GIRLS costume designer Jenn Rogien talks all things Hannah, Marnie, Shosh & Jessa
GLAMOUR.com sat down with GIRLS' costume designer Jenn Rogien to talk all things Jessa, Hannah, Marnie and Shoshanna.
How involved are each of the girls – and particularly show creator Lena – in the picking of the outfits?
It depends on the actor and the character. Some actors like to be involved and some like me to motivate the process. The variety in those collaborations is one of my favourite aspects of my job.
Lena [Dunham] is amazing – she is both a collaborator and a guiding force for me on the show. She created the world of GIRLS and all the unconventional characters that live in it so she knows their idiosyncrasies intimately. Her insight helps guide the wardrobe for every episode.
Audiences/the media seem to be more fashion-focused than ever now on TV shows – why do you think that is?
I think it might be because people are more engaged with fashion across the board – watching runway shows online, following fashion blogs, checking street style galleries in their favourite magazine. It seems like audiences are more connected to their favourite shows and characters through Twitter and other social media channels and the characters’ wardrobe is a part of that.
What would you imagine are the GIRLS’s favourite shops/labels?
Hannah spends a lot of time in vintage and thrift stores with the occasional splurge from Anthropologie or Madewell. I let that guide my shopping for her and find loads of Hannah signature pieces in Brooklyn thrift stores.
In my imagination, Marnie shops at Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdales and J.Crew. In the real world I do shop for her at Bloomingdales and J.Crew, but we also find her great designer brands at Century 21 (a great discount department store here in NYC), Loehmann’s and Nordstrom Rack to stay true to her working girl with a budget reality.
Shoshanna is a department store girl. But being a college student she also knows her way around an H&M! I shop her at Saks, Bloomingdales, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Zara, and Old Navy for adorable pjs.
In my imagination, again, Jessa doesn’t really shop; she collects things in her travels – from flea markets, street fairs, foreign vintage stores, the whole world. In reality I shop her all over NYC. NY Vintage and Amarcord are some of my go-to vintage resources and then I mix in a piece from Pearl River, a piece from Zara, a couture designer piece from Century 21, jewellery from the Brooklyn Flea or 21 Tara in Brooklyn and it all comes together.
Will the styles of each character develop as the seasons’ progress?
The Girls have some new adventures and meet new people so we tried to have the wardrobe keep up and support them in their stories. You’ll have to tune in to see some of my favourite looks for season 3!
Why do they make Hannah’s outfits so ill-fitting?
In this case, “they” is me! Hannah sure does wear some pretty unflattering things and it is entirely intentional! The ill-fit, the strange proportions, the unflattering colours, the kitschy jewellery, the lack of ironing are all very, very considered decisions; each choice is an effort to visually convey the charmingly dishevelled sometimes misguided GIRL that Hannah is.
Which TV shows do you think have the best costumes?
I’m a huge fan of the costumes on The Good Wife (full disclosure – I used to work on the show!), Mad Men, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, andNashville just to name a few.
It can be quite tricky to pin down the style of hip young women – where do you look for inspiration?
We do lots and lots of research for the characters and for specific scenes for each episode. We’re finding that real people around NYC are mixing colour and texture and pattern in really cool and sophisticated ways. I take that inspiration and translate it to the show wherever I can. We’re constantly looking at street style photography, fashion blogs, the runways, young indie designers’ collections, store windows, Etsy, and most importantly our fellow New Yorkers for inspiration and research. One of the things I love about my job is that people watching = research.
How did you get into costume design?
I’ve always been interested in telling stories through clothing, starting with playing dress up in my mom’s closet when I was little. She sewed some of her own clothing and some of my clothing and always had a unique take on clothes.
I spent loads of time in the theater in grade school and high school, helping put up shows and run rehearsals. I put together costumes on my own time because I loved the way the clothes helped tell the story of the characters.
It wasn’t until I worked in my college’s undergraduate costume shop that I understood that costume design could be a career. I finally made the leap into costume design after helping a fellow designer sew for an off-Off Broadway play.
What tips would you have for anyone that wants to work in costume design?
Test drive!!! Costume design is not an easy gig – the days start insanely early and the hours are incredibly long. Costume design is truly about collaboration – much of the time you are helping to realize someone else’s vision and telling someone else’s story. And for me, costume design is not always about fabulous clothes or “the look.” It’s about character and story and emotion. That can mean unglamorous clothes shopped at dingy thrift stores that make for a great character.
The only way to know if costume design is for you is to try it. Volunteer on a local theater production in your town. Take an introduction to costume design course. Intern on a film, tv production, web series, or indie movie. Develop your skills – learn sewing and construction, watch movies as research, study art and history and learn literary analysis. Everything in costume design starts from the script and knowing how to read and break down that script will give you a firm foundation for building characters and telling stories. Lastly, check your ego at the door – the most successful designers I’ve worked with are great collaborators and team leaders who also happen to be brilliant designers with great vision.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
Deal with everything on your list today so that tomorrow when something unexpected happens, you only have to handle that.
Each of the characters has their own distinct style – did you work with each of the actresses on creating this?
Once I had direction from the script and from Lena and had created the characters’ image boards that reflected all of that information I started pulling clothes. I made a list of stores and places that each character might shop. I carried a photo of each character’s board with me on my iPhone for constant reference. Once we had enough clothing, shoes, accessories, pajamas and underwear, I had a fitting with each actor. Those first fittings are where it all comes together – we look at the board, we try loads of things on and we start finding a look for each character that helps guide me as I design each episode for the season.
Have you ever wanted to take any pieces home?
Once in a while but then I’ll go buy the same item for myself. My style is quite different from the GIRLS but there are always cool pieces coming in that catch my attention. I will admit that while I’m out shopping for the show, I’ll buy a piece here and there for myself.
There’s been a GIRLS nail polish – do you think a clothing line could happen like it did with Mad Men?
That’s all up to the brilliant minds on HBO’s PR and Marketing teams and Lena, of course.
Are you ever tempted to dress Shoshanna in something really crazy?
All the time.
GIRLS Season 2 is out now on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download.
