Marvel’s newest and oldest superheroes were introduced on November 4th. The film boasts very impressive visuals, along with a star-studded cast. The movie was different from any other Marvel movie and so was the costuming. As a fashion student, I always look forward to seeing how the costume design informs the storytelling.
Costume Designer Sammy Sheldon Differ and Costume Effects Supervisor Ivo Coveney did a wonderful job of helping the characters realize their personality through their costume. This is was Shelden Differ had to say about the costume design:
“We wanted these to feel organic. So, we’re hoping that when you see them in the film you go, ‘what is it’ and not, ‘I can see that’s armor, or it’s a Spandex suit, or something with a print over it that makes it look like in a mesh or something.’ We wanted to create something with a bit more artistic and organic and we talked a lot with Ryan in the VisDev department about what the intention was with the surfaces, and is it metal, is it color, is it – you know there’s a lot of to and fro and then experimentation. Because they definitely weren’t this straightforward. Here’s the concept, let’s just make it. It’s been a long journey of collaboration and experimenting.”
Shelden Differ, Screen Rant
The costume design was really different from the other Marvel movies because they are celestial beings and not based on something rigid. Even though Thor was a god, there is always solidity in his costumes and with the human Avengers; it is usually spandex or nanotechnology.
One thing I noticed immediately was that each Eternal had a color. Sersi is green, Ikaris is navy, Thena is white, Ajak is blue, Druig is black, Kingo is purple, Makhari is red and so on. But these colors were not only evident in their main suits, but also in their everyday clothing. Sersi always wore a majority of green in her outfit, and the same was true for Kingo, Icaris and all the other characters. I am sure there is symbolism behind the color choices, but the continuation of color through the different centuries and the movie proved a beautiful way of connecting the characters back to them is eternal.
My favorite costumes from the movie were Thena’s and Druig’s. Thena always looked powerful, yet serene. She is the Eternal who can forge any weapon she wants and is the goddess of war. In a press interview, Angelina Jolie mentioned that she wanted to use Thena’s femininity as the source of her strength. This idea can absolutely be seen in all her outfits because she is always wearing a pure beige with gold accents, and is always wearing feminine pieces. As women, we often feel like we need to be masculine to be strong, but Thena proves that you don’t have to let go of your feminity to be a warrior.
Druig was another stand-out character who was confident, strong and suave without coming off as entitled or rude. He was clear with what he wanted, and he knew what looked good on him. His superhero outfit was definitely very classy with his long black cape, but my favorite piece of his was a leather jacket, joggers and boots. Though this outfit can seem simple, it felt worn in and loved. It almost acted like his uniform and was a good reflection of his personality.
I went in expecting a less than exciting film due to all the negative reviews, but I was surprised at how much I loved it. The storytelling and costuming were so unique compared to all the other Marvel movies, and I fell in love with all the characters and the grandeur of it. I highly recommend that you all check out this movie and give it the love it deserves.