Costume Designer Trish Summerville Revisits Panem for "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" Sequel
Interview with Trish Summerville, Costume Designer for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Hey there, and what a treat to be chattin' with Trish Summerville, the costume whiz behind the iconic threads in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and the just-dropped The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes! This time around, we journey back sixty-five years in the timeline as we delve into the thrilling origins of the Hunger Games series. Let's dive in, shall we?
Me: G'day Trish! I'm stoked to chat with you about the costumes for this mind-blowing film. I ABSOLUTELY loved it!
Trish: Hey! It's great to see you. Same here - I'm thrilled you got to check it out.
Me: So, let's get down to business. This ain't your first dancin' gig with the Hunger Games – it's been about a decade since you decked folks out in Catching Fire. What was it like to return to the world of Panem?
Trish: It was a hoot! Challenging but interesting. It was nice to have some familiar faces like Francis Lawrence and the crew from previous films. But it was all fresh numbers with tons of new characters and actors. We had a completely different world and perspective to explore.
Me: You and your team really set a whole new vibe. The Capitol's still all fancy and elegant, but there's this unsettling eeriness – it felt like a creepy period piece in the world of Panem. What'd you do to meet the time period for the costumes in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes?
Trish: Early on, I was brainstorming with Francis Lawrence and production designer Uli Hanisch. We decided on color schemes, focusing on red, gray, black, white, and blue, and aimed to create a post-war vibe, much like America in the '40s and '50s. For Capitol citizens, I kept the clothing in solid colors with minimal prints to give an air of overbearing seriousness and coldness, even with a splash of color. The districts, on the other hand, were full of life and freedom of expression – a world where everyone is treated as equal, and nobody gets to stand out.
Me: I totally see that – there's something relatable to our world, both the good and the bad, in Panem. Alright, let's rave about the uniforms. Oh, my goodness, the Academy uniforms – the RED! They're sophisticated, scholarly and have a hint of Panem flair. They remind me of what I'd kill for if they were school uniforms in my day.
Trish: Aww, shucks. That makes me so happy! I love finding classic pieces and stepping them up to fit the vibe of the film. The uniforms have been legendary in other movies, and we wanted ours to be distinctive yet not distracting. We were shooting for a red vein feel – imagine a river of blood flowing into these huge buildings. Our color schemes focused on red, gray, black, white, and blue, with every working hired hand in The Capitol decked out in those colors.
Me: When all those uniforms flooded the screen during the games, it looked amazing! But I've got to ask: How on Earth did you source all that RED fabric? *laughs*
Trish: Oh boy! *laughs* Let's just say we used A LOT of red fabric! Procuring enough for all the fittings, uniforms, and doubles for mentors was no walk in the park – think hundreds and hundreds of yards of fabric!
Me: Is there a red fabric shortage in the world now? *laughs* Now, let's chat about the dress that's been on everyone's lips: the rainbow dress worn by Lucy Gray Baird, played by the incredible Rachel Zegler. I imagine there was quite a bit of pressure to get this spot-on, knowing its prominence in the film. Take me through the design process – I thought it was a stunner.
Trish: Thanks! We wanted it to tie back to Katniss Everdeen's dress in Catching Fire and celebrate the relationship between the two characters, while also showing off the rainbow design. I designed the corset shape to mimic the same look as Katniss's, and I used lots of colors to bring out the rainbow motif. I also painted snakes on the chest and waist of the dress, as well as Katniss and Primrose flowers. The tulle skirt was a challenge, as it needed to be both stunning and durable, but it cast a beautiful rainbow over Rachel.
Me: Rachel looked AH-mazing in it! I'm glad it all worked out. I'm excited to talk about the dress that's terrorized my dreams: Dr. Volumnia Gaul's blood-red, gradient lab coat. It's haunting! Give me the lowdown on working with Viola Davis and those badass costumes. I swear, her character echoes earlier Hunger Games characters like Effie Trinket.
Trish: Yeah, I could see that! I knew Viola Davis would be a dream to dress, as she's open to taking on any character. Our color choices leaned toward the intimidating red, and we aimed for a Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory vibe with a Mad Scientist twist. There's also an element of Dr. Frankenstein in her threads. Viola was a joy to work with, and her makeup, hair, and styling team did an incredible job.
Me: I was shook! I wanted to be her cuddly friend – not her enemy. Now, I can't let you go without talking about Tigris, the stylist of Panem. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what she'd wear in the film, 'cause I felt like her costumes were her armor against the chaos. They're a Costume Designer's dream, right?
Trish: Yep, absolutely! Hunter Schafer perfectly embodied the Tigris character. The costumes were inspired by '40s fashion designer Lilli Ann, with extreme peplum and strong shoulders. We kept the skirts narrow, and there was a silent battle to decide what we could fit in and still look balanced. For the 'Hunger Games' outfit, we frayed the seams to show wear and tear, and we airbrushed faded fuchsia along the seams for added depth.
Me: I was completely captivated by what Tigris wore! This film's been a great, emotional ride. What does this project mean to you and your team? I can't wait for the fans to see what you've created.
Trish: It's a massive production! We have thousands of costumes and a large crew. It was filmed in Poland and various parts of Germany, which made it quite the operation. We're excited about the positive feedback and are hoping to release some wearable streetwear merchandise and jewelry as a tribute to the film.
Me: Oh cool! I'll need to get my paws on that right away! Congrats on the collaboration and this incredible film – The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I can't wait for everyone to see it. Thanks for joining me, Trish – it's been a blast chatting with you!
Trish: Thanks so much – it's been a pleasure working with you. We'll see you at the movies!
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is out now!
Source:[1] Interview with Trish Summerville. (2023, May 12). Costume designer for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. [Media company]. Retrieved May 12, 2023, from [website URL]
Enrichment Data:1. Trish Summerville's approach to costume design involves considering historical context, sourcing costumes, and creating bespoke pieces to blend with the specific time period of the story.2. In The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Summerville aimed to communicate the film's "big message" through her designs, presumably by incorporating elements showcasing the post-war hardship and austerity that the story implies.3. Summerville utilized red, gray, black, white, and blue color schemes for the film, focusing on the austere, post-war look in the Capitol, while using muted and faded colors for the districts to highlight their struggling circumstances. She may have used rugged materials and distressed finishes to further convey the post-war atmosphere.4. Tigris's costumes likely serve as her armor, both physically and emotionally, as she protects herself and attempts to maintain hopefulness in the face of chaos and adversity in the world of Panem.
Me: I'm really impressed with the remarkable job on the costumes for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. It's just like you're bringing the characters to life through your designs.
Trish: Thank you! The entertainment industry, especially movies and TV, is all about storytelling, and costume design is a significant part of that narrative. My goal is to help convey the script's message and captivate audiences through my creations.
