Day Fit for a Bloodsucking Nuptial: Laura Montgomery's Designs for the 'What We Do in the Shadows' Wedding Event
Yo, Let's Dish on the Premier Vampire Wedding Attire!
Gossiped by Spencer Williams
Let's spill the tea on the glitziest wedding of the season – Nandor the Relentless's nuptials! As seen in the fourth season of What We Do in the Shadows, this swanky soiree was dripping in style, thanks to costume designer extraordinaire, Laura Montgomery. We caught up with Laura to get the sapphire-dusted, silk-lined deets on Nandor's striking wedding attire and the supernatural fashion extravaganza that went down!
Spencer Williams: Alright, let's talk Nandor (that's Kayvan Novak to the common folks). Man goes through the ringer this season on his hunt for love! This leads us to the big day – the wedding episode. I've had the pleasure of eyeing up Nandor's wedding look in person, and I must say, it's a stunner. What was the story behind the making of this masterpiece?
Laura Montgomery: The Wendigo had hardly calmed down, and we were knee-deep in the night market chaos! We had roughly ten days to prep the wedding episode, and boy, oh boy, was it a scramble! With the concept meeting and script in hand, I knew I'd need extra hands on deck. My producer agreed to bring on an additional assistant costume designer, buyer, and more cutters.
For Nandor's shoulder mantle, we searched high and low for the perfect fabric with some old-school embroidery. Our textile artist spent endless hours bringing it to life with intricate beading. We opted for a velvet cape – undeniably vampiric – and added a Sam Browne harness for a touch of military flair, given Nandor's past.
Spencer Williams: The makeover montage! I've forgotten just how hilarious it was. So many costumes in one go!
Laura Montgomery: It was an acid trip of fabrics and garments! My brilliant cutter, Carla Mingiardi, led the charge, while I brought on two additional cutters to keep up with the breakneck pace. We had slim pickings for materials in Toronto, so we had to find creative solutions, like altering the sleeves for Baron Afanas' party outfit when the fabric ran out.
Spencer Williams: Now, Baron Afanas! I've been rooting for him since day one. Any chance of seeing that oh-so-elegant rogue in future seasons?
Laura Montgomery: You messed with my emotions, and I enjoyed every moment of it! We wanted to keep his feathered ruff and jabot without veering too far from his established style. We upgraded the fabric, edged the ruff with pearls, and dressed him in a tailored coat with a majestic train. Thanks to some magic from the sourcing crew, we managed to find just enough fabric, even if it meant mixing-and-matching the sleeves to make it work.
Spencer Williams: This was a jam-packed episode, and the costumes absolutely brought it home! Putting together such a memorable event in such a short amount of time – you're a sorceress, Laura.
Laura Montgomery: I'd like to think so, but it all comes down to my team's dedication and passion for bringing What We Do in the Shadows to life. Here's to many more seasons of dressing up vampires, werewolves, and all manner of supernatural creatures!
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Enrichment Insights:- ** Process: The costume design for Nandor's wedding likely involved conceptualization, research, design, fabrication, fittings, and adjustments.- Inspiration: The costume design may have been inspired by historical Persian and Assyrian royal attire, considering Nandor's character is inspired by ancient warriors and kings.- Materials**: Velvet, Brocade fabrics, ornate embroidery, and layered garments were likely used in the costume design for added grandiosity.
Spencer Williams: With Nandor's wedding costume, Laura Montgomery expertly blended vintage Persian influences and a touch of military flair to create a striking ensemble that captivated the audience.
Laura Montgomery: Designing the costumes for the supernatural wedding-themed episode of What We Do in the Shadows required an extensive amount of planning, creativity, and teamwork to accomplish in a tight timeframe, proving once again that Laura Montgomery and her team are indeed the sorcerers of costume design in the world of movies-and-tv and entertainment.
