Strutting Through the Apocalypse: A Heart-to-Heart with Cynthia Summers
Discussing The Last of Us with Costume Designer, Cynthia Summers - Unveiling Costuming Secrets in The Art of Costume Blogcast
In this week's pulsating podcast episode of The Art of Costume Blogcast, we dived deep into the cobweb-infested world of The Last of Us with none other than the mastermind behind the costumes, Cynthia Summers. Get ready to eavesdrop on an enlightening chat fraught with fun banter as Cynthia shares tantalizing insights on Joel and Ellie's costumes, drawing inspiration from the dark, grimy video game, designing those chilling infected costumes, breaking down the costume essentials, working hand-in-glove with Pedro Pascal, and the downright stunning third episode, "Long, Long Time."
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Cynthia Ann Summers, as the lead costume designer for The Last of Us, experienced a one-of-a-kind, teeth-gritting challenge in the fashion realm. Contrary to the fantastical or historical dramas where costumes can be exaggerated or stylized, the clothing for Joel and Ellie had to be both authentic and enmeshed in the narrative to drive character development[2]. The desolate post-apocalyptic universe demanded practical yet battered apparel that projected the characters' grueling survival journey.
Through interviews and sneak-peek features, Summers highlighted crucial aspects of the design process for Joel and Ellie’s costumes:
- Narrative-Driven Wardrobe: Each outfit was artfully crafted to narrate a tale about the character’s trek, background, and emotional condition. For Joel, this mandated rugged, layered attire showing the wear and tear of years of scrapping[2][4].
- Utilitarian and Authentic Clothing: The costumes needed to be operational for action sequences and believable as attire for survivors. This meant employing authentic fabrics and distressing techniques to generate the illusion of aged, weathered clothing[4].
- Character Development via Costumes: Ellie's wardrobe morphed throughout the season. Summers selected each piece with great care to reflect Ellie’s tenacity, resourcefulness, and her life-altering transitions[2].
- Tight Collaboration With Production: Summers worked side-by-side with the directors and actors to guarantee the costumes complemented the performances and the overarching aesthetic tone of the series. The aim was to make the costumes harmonize with the environment, not merely the attire the characters donned[2].
Let's take Joel’s legendary jacket, for instance. This bad boy was meticulously designed to shout worn-out, with patches, frayed edges, and a dingy hue to support Joel's battle-hardened persona. The construction process involved intensive research into real-world survival scenarios and practical clothing choices, ensuring every detail—from the threadbare seams to the worn-out fabric—told a piece of Joel's grim tale[4].
In conclusion, the design process was deeply collaborative, detail-oriented, and wholly committed to how clothing could subtly elucidate character history, emotional state, and adaptability in this unforgiving universe[2][4].
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter as we delve into the Costume Design section of 'The Last of Us', featuring the remarkable work by Cynthia Summers, the creative mind behind the character's wardrobes in the movies-and-tv genre.Follow our LinkedIn and share the insights gained from this intriguing interview on how Entertainment legend Cynthia Ann Summers brought authenticity and narrative-driven wardrobe to life, shaping Joel and Ellie's costumes in the post-apocalyptic world of 'The Last of Us'.
