Sandy Powell (costume designer)
Sandy Powell | |
---|---|
![]() Powell at the 2015 Vienna International Film Festival | |
Born | (1960-04-07) 7 April 1960 (age 64) London, England |
Alma mater | Central School of Art |
Occupation | Costume designer |
Years active | 1985–present |
Relatives | Anthony Powell (cousin)[1] |
Sandy Powell OBE, RDI (born 7 April 1960) is an English costume designer. In a career spanning over three decades, she is recognized for her prolific work across independent films and blockbusters. She has received numerous accolades, including three Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, and two Costume Designers Guild Awards. Powell was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to the film industry.
Powell gained prominence for her collaborations with directors Derek Jarman, Neil Jordan, Todd Haynes and Martin Scorsese.[2][3][4][5] She has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design fifteen times, winning three awards for Shakespeare in Love (1998), The Aviator (2004), and The Young Victoria (2009). She has also received sixteen nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design, winning for Velvet Goldmine (1998), The Young Victoria, and The Favourite (2018).
Early life and education
Powell was born in London in 1960,[6] and grew up in Brixton and Clapham.[7] Her father worked in casinos, while her mother was a secretary.[8] Powell learned to sew from her mother on a Singer sewing machine,[9] drew pictures of clothes, designed and made outfits for her dolls, and started making her own clothes from a young age.[10] She also developed an interest in film and theatre from an early age.[8]
Powell attended Sydenham High School,[9] and in 1978 she completed an art foundation course at Saint Martin's School of Art, where she became acquainted with Lea Anderson, who later became a dancer and choreographer as well as Powell's collaborator.[11] In 1979, Powell began a BA in theatre design at the Central School of Art and Design, but left after two years before completing her degree and started working for fringe theatre companies.[9][6]
Career
1980–1997: Early work
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Sandy_Powell_%28Berlin_Film_Festival_2011%29_2.jpg/170px-Sandy_Powell_%28Berlin_Film_Festival_2011%29_2.jpg)
After leaving Central, Powell began a working relationship with dancer and choreographer Lindsay Kemp, whom she greatly admired. She designed costumes for his productions, the first of which was the show Nijinsky at La Scala in Milan.[10][12] In the early 1980s, Powell became acquainted with filmmaker Derek Jarman, who became a mentor and an influential figure in her life.[8] Following Jarman's advice, she spent a year working on music videos.[13][14] She made her entry into the film industry in 1986, designing costumes for the Jarman film Caravaggio.[9]
In 1992, Powell achieved prominence in the period drama film Orlando, directed by Sally Potter.[12] Operating on a limited budget,[15] Powell created elaborate costumes for the gender-switching and time-traveling protagonist (played by Tilda Swinton), for which she received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design.[16] Powell also began a collaboration with director Neil Jordan, which would produce a total of six films including the British thriller The Crying Game (1992), the gothic horror film Interview with the Vampire (1994) and the period drama Michael Collins (1996).[15]
1998–2017: Breakthrough
Powell received dual nominations at the 71st Academy Awards for her two 1998 films, Velvet Goldmine and Shakespeare in Love. Echoing the contemporary tone of Shakespeare in Love, Powell opted to sacrifice historical accuracy in her costume designs but still managed to achieve "emotional accuracy", according to Salon critic Stephanie Zacharek. The detail on the costumes of Gwyneth Paltrow's Viola and the thematic significance of her costume changes were also noted as highlights of the film. For her work in the film, Powell won her first Academy Award for Best Costume Design.[16]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Costumes_from_The_Young_Victoria_%284395080516%29.jpg/170px-Costumes_from_The_Young_Victoria_%284395080516%29.jpg)
Following her win at the 71st Academy Awards, Powell began her collaboration with director Martin Scorsese, starting with his 2002 epic period drama film Gangs of New York, for which she earned her 5th Oscar nomination. The two reunited for the 2004 biographical drama film The Aviator, for which Powell won her second Academy Award.[17] In 2005 she worked on Stephen Frears' Mrs Henderson Presents earning another Academy Award nomination. She worked on Scorsese gain this time for a film set in modern-day creating current day clothing for the Boston crime drama The Departed (2006) starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson. She then worked on the historical romantic drama The Other Boleyn Girl which was based on 2001 film of the same name by Philippa Gregory. The film was directed by Justin Chadwick and starred Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, and Eric Bana.
