A visual essay for Secret Cinema: Blade Runner Costume

As a costume designer, most of the work that I do goes on behind closed doors because of NDAs that prevent me from sharing any images of the film production progress. When I decided I would go to Secret Cinema, I realised I could record the progress and show people the stages I work through as a costume designer, and my process to get something off the page and into the three dimensional world.

The Premise: 

When Secret Cinema announced they were going to stage a Blade Runner event, I knew I was going to be going. I'd never been before, and didn’t know what to expect. Even though I’ve worked in film and television for over a decade, outside of Halloween I’ve never done a real 'cosplay', so to speak. 

A month before the event, I got an email from Secret Cinema giving me a link to a personality profile test. After I completed it, I got a name, and a description to build a costume around for the evening. I was Junis Hensen: an executive host within the Tyrell Corporation. I also had a secret poet lover who lived within the edges of society. I built a little bit of an idea of who Junis was through this, it seemed to me that she would have quite a stern professional face but behind it, a deep romantic love for her secret rebel artist.

As a designer I spend quite a lot of time thinking about who a character is, what motivates them and how they would react in difficult or stressful situations. Usually, the script gives me big clues towards this, and after filling in the gaps with the director, I can begin to form a real person behind the clothes. Junis was definitely about presenting a polished professional uniform, armour and style.

My Plan: 

Back in January 2013, I was lucky enough to see Rachel’s silver panelled 40s suit in person, at the Hollywood Costume exhibition in the V&A. This gave me vital details of its construction and finish. The silver/grey panelled wool suit is from the third quarter of the film, when Rachel goes back to Deckard’s flat, and the sexy saxophone highlights occur with some very angry kissing.  The first thing I knew that I wanted to do was create something for Junis that was within the same corporate world as Rachel’s suit because Rachel wore more than one style of these suits in the film, so it stood to reason that others within the Tyrell world were probably dressing similarly. Its also a really beautiful suit and I wanted to pay homage to it in my own way. 

I imagined Junis worked in the same department, but in order to make my character more than just a copy of Rachel, I took inspiration from the Japanese elements that are littered throughout the world of Blade Runner. I would use silks rather than the wools that Rachel wears, and incorporate a kimono layered effect collar, as if the shirt she was wearing underneath was multi layered in the same manner. Finally, as I am a completely different body type to Rachel, I wanted to make something that would be flattering on my ample bust and hips, and decided on angling the panels, like chevrons, and making them far wider. This was also a practical move, because there was no way I would have time to make a suit as complicated in piecing as Rachel’s was. 

This is the initial design that I came up with: 

I currently have blue hair so I figured if I added silver or grey it would give Junis an air of distinguished age, and elevate her within the role of an executive. 

I also drew a cape ontop of this, because it was stated EVERYWHERE that you would need goggles / an umbrella, so it was pretty obvious it was going to be raining wherever the Blade Runner night would be. It also stipulated no heels everywhere, so I had to accommodate that into the design. I also altered the hair and earrings a little, looking for something a little more chunky plastic 80s in design. 

Beginning to make the costume: 

I began fabric sampling in my local shops, and gathered a number of shades and fabrics to dye test. 

I decided to record the progress of the dying, sampling and making my costume on instagram, to give an insight into the process but also so I would have a record of it to look back on:

Firstly, dying the fabric samples. 

I cut the samples into five to six pieces and submerged them all at the same time, then removing them in 5 minute intervals so I would have shade comparisons. 

So this silk -mock astrakhan which is visually very similar to one of the fabrics used in Rachel’s fur coat at the end of the film was beautiful, but it didn’t dye well at all so I had to rethink the fur elements after this. I set to work drafting the pattern from my measurements and to the design. 

Drafting a toilé: 

After toiling (pronounced "twah-ling") I did A LOT of alterations to the shoulders, sleeve holes and bust. This is always going to happen when you are not a size 8 model, (i.e. 99% of us) because people come in lots of different curves and shapes. I have a naturally high waist and low hips, very slender shoulders and a higher bust line compared to my plus size mannequin. 

So I picked the final fabrics following a second dye test and started cutting out the pattern into the chevron pieces. This is always the part that involves the most concentration as I had to be spot on with seam allowances to make sure that everything went back together properly. As long as you’re accurate, there shouldn’t be a problem. 

Making the dress: 

It all came together quite quickly after that, the sleeves went on really well and I was very happy with the angle match and line up of the different fabrics. I worked the cape on the stand, over the dress so that it would sit on the shoulders properly, and worked up the fur hood last. I also made matching cuffs to the undershirt, designed in a quite powerful and manly way, to assert her power in the company. I set fake cufflinks that are giant faceted black gems into them. 

For the collar I chose very soft linen to keep with the Japanese context and hand stitched lining and the invisible zip down the front, finishing it with a coat of metallic silver paint. Its one of those times that photos don’t really do it justice as there are silver threads that weave between the slub of the top fabric, the second silver saw silk glows, and the industrial grade black denim has a really amazing sheen to it that complements the other fabrics. All in all very pleasing to the eye. 

Putting it all together as a finished costume: 

And finally: on the day shots. I took my time with my hair and makeup. I bought a cheap 40s victory roll wig and sprayed it down, added more volume etc. Then wrapped my own fringe over it. I also made matching earrings that go with the cufflink buttons on my cuffs. I found these incredible black and green narrow striped UNWORN 60s gloves that had the perfect future retro vibe about them because to me they looked like an old green and black monitor pattern, like an amstrad computer I had as a teenager. I even managed to get a Tyrell Corporation pin which Secret Cinema were selling online. It really finished off the outfit.

No cameras are allowed within the event so I didn’t get any cool photos. HOWEVER, the night was absolutely incredible, and for any Blade Runner fans who are able to make it to the event in London throughout this summer, there are still tickets, and I highly recommend it. 

JUNIS HENSON, ARRIVING FOR OFF-WORLD TRAVEL! 

I hope you enjoyed this visual essay about costume making, this is an abridged version of the process and if you’re interested you can find the whole thing set out in my instagram stories highlights. Follow me on instagram for more strange and wonderful things like this.