Q&A with WILDWOMAN Wardrobe Designer

SP: Can you tell us a little bit about clothing in 16th Century France, especially with regards to gender?

MT: 16th century French clothing was wonderfully ostentatious especially for the nobility. Large collars and ‘ruffs’ were worn by all genders. Men wore fitted ‘doublets’ on top and ‘trunk hose’ on the bottom, also known as pumpkin pants which emphasised round hips. Men commonly showcased their legs in tight fitting stockings, which in the 16th century were ideally long and slender. Padded codpieces were worn by some men to draw attention to their crotch. Womens’ clothing was structured and padded to create a dramatic silhouette. Gowns typically consisted of an overskirt, an underskirt and a bodice, often adorned with waist chains or ‘girdles’. 'French hoods’ were a common women’s headdress, and a distinctly french cut neckline featured an upward rounded shape.  ‘Stays’ or a ‘pair of bodies’ were worn underneath, a structured undergarment that was the predecessor to the corset. Bum-rolls and ‘farthingales’ (structured hoop skirts) supported the weight of heavy skirts. 

SP: What is your favourite clothing piece or aesthetic from 16th Century France and how did you implement it in the clothing for WILDWOMAN?

MT: One of my favourite details from 16th century french clothing is the elaborate jewels, pearls and chains that adorned noble women's clothing. Catherine de Medici famously loved pearls, so I incorporated pearl trim into nearly all of her costumes. I let myself go wild with embellishment especially with Catherine’s wedding gown and gold gown. The pearls and jewels that adorn her bodices create a sort of cage which I hope evokes a feeling of constraint reflecting Catherine’s role as a wife and princess, her life belonging not to herself but to France. 

SP: What are some of the first things you did when tackling the wardrobe design for WILDWOMAN?

MT: One of the first things I did was immerse myself in the source material that inspired the play. I read up on the history of Catherine de Medici's fascinating life and legacy, watched documentaries and did a lot of visual research at the library. I read about Petrus Gonsalvus and his family, and his genetic condition, hypertrichosis, which caused him to grow an abnormal amount of hair. I looked at as many portraits that I could find of the real people who I would be representing onstage, and used their actual clothing as inspiration.

Another essential starting point for me was tracking the journey of each character through time. To do this I create a scene breakdown, where I map out which characters are in each scene, when that scene takes place and what the costume requirements are. Most importantly I had some long conversations with Kat Sandler & Luke Reece about the play and how it should feel, and how we should balance period costume with modern elements.

SP: How do the clothing designs reflect each of the characters in WILDWOMAN? What stories do the pieces tell about them?

MT: I take into consideration the spirit of each character when designing costumes, as well as class status, age and functionality. Each character’s costume should speak to their unique story arc. Kat prompted me to specifically consider the element of wildness, and when to incorporate it into a costume to reflect the journey of the character. I also considered how anachronist, super modern costume elements could play into the design to help us anchor these characters in our present context.

Costume renderings by Michelle Tracey

The character of Pete, or Petrus Gonsalvez has a dramatic costume shift from rags to prim upper class clothing, reflecting his trajectory from caged wildman to courtier, married and father of 10. His wildness and long hair, at first feared, is later viewed as desirable. With the taming of his hair we are able to see the character’s big heart, and how he, despite being thought of as subhuman, is in a way more in touch with his humanity than his masters. Subtle colour details in his costume reflect who has control over him through time.

The character of Henry grows up from a prince of 14 to a 40 year old King. His first costume of cream & gold accentuate his youth with swanky royal blue trainers that work with his skin tight stockings. As his character ages his costumes shift to black and gold tones, and they also allow him to take up more physical space.  Audience members might notice his blinged out boar pendant/chain of office, which I imagined to be a gift from Didi whose nickname for him in ‘Little Boar’.

Catherine de Medici transforms over the course of the play from a wide eyed princess bride to a cunning, fierce queen. I wanted to accentuate her internal transformation through the colours of her costume which gradually deepen and darken, starting from a white wedding gown, towards gold, then bright red into deep burgundy and black. Her costume materials also shift from delicate silks to more rugged materials, leather and wild black fur.

Didi or Diane de Poitiers wears a fabulous black gown with gold embellishments, the choice of black showcasing her mourning as a widow. I had particular fun creating a sexy ‘bath negligee’ look, since Diane de Poitier was a famous beauty, was obsessed with gold and took cold baths to prevent ageing. Our Didi has a fleur-de-lis thigh tattoo, highlighting her devotion to France. The quality of her costume changes dramatically when she experiences a sudden demotion near the end of the play.

Kitty's costume reflects her ascension from kitchen wench, to lady-in-waiting, to Lady. She begins in rough hewn fabrics and washed out green hues, and moves into rich silks and saturated tones. One thing I love about Kitty’s  costume journey is that her scarred face is at first hidden by a mask, only to be revealed on her wedding night (Spoiler alert! to Pete). Because she is accepted and loved by Pete she never choses to cover her scars again.

SP: What music did you listen to when designing the clothing for WILDWOMAN?

MT: Beyonce’s RENAISSANCE album on repeat!