Part of the anticipation leading up to Black Swan‘s release, at least in the fashion world, had to do with the fact that Rodarte had designed the ballet costumes. The Mulleavy sisters created 40 costumes for the Darren Aronofsky thriller, including outfitting the entire ballet corps. So it follows that Rodarte has been the bold faced name associated with Black Swan‘s beautifully twisted costumes.

But with awards season in full swing, you won’t see Kate and Laura Mulleavy’s names next to the nominations for Best Costume Design (Black Swan has already received a best costume nom from the Critics Choice Awards and will likely get an Oscar nomination). Amy Westcott will take the credit, as she received the “front credit” as costume designer for the film while the Mulleavy sisters only receive a backend credit.

In The Hollywood Reporter, Merle Ginsberg notes there’s “a long history of fashion designers creating costumes for stars above and beyond what a film’s costume designer does–and not getting the credit they crave.” The most famous example of this, Ginsberg points out, is Edith Head winning the Oscar for Sabrina when Givenchy outfitted Hepburn for the film.

In the case of Rodarte for Black Swan, a source told THR that the Mulleavy’s were “naive about movies,” meaning they didn’t negotiate credits in their initial deal, and weren’t members of the the Costume Design Guild when they worked on the film (they are now). Fox Searchlight reportedly wanted to submit Westcott and the Mulleavy sisters for Oscar consideration, but guild rules dictate that only the front credit designer is eligible.

It’s a mistake the Mulleavy’s won’t make twice. According to THR, “Now the sisters are repped by WME and seeking movie projects outside of producing the chic Rodarte line–and this time they want their names up front.”


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Comments [24]

I thought I had read that the corps de ballet’s tutus were borrowed from another ballet company… is that incorrect?

hi lauren! is your wedding drawing close?

Dude. They only designed the ballet costumes. If you see the film, they are credited accordingly. There were other people in the movie besides the ballet dancers. And to be honest, they weren’t groundbreaking. I thought Amy Westcott’s styling choice of the Rodarte knits here and there were more brilliant. Also, duh.

Dude. The other costumes in the film are completely unremarkable street clothes and fairly plain black-tie attire for that one scene. If not for the Rodarte contribution, there would be no attention paid to the costumes in that film.

dude. it takes more skill to style a convincing real-world wardrobe while pushing the director’s vision forward than to copy some (quite traditional) ballet costumes and hand sew some feathers and leave the hems raw.

You think it’s harder to shop for a believable and suitable off-the-rack outfit for Nina’s characters mother than to construct a ballet costume? I’ve worked in costume design, you’re way off base.

Thanks for sharing. Now I can cheer for Westcott AND the Mulleavy sisters if/when the film wins :)

I don’t think Westcott will win the Oscar (if nominated, which seems likely) because the Academy will realize the awkwardness it will create when people say she only won by riding Rodarte’s coat tails. I don’t think they like that sort of controversy.

I don’t think Westcott will win the Oscar (if nominated, which seems likely) because the Academy will realize the awkwardness it will create when people say she only won by riding Rodarte’s coat tails. I don’t think they like that sort of controversy.

c’est la vie…you live and you learn. But yeah, even if all the sisters did were the ballet costumes they were the MOST memorable part of the costumes/wardrobe in the movie

I think the fact that Natalie didn’t wear a Rodarte dress at the G.Globes, says it all. I really think she should have… baby bump or not…

Especially interesting since the uber snotty,know only the very elitist way to rep the lovely girls are the miserable people at Black Frame in N.Y. Poor Advice .

Nobody understands the demanding and complicated work of a costume designer on a film. Amy Westcott deserves to get all the credit.

I do not agree with all this fuss. It looks like the costume designer didn’t put any effort in the movie. Costume designers are always underestimated: I really woul have liked to see Mulleavys sisters making all the characters in the movie balanced, and staying in the budget.
You know, costume designers only actually project and design costumed when there’s a high budget, otherwise they rent them: which is difficult in the exact same way, because you have to make the picture balanced with things that you find. Sometimes it’s easier to design stuff than looking for the thing you’re looking for and often don’t find it. And then you have to use the things you find. Who knows how things went? Maybe the production of the movie was a great player in this story, maybe the costume designer had a voice in for the Rodarte costumes or maybe not. The only thing I know and for I become embittered is that all this thing makes the costume designer looks like a dumb who can’t do nothing and takes all the credit for Rodarte’s work. No it’s not like that!

It’s fair to say people will never fully realize all the work and stress behind the job of a costume designer or stylist (similarly discredited for having easy jobs.) People, in general, only realize the stress on a fashion designer cause we see it on Fashion Television.

The only reason I saw the film was because of the buzz around the Rodarte costumes. Leah, you put it in context when you mention that Edith Head won the Oscar for Sabrina, not Givenchy, who designed Hepburn’s stunning post-Paris costumes. I’m glad Kate and Laura have wised up early in their film designing career so they can get the official recognition.

I agree with many of the comments made above. No, it isn’t easy to style a film and it’s not exactly fair to deny Amy Wescott any credit, but it’s true that the film wouldn’t have gotten any recognition for the street clothes. The Rodarte creations were beautiful! I hope the sisters continue to style films and I’m glad that they learned their lesson early on!

Indeed, the only sad part is that it’s likely that none of them will get an award, whereas if everything was set up beforehand so they could share the credit, they would be strong contenders for the Oscar. As it is, I think Jenny Beaven will win for King’s Speech. It was nothing too extraordinary, but they were beautiful, at times unexpected, and she’s the reigning Queen of beautiful costume design.

I did not find the ballet costumes particularly outstanding past the winged transformation. The Mulleavy sisters & their PR can cry all they want, it doesn’t make them “costume designers”. If all they got out of the film was credit, (and I am sure they got paid very well for their contribution) then it’s still a win/win situation for all the press and publicity they’ve received for mediocre costumes and tutus that I am pretty positive they did not have any hand in past decorating them, since tutus are a very specific & specialized construction. I agree with TR completely.

Yes, the things I hate of this situation is that probably Rodarte was hired to do these costumes for some pr reasons, friendship, other kind of relations with them, and maybe the costume designer didn’t agree either with this decision. I know it because I sometimes find myself with producers imposing sponsors, because of their bussiness. And I put myself in Amy Westcott’s shoes: if she arranged the thing with Rodarte, now she’s scolded for a thing that is not her fault, i.e. the award that was given to the costumes of the movie. Do you think that the award could be given to the sponsor of the movie or to a tailor that sewed some dresses? Of course not! And if Westcott had nothing to do with Rodarte engagement, then why making her out to be an incompetent who did nothing but “normally dress all the charachters out of the theatre?”.
This is really mean, and obviously a thought of someone who doesn’t really know anything about jobs that have something to do with outfits, clothes, characters, models, fashion and costume. Please, don’t judge things you don’t know. I don’t even judge employees at the post office when they’re slow: you cannot know what they are doing and how difficult it is!

My esteem for Rodarte just fell several notches.

My esteem for Rodarte just fell several notches.