Lately, I’ve been into “Once Upon a Time”, a tv series showing on Star World. To sum it up really quick, it’s about a woman who is drawn to a town called Story Brook. She meets people who were these actual fairy tale characters in another world.
You see how their behavior today reflects the characters they were or still are (but some don’t seem to know it) in that fairy tale world. For example, this is Red Riding Hood as we know her in the fairy tales…..
….and this is the Red Riding Hood of “today”. Meet Ruby, a waitress at Granny’s Diner….
Most of them don’t remember that life though in fairy tale land as if their world (seemingly without their knowledge) changed in the blink of an eye! 😉
Costume design is by Eduardo Castro, who also did “Ugly Betty” among many, many others. I loved the interesting details and the different, interesting textures, techniques and fabrications he used for the fairy tale world characters. You’ll know what I mean when you see his fairy costumes…
My boyfriend says the skirt portions remind him of jellyfish 😉 I love how the overall design sits on the verge of silliness, but it works! It’s what makes it so much fun! Here, more is MORE!
I love costume design and I am blessed to have worked as a costume designer on several movies and short films. In fashion styling, the ones that I highly enjoy are those with a costume quality to it. The series reminds me of this fashion editorial (aptly titled “Fairy Tales”) I did many years back (this may have been over 7 years ago????) for the now-defunct Stopover Magazine. Here is our version of Rapunzel….
Red Riding Hood
Hansel & Gretel
Snow White
Fairy Tales for Stopover Magazine
Photography by Lilen Uy
Fashion Styling by Guada Reyes
Makeup Artistry by Cathy Cantada-Dizon
Hairstyling by Jerry Javier
Special thanks to Michelle Chan
Speaking of Snow White and fairy tales, my good friend and artist, Paolo Icasas, had his first one-man show late last year at Arts in The City in The Fort, Taguig City called “Happily Never After”…..
“Paolo returns to his first love- painting, to continue inspiring reflections about the beautiful ironies of ordinary life, featuring fairy tale characters in earthly situations: Snow White and Prince Charming brushing past each other, Cinderella enamored by house cleaning, and princesses worrying about their looks. Using heavy brush strokes and shadows, he gives value to a single second of the ordinary by creating a movement of actions, connecting the past and the future with the ubiquitous present.”
“At first thought, Happily Never After may sound replete with sad endings. But more than that, Paolo says, in reality, there are no endings at all.”
Incorporating Filipino pop culture into Fairy Tales….
Don’t you just love the fiberglass framing? I think it’s already a work-of-art by itself! All handmade by Paolo Icasas as well.
Paolo Icasas is also the designer and proprietor of Happy Days where “his designs included a cigarette vendor in a grotesque, genie-like form, Che Guevara drawn with the words “Know the man before you wear the shirt,” and cultural icons like Rene Requiestas and the Black Nazarene.”. Get in touch with this wonderful artist at happydayspinas@yahoo.com.
And since we are talking about fairy tales, there is a new interpretation of the fairy tale classic….
“Mirror Mirror” has been showing in the Philippines since March 14th. Can’t wait to see it!
Coming Soon! I am looking forward to costume designer, Colleen Atwood’s “badass” version of Snow White in the upcoming “Snow White and The Huntsman” which should be out June or July of this year. Let’s see if Kristen Stewart will make a convincing badass Snow White…
Colleen Atwood, one of my idols, is a 3-time Academy Award winner for “Chicago”, “Memoirs of a Geisha”, and (one of my favorite movies, if not my favorite, for its costume design) “Alice in Wonderland”. In honor of her and my love for costume design, here is our interpretation of the Mad Hatter for last year’s Velvet Tribute to the Oscar’s. Our team was led once more by amazing photographer, Lilen Uy…
“Where To, Alice?”
Photographer: Lilen Uy
Fashion Styling: Guada Reyes
Makeup Artistry: Cathy Cantada-Dizon
Hairstyling: Vianney Guese
Nail styling: Belle & Cat Nail and Wax Salon
Julia Montes as Alice and Dennis Trillo as the Mad Hatter, both popular actors in the Philippines. Special thanks to Inaki for being the best hand model ever!
Just like what Paolo Icasas says that in reality there are no endings at all, my quest for fulfilling and fun costume design projects are never ending…..
(Not!) The End.