star trek discovery uniforms, costumes, and clothing

[jaime]

If you google image search "garak turbolift in the pale moonlight", you'll see at about the third or fourth result some photos of Garak wearing a yellow printed shirt with black shoulders that is not unlike a TNG yellow uniform. There's even a horizontal stripe across the black shoulder panels, not unlike the TNG season 1 stripe.

Everything the Cardies wore looked stiff and uncomfortable.

He’s having a laugh as he’s on Starfleet business.

 

[Awesome Possum]

If the story is accurate, she was asked about a costume produced by her own department, not 'some useless trivia about a 50 year old costume'.

Um. It was a dress worn by the series most famous actress. I wouldn’t know nor care what Theiss made his stuff out of. Gold Lame is a fabric that’s made its way into general speech tbh. It’s also, I believe, quite expensive...so yeah...you would kind of expect the head of a department to know what an expensive costume for a lead actress was made out of.

I find even caring about this to be absurd. It has no impact on the show or anything. Seems like grasping at straws to find another excuse to hate the show.

 

[jaime]

I find even caring about this to be absurd. It has no impact on the show or anything. Seems like grasping at straws to find another excuse to hate the show.

I don’t care about it. It’s funny. I moved on. I just explained why someone might find it funny or exasperating. The defense seems as ridiculous to me as an actual attack would be.

 

[Abi Smith]

If you google image search "garak turbolift in the pale moonlight", you'll see at about the third or fourth result some photos of Garak wearing a yellow printed shirt with black shoulders that is not unlike a TNG yellow uniform. There's even a horizontal stripe across the black shoulder panels, not unlike the TNG season 1 stripe.

Everything the Cardies wore looked stiff and uncomfortable.

Looks like some kind of printed gold lamé material.

 

[urbandefault]

I would expect a costume designer to know fabrics, just as I expect a set designer to understand materials and techniques, or a DP to have experience in different lighting styles.

Expecting these people to know the source material of a show they are producing is a no brainer to me.

 

[Awesome Possum]

I would expect a costume designer to know fabrics, just as I expect a set designer to understand materials and techniques, or a DP to have experience in different lighting styles.

Expecting these people to know the source material of a show they are producing is a no brainer to me.

There’s a huge difference between knowing about the show’s story, characters and setting and knowing details of the production. I prefer they at least know what a Klingon is, I don’t care if they don’t know what material they used for a costume or prop.

 

[urbandefault]

There’s a huge difference between knowing about the show’s story, characters and setting and knowing details of the production. I prefer they at least know what a Klingon is, I don’t care if they don’t know what material they used for a costume or prop.

In my country we call it "research." Or "doing your job." Or "just being competent."

Sometimes it gets lost in translation.

 

[Awesome Possum]

In my country we call it "research." Or "doing your job." Or "just being competent."

Sometimes it gets lost in translation.

What does the material used 50 years have to with a current show that uses a completely different art direction? Costume and prop design has changed drastically in that time, especially in the past few years. They only reason they’d even need to know would be to recreate an original prop and even then, they’d use it as a basis and use modern techniques because what looks good in the 1960s doesn’t always look good in the 2010s. It’s why they do fabric tests before even making costumes, to make sure it looks good on camera. They’re job is to make the best looking costume, not have an intimate understanding of the history of a costume, that’s a completely different job.

 

[urbandefault]

What does the material used 50 years have to with a current show that uses a completely different art direction? Costume and prop design has changed drastically in that time, especially in the past few years. They only reason they’d even need to know would be to recreate an original prop and even then, they’d use it as a basis and use modern techniques because what looks good in the 1960s doesn’t always look good in the 2010s. It’s why they do fabric tests before even making costumes, to make sure it looks good on camera. They’re job is to make the best looking costume, not have an intimate understanding of the history of a costume, that’s a completely different job.

Going back to the original point, several posts before I unfortunately involved myself, someone from the costume design department of the current show apparently didn't know what one of the department's costumes was made from.

Since I have little patience for online arguments, I'll bow out now and declare you the winner.

Congrats, and have a nice day.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Might I point out that this prevailing notion she doesn't know what gold lame is is something completely inferred by people here based on very little evidence?

