ane Crabtree looks like a host from the future in a Westworld park that has yet to be made and I love the high collar detail coupled with the texture and pattern of this frock. And Jimmi Simpson has left the hat at home, but scrubs up well.
At first I thought this was Valentino, but instead it is Alexander McQueen and it is just as intricately beautiful on Lily Collins.
Amy Landecker in another fabulous ladysuit and she injects even more color by pairing it with yellow pumps. Love this entire ensemble.
Hello, handsome. Matt Bomer serving up a classic look in a white tuxedo jacket as he presents the Lacoste Spotlight Award to his Last Tycoon co-star Lily Collins.
Host Mandy Moore in red Jenny Packham and also as the human version of the ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ kaomoji.
The dress looks really great in this posing in the hotel Instagram shot.
Octavia Spencer with her Hidden Figures costume designer Renee Ehrlich Kalfus and among the many things I was raving about when I came out of this movie was the costume design and this win pleases me immensely.
The composition of this shot is great with Jane Fonda looking on and the image from Hidden Figures showcasing this costume excellence in celebratory poses.
More from the classic black attire category from both Octavia Spencer and Renee Ehrlich Kalfus.
Meryl Streep was presented with the Distinguished Collaborator Award and she wore hot pink Valentino to accept this honor. Daughter Mamie Gummer’s short blonde messy bob and glasses is everything I want right now.
Jane Fonda not only delivers on dramatic shoulder in Versace, but she is also serving dramatic face with co-star Lily Tomlin. This photo makes me so happy.
Here is the full list of winners and nominees.
CONTEMPORARY TELEVISION SERIES
American Horror Story: Roanoke – Lou Eyrich, Helen Huang – WINNER
Empire – Paolo Nieddu
Grace & Frankie – Allyson B. Fanger
House of Cards – Johanna Argan, Kemal Harris
Transparent – Marie Schley
PERIOD TELEVISION SERIES
The Crown – Michele Clapton – WINNER
Penny Dreadful – Gabriella Pescucci
Stranger Things, Series – Kimberly Adams, Malgosia Turzanska
Westworld, Pilot – Trish Summerville
Westworld, Series – Ane Crabtree
FANTASY TELEVISION SERIES
Game of Thrones – Michele Clapton, April Ferry – WINNER
The Man in the High Castle – J.R. Hawbaker
Once Upon a Time – Eduardo Castro
Sleepy Hollow – Mairi Chisholm
The Walking Dead – Eulyn C. Womble
CONTEMPORARY FILM
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie – Rebecca Hale
Captain Fantastic – Courtney Hoffman
La La Land – Mary Zophres – WINNER
Lion – Cappi Ireland
Nocturnal Animals – Arianne Phillips
PERIOD FILM
The Dressmaker– Marion Boyce, Margot Wilson
Florence Foster Jenkins – Consolata Boyle
Hail, Caesar! – Mary Zophres
Hidden Figures – Renee Ehrlich Kalfus – WINNER
Jackie – Madeline Fontaine
FANTASY FILM
Doctor Strange – Alexandra Byrne – WINNER
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Colleen Atwood
Kubo and the Two Strings – Deborah Cook
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – Colleen Atwood
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – David Crossman, Glyn Dillion
SHORT FORM
Beyoncé: “Hold Up” – B. Åkerlund
Dos Equis: “The Most Interesting Man in the World – Mission to Mars” – Julie Vogel
Dos Equis: “The New Most Interesting Man in the World Traverses the Sand and the Serengeti” – Liz Botes
H&M: “Come Together” featuring Adrien Brody, directed by Wes Anderson – Milena Canonero
Pepsi: “Momotaro” Episode Four, featuring Jude Law — Ami Goodheart – WINNER
Guild Honors
Distinguished Collaborator Award: Meryl Streep
Lacoste Spotlight Award: Lily Collins
Career Achievement Award: Jeffrey Kurland
Distinguished Service Award: Lois DeArmond
Hall of Fame: Ret Turner
Tags: Amy Landecker, Ane Crabtree, Costume Designers Guild Awards, Hala Bahmet, Helen Huang, Jane Fonda, Jimmi Simpson, Lily Collins, Lily Tomlin, Lou Eyrich, Mamie Gummer, Mandy Moore, Matt Bomer, Meryl Streep, Michele Clapton, Octavia Spencer, Renee Ehlrich Kalfus