In 2009, She worked on the romantic period drama The Young Victoria directed by Jean-Marc Vallée.[18] The film starred Emily Blunt as Queen Victoria, and the film revolves around her upbringing and romance with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha portrayed by Rupert Friend. She won her third Academy Award for Best Costume Design, and a BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design for her work on the film. The following year she worked on Scorsese's psychological thriller Shutter Island starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Julie Taymor's The Tempest with Helen Mirren. In 2011 she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design her work on Scorsese's children's action adventure film Hugo losing to Mark Bridges for The Artist (2011).
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/Zipper_Dress_%28Detail%29_%285434929696%29.jpg/220px-Zipper_Dress_%28Detail%29_%285434929696%29.jpg)
In 2016, Powell received her second dual nominations at the 88th Academy Awards, having been recognized for her works in Kenneth Branagh's Disney live-action adaptation of Cinderella and for Todd Haynes' romantic drama Carol (2015). The later was based on the Patricia Highsmith novel The Price of Salt (1952). The film starred Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara as starcrossed lovers in the 1950s.[19] She reunited with Haynes for the black and white film Wonderstruck (2017) starring Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams, based on the 2011 novel of the same name by Brian Selznick. She also served as an executive producer on the film.[20] That same year, she worked on the John Cameron Mitchell's wacky science fiction romantic comedy How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2017).
2018–present
In 2019, Powell garnered her third dual nominations at the 91st Academy Awards for her works in Yorgos Lanthimos' The Favourite (2018) and Rob Marshall's Mary Poppins Returns (2018), making her the most nominated costume designer in Academy Awards history after Edith Head.[21] In 2020, Powell received her 15th Oscar nomination in her seventh collaboration with Martin Scorsese in his epic crime film The Irishman starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. She shared the nomination with her co-designer, Christopher Peterson.[22][18]
In the same year, Powell collected many stars' signatures on a cream calico suit in a widely publicized tour of 2020 awards ceremonies, including the 92nd Academy Awards and 73rd British Academy Film Awards, to be auctioned to raise funds for the preservation of director Derek Jarman's home, Prospect Cottage.[23] She also did the costume design for the British drama Living (2021) starring Bill Nighy and the live action Disney film Snow White starring Rachel Zegler.
Selected film credits
Year | Title | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | Caravaggio | Derek Jarman | |
1988 | The Last of England | ||
1991 | Edward II | ||
The Miracle | Neil Jordan | ||
1992 | Orlando | Sally Potter | |
The Crying Game | Neil Jordan | ||
1993 | Wittgenstein | Derek Jarman | |
1994 | Being Human | Bill Forsyth | |
Interview with the Vampire | Neil Jordan | ||
1995 | Rob Roy | Michael Caton-Jones | |
1996 | Michael Collins | Neil Jordan | |
1997 | The Butcher Boy | ||
The Wings of the Dove | Iain Softley | ||
1998 | Velvet Goldmine | Todd Haynes | |
Hilary and Jackie | Anand Tucker | ||
Shakespeare in Love | John Madden | ||
1999 | Felicia's Journey | Atom Egoyan | |
Miss Julie | Mike Figgis | ||
The End of the Affair | Neil Jordan | ||
2002 | Far from Heaven | Todd Haynes | |
Gangs of New York | Martin Scorsese | ||
2003 | Sylvia | Christine Jeffs | |
2004 | The Aviator | Martin Scorsese | |
2005 | Mrs Henderson Presents | Stephen Frears | |
2006 | The Departed | Martin Scorsese | |
2008 | The Other Boleyn Girl | Justin Chadwick | |
2009 | The Young Victoria | Jean-Marc Vallée | |
2010 | Shutter Island | Martin Scorsese | |
The Tempest | Julie Taymor | ||
2011 | Hugo | Martin Scorsese | |
2012 | Suspension of Disbelief | Mike Figgis | |
2013 | The Wolf of Wall Street | Martin Scorsese | |
2015 | Cinderella | Kenneth Branagh | |
Carol | Todd Haynes | ||
2017 | Wonderstruck | Also executive producer | |
How to Talk to Girls at Parties | John Cameron Mitchell | ||
2018 | The Favourite | Yorgos Lanthimos | |
Mary Poppins Returns | Rob Marshall | ||
2019 | The Irishman | Martin Scorsese | Co-designed with Christopher Peterson |
2020 | The Glorias | Julie Taymor | |
2021 | Mothering Sunday | Eva Husson | |
2022 | Living | Oliver Hermanus | |
2025 | Snow White | Marc Webb | Post-production |
The Bride! | Maggie Gyllenhaal | Filming |
Awards and nominations
Major associations
† | Indicates non-competitive categories |
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | Best Costume Design | Orlando | Nominated | [24] |
1997 | The Wings of the Dove | Nominated | [25] | |
1998 | Shakespeare in Love | Won | [26] | |
Velvet Goldmine | Nominated | |||
