Trish Summerville - Capitol Couture & More!

Katniss in gown designed by Jakarta's Tex Saverio

There's a new Costume Designer in Pandem, and her name is Trish Summerville.  Bursting onto 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' set with bold imagination and a flair for the unique, Summerville took the costumes to a world of new heights and even higher fashion. 

Elle Magazine recently published a great interview with Summerville about the challenges of the fashion for the film, and where her ideas came from for the gorgeous couture designs worn in 'Catching Fire.'  Read all about it here:  

Elle Magazine Interview

Trish Summerville (fansiteonline.com)

Summerville is brilliant at what she does, and has created costumes for some very successful films and for television (Wasteland and Ray Donavan).  Prior to 'Catching Fire', her most well known film designing credit was for her original work on 2011's 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.'  

Summerville's work on Dragon Tattoo inspired a popular ready-to-wear line of clothing at H & M, and now 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' will be the inspiration for Capitol Couture by Trish Summerville, which will sell exclusively at NET-A-PORTER.  Make sure to pre-register for updates, and be the first to have access to the high fashion line:

Sign up for Exclusive access to Capitol Couture by Trish Summerville

What can we expect from the Capitol Couture line?  High end pieces, including evening wear and extra special accessories.  The collection will include slogan t-shirts inspired by Katniss, slim-fitting leather pieces, and black will be the dominant color - all of which will make the collection versatile.  Below are a couple of teaser pics, released by mockingjay.net, so you can get a quick preview the collection. 

Slogan T-Shirt

Cocktail Dress

Of course, you can see much, much more here:  

Preview of Capitol Couture Line

Summerville certainly seems excited about the launch of the line, and she recently released the following: “I am extremely proud of the designs that we created for ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ and there’s no partner more appropriate for ‘Capitol Couture’ than the world’s most cutting-edge luxury retailer,” Summerville said. “I can’t wait to share it with the public through this exclusive partnership with Lionsgate and NET-A-PORTER.”

    What's next for Summerville?  She is currently working as lead costume designer on a new film, 'Gone Girl', which is a highly anticipated drama/thriller by Director David Fincher starring Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Missi Pyle and Tyler Perry.  'Gone Girl' is a film adaptation of the Gillian Flynn novel of the same title, and is set to be released in October of 2014.

Shadowhunter Chic

Shadowhunter Chic

How will you rock your inner Shadowhunter?

If you are like most women, you have at least some black clothing hanging in your closet, if not a predominance of it. I like to buy black clothing because it's slimming and it can coordinate with a lot of other pieces. Don't get me wrong, I love color as much as the next gal and I have a lot of that, too.  But there's something about black...it can be sexy and very chic.

When I started looking at the movie stills and costume design for the upcoming Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, I realized it wouldn't take much for me to dress like a Shadowhunter!  Check out the link below and you'll see how you can turn what you have in your closet into your very own Shadowhunter look!

Click here for tips and pics on how to dress like a Shawdowhunter

Just who is responsible for the simple, but hot, hot, hot costume design in Mortal Instruments: City of Bones? Gersha Phillips, whose most recent film work includes Home Again (2013), The Whistleblower (2012), The Defender (2010), The Con Artist (2010) and A Raisin in the Sun (2008). She is also the costume designer for the popular television series Falling Skies.

Check out this Lucky Magazine article on Dressing Mortal Instruments' Goth Couture Costume Design!

Just in time for the fall and winter season, maybe it's time to try some Goth Couture and make it your own.  Every girl needs a little leather in her wardrobe, and with the fantastic boots and accessories that are out there this season, individualizing your Shadowhunter look won't be a problem.  So rock it, and have fun!

 

Black and Leather Dominate

                                                                                              

Elysium ★★★★☆

Elysium is hands-down my selection for the best action thriller of summer 2013. Billed as a Sci-Fi/Action/Drama/Thriller, Elysium is all of these and more. Elysium is written and directed by Neill Blomkamp, who gave us the memorable District 9 in 2009.

The special effects are incredible; I must admit I was enthralled, and I am not easily impressed by fx in the sci-fi genre. Elysium just feels different to me and definitely gives me the sense of that huge blockbuster action/sci-fi of ages past while still being current and extremely relevant. The costumes, fight scenes, weapons, ships, Elysium itself - everything was so well done, and Damon's droid-like exoskeleton was bad-to-the-bone!

Matt Damon is perfection as Max, the working class everyman-turned-hero. He shows us emotion and lets us look into the soul of what it is like to live on a post-apocalyptic Earth, and when the time comes he gives us a flawless performance as a gritty, no holds barred hero who is willing to do what it takes to save himself and Earth.

Jodie Foster is brilliant in a powerful & unique role that adds drama, suspense and, well, just "Wow!" to every twist and turn of the movie. She rocks futuristic-style pantsuits throughout the film designed by Giorgio Armani in coordination with April Ferry, costume designer for the film. Foster's portrayal of Delacourt couldn't be better. She is powerful, yet graceful, and has a cold way of delivering her lines that lend such strength to the role.

Brazilian-born Alice Braga plays Frey, the childhood friend and grown-up love interest of Damon's character, Max.  She does a decent job as Frey, but certainly is not a standout as far as the supporting cast goes. Sharlto Copley is real and truly believable as Kruger, the psycho rogue agent who Delacourt, played by Foster, is using as her hit man. He wears a mean-guy face well and looks the part. 

I truly loved the dynamic that played out in the movie between the underprivileged and sick living on a destroyed planet Earth (How did it get totally destroyed in the first place?) in 2154 and the very wealthy few who lived on Elysium, a man-made planet orbiting Earth. Of course, the illegal immigration allegory is evident throughout the film, and very real parallels to today's society were not lost on me (some can't afford insurance, the super rich can afford better doctors and care).

 

There's an incredibly touching scene in which a child is healed in one split second of cancer. I found myself hoping that one day soon, the sci-fi healing I was witnessing would become something very real. Now THAT would be the real thrill of a lifetime. Just imaging a pod that can heal anything; that's the stuff so many dream of every day. 

While the ending is good and I love the romantic aspect of the film, along with the sentimental touches, Blomkamp really could have opted for a combination of the sentimental ending and one that included showing more of how the hardships of those who were sick and in need on Earth would be resolved.  I'm not saying that showing the healing of a child at the end should've been taken out, because that was incredibly touching. However, the plight of Earth's people should have been more prevalent in the ending and how life would be forever changed for the better highlighted as a finale.

For now, Elysium is a really good movie that is a sci-fi thriller, action, must-see event that I highly recommend for older teens and adults. It's summer blockbuster cinema at its best.  I give it ★★★★☆.

MPAA Rating:  R    

     

Running Time: 1 hr 37 mins

Sex     ☆☆☆☆☆

Nudity      ★☆☆☆☆

Language      ★★★★★★

Violence     ★★★★★

Alcohol/Drugs     ★★☆☆☆