Her job is not to memorize every material used in every costume [designed and fashioned by other people] she's okayed to the point she can recite it on demand. That's fucking absurd.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I feel the same way about just about everyone responsible for the look of the show. I took a look at her IMDB credits and she's never done any other sci-fi (other than Falling Skies), which is not surprising.

Why the fuck would she have to?
What was Theiss's "SF cred" before TOS?

 

[plynch]

Theiss, who costumed his lead in greenish chartreuse velour so that characters would be in R B G, but it photographed gold. Still bugs me that he didn 't re-dye after seeing early prints or dailies.

Command looks greener (the intent) in WNMHGB than in the real series, imho.

 

[fireproof78]

I find even caring about this to be absurd. It has no impact on the show or anything. Seems like grasping at straws to find another excuse to hate the show.

Once again, it feels like Discovery is being held to a much higher standard than other Treks.

 

[Awesome Possum]

I'd love to just talk about the show and not deal with the constant angry fanboy hate train.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Me too.

 

[Midquest]

Sometimes, when I hand back student essays, a student will ask me about something I wrote, and I will need to go back and look at just what comment I made. Hell, I don't remember. That was thirty essays and 24 hours ago. That doesn't mean I suck at my job, or don't know my subject-matter, just that as the person managing how the whole operation goes down, there are a lot of moving pieces to juggle.

Now translate that to the woman running an entire department, overseeing hundreds of costumes, and fielding any issues that arise being asked a question about season 1 while likely planning season 2. No, I don't think this is evidence that the show somehow hired a less talented person in some failure of "equity"; is just means she's a damn busy professional.

Just my two cents.

 

[wakeup]

Hey like I said, it’s not pitchforks at dawn...but it’s my understanding that she was looking at the dress when asked no?
It’s funny, not a death sentence for DSC.
Nor is finding it funny, or remarkable, a stoning offence either last time I looked.

Yes you are exactly right. It was at the Star Trek Convention last month. She was on stage giving a talk with other costume designers who also work on Discovery. They were discussing costumes and brought photos with them for the presentation. A photo of Michelle Yeoh in her gold costume from the episode called "Vaulting Ambition" came onto the screen and Phillips was talking about it and said, "I don't know what that fabric is" and the costume designer next to her and at least 40 people in the audience said, "gold lamé." She was looking at the dress which was displayed for everyone to see on a large screen. In fact I'm sure her department decided which photos to bring since they were giving a talk about the costumes. The photo wasn't suddenly thrust upon her - she, as head costumer, brought it as part of her presentation.

 

[wakeup]

Once again, it feels like Discovery is being held to a much higher standard than other Treks.

I think you are correct... Discovery IS being held to a high standard - the standard that was set by the other treks.

 

[Grendelsbayne]

I find even caring about this to be absurd. It has no impact on the show or anything. Seems like grasping at straws to find another excuse to hate the show.

For the record, I don't care about it. I just found it weird to bring up costumes from 50 years ago in response to a story about a DSC costume. And I agree it feels a little strange that someone in that position doesn't recognize a fabric that's so common even I've heard of it. But whatever, I don't really know what its like to do her job and I certainly don't have any problem with the costumes on DSC (except the season 2 'tos style' ones from the trailers, which I hope will have very limited exposure). Overall I'd say the DSC costumes are above average in comparison to Trek in general, so she presumably is doing something right.

 

[Agony_Boothb]

Yes you are exactly right. It was at the Star Trek Convention last month. She was on stage giving a talk with other costume designers who also work on Discovery. They were discussing costumes and brought photos with them for the presentation. A photo of Michelle Yeoh in her gold costume from the episode called "Vaulting Ambition" came onto the screen and Phillips was talking about it and said, "I don't know what that fabric is" and the costume designer next to her and at least 40 people in the audience said, "gold lamé." She was looking at the dress which was displayed for everyone to see on a large screen. In fact I'm sure her department decided which photos to bring since they were giving a talk about the costumes. The photo wasn't suddenly thrust upon her - she, as head costumer, brought it as part of her presentation.

Cool so she may have had a mental blank in regards to one of the fabrics used in a costume designed over two years ago most likely by someone else within the costume department?

Big. Fucking. Deal. Seriously.

It is pathetically petty to get so butthurt over a fabric.