‘Glass Onion’s’ Greatest Looks, From Kate Hudson’s Hypnotizing Rainbow Dress to Daniel Craig’s Old-School Swimming Suit
How do you follow up Chris Evans in a deliciously dilapidated cable-knit sweater? That was the daunting task ahead of costume designer Jenny Eagan as she returned to the world of director Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” for its sequel, “Glass Onion.”
“This film comes along, and of course, the logic is: ‘What’s gonna be the sweater?’ Oh my gosh, don’t put the pressure on!” Eagan tells Variety. “I tried to put it out of my mind because there was just more room to play, have fun and get into each character. They’re just a little bit wilder and crazier.”
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“Glass Onion,” in theaters now and streaming Dec. 28 on Netflix, features an all-star ensemble including Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista and Leslie Odom Jr.. The group of friends are invited to spend a weekend on a private Greek Island owned by their friend Miles Bron, played by Edward Norton.
Perhaps the zaniest character of all is Kate Hudson’s beguiling Birdie Jay, who dons what’s sure to be “Glass Onion’s” standout ensemble: a show-stopping metallic rainbow dress that glimmers in the light with every swish and swirl.
“Style goes in and it goes out. Her character, there was something so glamorous and something so old-school Hollywood,” says Eagan. “It’s hard to find a print that’s not in your face all the time with designers. I thought, let’s go bold. We can make it our own.”
That dress, along with nearly all of Hudson’s wardrobe, was made from scratch. “She was so open to it and such a delight,” Eagan says of the actor. “It’s her attitude and her joy. She exudes this beautiful confidence, and that’s so lovely to dress because there’s no inhibition to it.”
Eagan faced another challenge in translating world-class detective Benoit Blanc’s style from a chilly Massachusetts mansion to a Mediterranean island.
“Daniel [Craig] is so professional and so prepared. This character is so important for him,” she says, adding that Benoit’s style is “rooted in the past.” This is most apparent when Blanc takes a dip in the pool. In a sea of bikinis and speedos, he sports a blue-and-white striped two-piece swimming suit, complete with a yellow ascot.
“I started thinking back to the ‘50s and ‘60s. They had the double outfits with the matching tops,” Eagan says. “There’s something a little bit garish and dandyish about him, but he definitely suits himself to where he’s going, his environment and the people that he’s studied.”
Eagan is already full of excitement and ideas for Blanc’s next adventure (and wardrobe). “For me, it’s all about, ‘What do I get to do next?’ Whatever Rian decides, it will be fabulous no matter what.”
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