2002 | Gangs of New York | Nominated | [27] | |
2004 | The Aviator | Won | [28] | |
2005 | Mrs Henderson Presents | Nominated | [29] | |
2009 | The Young Victoria | Won | [30] | |
2010 | The Tempest | Nominated | [31] | |
2011 | Hugo | Nominated | [32] | |
2015 | Carol | Nominated | [33] | |
Cinderella | Nominated | |||
2018 | The Favourite | Nominated | [34] | |
Mary Poppins Returns | Nominated | |||
2019 | The Irishman | Nominated | [35] |
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
British Academy Film Awards | ||||
1993 | Best Costume Design | Orlando | Nominated | [36] |
1994 | Interview with the Vampire | Nominated | [37] | |
1997 | The Wings of the Dove | Nominated | [38] | |
1998 | Velvet Goldmine | Won | [39] | |
Shakespeare in Love | Nominated | |||
1999 | The End of the Affair | Nominated | [40] | |
2002 | Gangs of New York | Nominated | [41] | |
2004 | The Aviator | Nominated | [42] | |
2005 | Mrs Henderson Presents | Nominated | [43] | |
2009 | The Young Victoria | Won | [44] | |
2011 | Hugo | Nominated | [45] | |
2015 | Carol | Nominated | [46] | |
Cinderella | Nominated | |||
2018 | The Favourite | Won | [47] | |
Mary Poppins Returns | Nominated | |||
2019 | The Irishman | Nominated | [48] | |
2022 | BAFTA Fellowship † | — | Received | [49] |
Miscellaneous awards
Award | Year | Category | Title | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
British Independent Film Awards | 2005 | Best Technical Achievement | Mrs Henderson Presents | Nominated (Wardrobe) |
2017 | Best Costume Design | How to Talk to Girls at Parties | Nominated | |
2018 | The Favourite | Won | ||
2022 | Living | Nominated | ||
Camerimage | 2015 | Award to Costume Designer with Unique Visual Sensitivity † | — | Received |
Canadian Screen Awards[a] | 1999 | Best Costume Design | Felicia's Journey | Nominated |
Capri Hollywood International Film Festival | 2015 | Best Costume Design | Cinderella | Won |
Capri Legend Award † | — | Received | ||
Costume Designers Guild Awards | 2004 | Excellence in Period/Fantasy Film | The Aviator | Nominated |
2009 | Excellence in Period Film | The Young Victoria | Won | |
Career Achievement in Film Award † | — | Received | ||
2010 | Excellence in Fantasy Film | The Tempest | Nominated | |
2011 | Excellence in Period Film | Hugo | Nominated | |
2015 | Excellence in Fantasy Film | Cinderella | Nominated | |
Excellence in Period Film | Carol | Nominated | ||
2018 | The Favourite | Won | ||
Mary Poppins Returns | Nominated | |||
Critics' Choice Movie Awards | 2009 | Best Costume Design | The Young Victoria | Won |
2011 | Hugo | Nominated | ||
2015 | Carol | Nominated | ||
Cinderella | Nominated | |||
2018 | The Favourite | Nominated | ||
Mary Poppins Returns | Nominated | |||
2019 | The Irishman | Nominated | ||
Empire Awards | 2015 | Best Costume Design | Carol | Nominated |
Cinderella | Nominated | |||
European Film Awards | 2019 | Best Costume Designer | The Favourite | Won |
Evening Standard British Film Awards | 1991 | Best Technical/Artistic Achievement | Edward II The Miracle The Pope Must Die | Won |
1993 | Orlando | Won[b] | ||
Hollywood Film Awards | 2015 | Costume Designer of the Year | Cinderella | Won |
2018 | The Favourite | Won | ||
London Film Critics' Circle Awards | 2015 | Technical Achievement of the Year | Cinderella | Nominated (Costumes) |
2019 | Dilys Powell Award † | — | Received | |
Online Film Critics Society Awards | 2002 | Best Costume Design | Far from Heaven | Won |
Gangs of New York | Nominated | |||
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | 2018 | Best Costume Design | The Favourite | Won |
Satellite Awards | 1997 | Best Costume Design | The Wings of the Dove | Nominated |
1998 | Shakespeare in Love | Nominated | ||
2002 | Gangs of New York | Nominated | ||
2004 | The Aviator | Nominated | ||
2009 | The Young Victoria | Nominated | ||
2015 | Cinderella | Nominated | ||
2018 | The Favourite | Won | ||
2022 | Living | Nominated | ||
Saturn Awards | 1994 | Best Costume Design | Interview with the Vampire | Won |
2011 | Hugo | Nominated | ||
2015 | Cinderella | Nominated | ||
2018 | Mary Poppins Returns | Nominated | ||
Seattle Film Critics Society Awards | 2018 | Best Costume Design | The Favourite | Nominated |
Mary Poppins Returns | Nominated |
Other honors
- Powell was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to the film industry.[50]
- Powell was made a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI) by the Royal Society of Arts in 2013.[51]
Notes
- ^ formerly known as "Canadian Film Awards" and "Genie Awards"
- ^ Tied with Stuart Craig for The Secret Garden
References
