essayer puerile: 'Hunger Games' Girl On Fire Outfit: Meet The Designer

Thursday, January 19, 2012

'Hunger Games' Girl On Fire Outfit: Meet The Designer

In this week's Hobnobbing, we catalog Judianna Makovsky's iconic looks.
By Amy Wilkinson

Jennifer Lawrence in the girl on fire costume in "Hunger Games"
Photo: Lionsgate

The Web nearly caught fire Thursday (January 19) when Entertainment Weekly debuted the first image of "Hunger Games" characters Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) in their parade costumes, snapped mere moments before District 12's heroine becomes (quite literally) the Girl on Fire (we see you with that lit fuse, Cinna!).

Of course, fans of Suzanne Collins' best-selling novel know that the textured black suits are meant to reflect the duo's coal-mining community, brought to sartorial life by their savvy stylist (played by Lenny Kravitz).

"This is one of those moments where Cinna's character syncs up with the creativity of our costume designer Judianna Makovsky," director Garry Ross told EW.

As if sitting front row at a Capitol-sponsored fashion show, fans have slowly but surely been treated to the growing catalog of Makovsky's "Hunger Games" looks — from Effie Trinket's lavender, silk brocade gown recently revealed on Capitol Couture to Katniss' and Peeta's futuristic training uniforms.

Even the most casual cinephile should recognize Makovsky's work. The Oscar nominee (and frequent Ross collaborator) is a Hollywood veteran with nearly 30 years of experience crafting iconic period and present-day looks for some of the silver screen's biggest projects. After toiling as a wardrobe assistant on films like "The Cotton Club" and "Dick Tracy," Makovsky took the lead, whipping together wardrobes for Tom Hanks' "Big" (which Ross wrote and co-produced) and "The Quick and the Dead." She earned her first Oscar nomination for Ross' 1999 retrosplosion "Pleasantville," starring Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon as two teens who time-travel back to the 1950s, necessitating more sweater sets and curve-hugging skirts than an Ann Taylor outlet. The result was an eye-popping collection of richly saturated confections, worthy of recognition by the Academy and the Costume Designer's Guild.

An Oscar-nominated semester at Hogwarts followed (yes, Makovsky dressed Harry, Ron and Hermione in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone") before she teamed up with Ross for the 2004 equestrian classic "Seabiscuit" (starring then-up-and-comer Elizabeth Banks, a.k.a. Effie Trinket). The costumer earned her third Oscar nom for the film's Depression-era garb.

A mishmash of films followed, including "National Treasure," "The Last Airbender" and "X-Men: The Last Stand" (perhaps the film in which she perfected her bodysuit construction), before she once again signed on with Ross for "The Hunger Games."

With several outfits yet to be seen from the March 23 release, including an unfettered view of Katniss' glitzy interview gown, we can only expect the best from Makovsky. Could another Oscar nomination be in her dystopian future?

What do you think about the "Hunger Games" costumes so far? Sound off in the comments below and tweet me @amymwilk with your thoughts and suggestions for future columns!

Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games."

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