Betty's Skater-Inspired Costume Design
HBO’s newest eight-episode miniseries Betty is an exemplar of immersive storytelling through costume design. The show’s wardrobe has indeed resonated with its audience, its chic casualness creating an authentic modern setting while enticing viewers to emulate the obtainably stylish fashions. Costume designer Camille Garmendia’s familiarity with urban skateboarding culture inspired these coveted looks, and her deep analysis of Betty’s characters helped to further bring them to life.
Betty tells the story of a group of women skateboarders living in New York City, the personalities of whom served as the basis for Garmendia’s costume designs. Adding to the genuineness of the clothing was the characters’ actresses incorporating their own style into the outfits. Nina Moran relates to her character Kirt’s eccentricities, and as such she selected bright, colorful clothing that reflects her happy-go-lucky attitude. Ardelia Lovelace’s true admiration for former president Barack Obama led to her character Janay wearing an Obama Supreme shirt, claiming that it represented personal growth. The boldest example of this blend between characterization and real-life personality is the character Honeybear, a visual artist who wears such outlandish adornments as a necklace made of bike chains and pasties instead of a shirt. Most interestingly, her actress Kabrina Adams confirmed that there was very little difference between her own wardrobe and that of Honeybear.
Betty has most accurately brought New York’s indie fashion to television screens, enthralling viewers regardless of their proximity to skater culture.
Photo credits: https://www.nylon.com/fashion/hbo-betty-costumes-spotlight-new-york-city-skater-style
https://www.popsugar.com/fashion/photo-gallery/47505305/image/47505405/Tank-Tops-Shorts
Report: Nia Hunt
At the rise of Covid-19 many of us first questioned the timeline of fashion week and would we see the regular calendar continue - the question weighed over many of us for months! It was refreshing to see design houses and designers across the globe take advantage of the uncertainty and plow into production mode - thus my interest in Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer based in Brooklyn New York wow’d instagram with his latest collection paying homage to the Black Is King film which debuted earlier this year in July. I was taken aback at quick of a turn round the young designer produced and released his well crafted designs reflecting some of the films most memorable moments.