- ^ "Anthony Powell". The Stage. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ "What Inspires Martin Scorsese's Go-to Costume Designer". The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ^ "In conversation with costume designer Sandy Powell". The Daily Telegraph. 3 December 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ^ "Todd Haynes: 'She said, there's a frock film coming up, with Cate attached … It sounded right up my alley'". The Guardian. 15 November 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- ^ "'American Horror Story,' 'Carol' Costume Designer and Director Teams Discuss Collaborations". Variety. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- ^ a b Bromwich, Kathryn (17 July 2016). "On my radar: Sandy Powell's cultural highlights". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ Dziautaite, Modesta (26 February 2006). "Sandy Powell: Behind the Silver Screen". 1 Granary. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ a b c "'Carol' and 'Cinderella' Costume Designer – Sandy Powell – In Conversation". Film Doctor. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Sandy Powell OBE, RDI". University of the Arts London. 19 July 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ a b Bromwich, Kathryn (22 January 2020). "The Irishman Costume Designer Sandy Powell on Her Career in Drama". W. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ Harries, Rhiannon (5 September 2010). "How We Met: Lea Anderson & Sandy Powell". The Independent. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ a b Bromwich, Kathryn (23 November 2019). "Sandy Powell: 'I am not afraid to be adventurous and go against the grain'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ Feinberg, Scott (23 February 2016). "'Awards Chatter' Podcast — Sandy Powell ('Carol' & 'Cinderella')". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ Kelsey, Colleen (18 February 2016). "Fashioning Sandy Powell". Interview. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ a b Hirschberg, Lynn (20 December 1998). "A Dresser for the Ages". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ a b Zacharek, Stephanie (6 May 1999). "Queen of the cross-dressers". Salon. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ Cusumano, Katherine (10 June 2016). "Costume Designer Sandy Powell On Dressing Martin Scorsese's Leading Women, and 15 Years of Collaboration". W. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ a b Mead, Rebecca (9 December 2019). "De-Aging De Niro with Suits and Spanx". The New Yorker. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ Chan, Stephanie (14 January 2016). "Oscars: Costume Designer Sandy Powell Scores Two Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "'Wonderstruck' Costume Designer Sandy Powell Talks 1920s and '70s Wardrobe". The Hollywood Reporter. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ Brian Welk (14 February 2019). "How Double Oscar Nominee Sandy Powell Tackled Both 'The Favourite' and 'Mary Poppins Returns'". TheWrap. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
- ^ Cosgrave, Bronwyn (3 February 2020). "Sandy Powell on Working With Martin Scorsese: "The First Thing He Does Is Look at the Costumes"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
- ^ "Sandy Powell – Signed suit for the Prospect Cottage campaign 2020 | Sandy Powell's Suit: An online auction in support of Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage London Wednesday, March 4, 2020 Lot 1".
- ^ "66th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "70th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "71st Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "75th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "77th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "78th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "82nd Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "83rd Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "84th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "88th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "91st Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "92nd Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "47th British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "48th British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "51st British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "52nd British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "53rd British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "56th British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "58th British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "59th British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "63rd British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "65th British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "69th British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "72nd British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "73rd British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "76th British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "No. 59647". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2010. p. 12.
- ^ "Royal Designers for Industry". Royal Society of Arts. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Sandy Powell at IMDb
- Sandy Powell's Instagram page
- Sandy Powell's vintage clothes, with all proceeds going to domestic abuse charity, Refuge