Maxance Vincent
Stephen Williams‘ Chevalier is one of the best biographical pictures of the year and one that should be on everyone’s radar this Awards season, particularly when it comes to the incredible costumes designed by Oliver Garcia. Not only are the costumes lavishly constructed to fit in with the film’s historical setting, but the distinctive color palettes also represent many elements of the protagonists’ journey within the film, most notably the rise and fall of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (Kelvin Harrison Jr.).
I recently had the chance to discuss with Oliver on the film’s incredible costume work, where we talked about his collaboration with director Stephen Williams, the research process of looking at different art movements for inspiration, and the use of distinguishing color palettes in representing Joseph’s journey throughout the movie, among others.
Read the full conversation below:
What drew you to wanting to work on this particular project?
So, I will tell you a little story before I tell you about what drew me. The first time I heard about this film, I was intrigued because I knew nothing about who Chevalier was. I knew that someone else was already on board as a costume designer, so I accepted that I didn’t really have a chance to be on board. However, it happened during COVID, and there were schedule changes, which forced the initial designer to leave the project. And that’s when I decided to be considered for the job. I was lucky because I knew one of the producers and got the job offer. Bringing the story of Chevallier to the screen sounded really exciting to me. He’s such an inspiring man. He was very talented and had a great deal of style. The fact that hardly anyone knew he existed made me more excited to work on it.
Can you talk about your collaboration with director Stephen Williams on the movie? Did his vision for the film match yours for the costumes?
Stephen was very passionate about the project and had done a lot of research into his life. There was a lot of cultural relevance to the times we live in now. He had a clear vision of how to make this film. He explained that he wanted to honor and respect the period in which Joseph lived and, at the same time, to appeal to contemporary audiences visually. I understood exactly what he wanted to do and got on with it.
In terms of representing the story of Joseph Bologne, how did you want to represent his rise and fall in his fashion choices?
It was very clear that we had to distinguish between the two. The fashion styles didn’t change much during the time the story was told. I concluded that the best way to differentiate between his rise and his fall, as you call it, was by changing the color palette of his wardrobe and giving him a slightly more relaxed silhouette. During the rise, he wears a soft palette of blues, grays, and icy colors, representing his aristocratic society. For the fall, I used a darker, more earthy palette of greens, mustard, and purples, which were more in sync with the African community that his mother introduced him to.
How extensive was the research process in looking at 18th-century France? Did you look at any pieces of art in particular? What specifically informed your design choices for the costumes?
I didn’t have much prep time, and I always like to say that [laughs]. I did a lot of extensive research into the period, I looked at paintings, illustrations, costume plates, and many references that felt relevant to the story. I mainly looked at art from two artistic movements of the period, Rococo and Baroque. The only artists I can remember are Fragonard and Thomas Gainsborough. All of this research informed my design choices. I consciously try to interpret the period with a contemporary fashion sensibility. I love fashion, and I had a lot of references in my research that Stephen also gave me at the beginning of the process.
Did you want the costumes to be specifically historically accurate? How did you want to present Bologne and the other characters on screen to a modern audience?
Historical accuracy is very important to me, so I try to respect that as much as possible. But I also had in my mind what Stephen wanted to achieve. I set out to design for all the characters as if I was a designer in the 18th century but with the knowledge and the understanding of how fashion is designed today. To me, fashion now feels very understated but still is luxurious and minimalist. I try to channel that in recreating the 18th century.
Are there any specific challenges that arise when designing costumes for a period piece?
There are quite a few. The fabrics that we can get a hold of today don’t really match the quality of the periods. We have to be very careful and clever about what we choose, and the timing you have to produce costumes for a period film isn’t always enough. But there are always ways around it. In my opinion, it all comes down to getting the essence of the period and just making it work for the story.
Many films on the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette have been made over the years. How did you want your representation of Marie Antoinette’s costumes in the film to distinguish itself from other movies that came before? Or was that not a concern?
I wasn’t really concerned about that. Honestly, I think I’ve only watched one Marie Antoinette film before Chevalier, the Sofia Coppola one that came out a few years ago. Even though we all probably looked at the same references from her, there is a different outcome. Each script is different, portraying an alternative version of the same character. All designers have different sensibilities when taking on costumes and stories. So it’s rare that what I choose would have been repeated before or again in the future.
There are many distinguishing color palettes in this film when it comes to the movie’s main characters. How did you want these distinguishing palettes to represent each character within the film?
I’m glad you noticed, but I guess everyone noticed the color palette running through the film, which I’m very happy about. First, my main concern was to draw attention to Chevalier and highlight Joseph’s character. Using reds followed after that. As I said earlier, Joseph is coded with this specific palette of blues and silvery grays, representing his aristocratic society. With that, I just wanted to stress that he was a very smart man, and by adopting these colors, he got the social acceptance he had been searching for. I also wanted to say that he really understood the power of dressing, and it was clever to use it to his own benefit to influence what others thought of him. Color is such a magnificent storytelling tool, and I like using it. I did use it to distinguish between the characters. They all wear different costumes, but color helps a lot, as you can see.
Is there a particular costume you designed for this movie that you’re the proudest of?
Yes, which one do you think it would be?
I don’t know; there are so many good ones! [laughs]
Okay, that’s good to hear. That’s a very good answer. [laughs]. But yes, of course, there is. I’m very fond of the stage dressed by Marie-Joséphine [Samara Weaving], when she is singing in the Ernestine opera. It’s a very beautiful costume with hundreds of flowers of different colors that are hand-stitched on. I think it must have taken about a week or so for a team of about four or five people to make it, and it’s great. I love that costume because it symbolizes the love between her and Chevalier. The flowers that fill up the dress cascade on and almost become part of the set. It was gorgeous. The Rococo painting of Madame de Pompadour inspired me. I wish it had a longer screen time, but I personally love it.
Chevalier is now available to rent on video-on-demand and stream on Disney+ and Hulu:
[This interview has been edited for length and clarity]
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