Alabama Blonde Brings Flair to the Australian Tradition of Costume Design In Hollywood
Australia has long-enjoyed success in the Hollywood film industry, but though it is largely its actors, actresses and directors who have garnered the most fame, it is actually in the craft of costume design where Australia has won most of its Oscars.
Since the Academy Awards began, Australians have won eight Oscars in costume design, with Warner Bros. costumier Orry-Kelly winning three in the 1950s for his films, followed by Catherine Martin who won Oscars for “Moulin Rouge,” “Australia” and “The Great Gatsby.”
Following the path traversed by Kelly and Martin is fellow Australian, Emma Fleming, better known by her stage name Alabama Blonde, with two Hollywood features already under belt, this year’s “Snow Valley” and “The Immaculate Room.”
“Snow Valley” is written and directed by Hollywood writer-director Brandon Murphy, who wrote the A-List ensemble releasing this year, “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard,” whilst “The Immaculate Room” is from Hollywood writer-director, Mukanda Michael Dewil.
“Alabama added her own personal flair and aesthetic to almost every detail, but always stayed true to who the character was,” said Murphy of Alabama’s valuable contribution in costume design on “Snow Valley.”
“She was able to quickly grasp what I’d envisioned for a character, and then made it totally fresh and unique; every character popped off the screen as a result.”
Murphy is the co-writer behind this year’s “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard,” the sequel to 2017’s “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” once again starring Golden Globe nominee Ryan Reynolds, Academy Award nominees Samuel L. Jackson and Salma Hayek, but this time joined by the Academy Award-winning Morgan Freeman and action star Frank Grillo.
“Snow Valley” is Murphy’s forthcoming directorial debut, a thriller starring the award-winning TV and horror film genre actress Barbara Crampton (“The Young and the Restless,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Re-Animator”). The story follows a newly-engaged couple embarking on a ski weekend which goes horribly wrong when an unexpected guest arrives and the house’s supernatural forces begin to rise.
“The tone of the film is strong and, in some ways, unapologetic, which I am always drawn to. The characters are each very eclectic in their own right, while remaining very distinct from one another,” said Alabama, who worked on the production in Utah, USA, this year. “While they may seem like stereotypes on the surface, they are all very layered in both humor and vulnerability.”
Born in Sydney, Australia, Alabama has spent most of the past decade working in New York, USA, and in Melbourne, Australia, and has built credits globally in the film, music and advertising industries, which prepared her for the challenges of film production in a post-COVID 19 world.
“Logistics were the biggest hurdle,which is normal when you are shooting on location, out of town + state” said Alabama, of working on “Snow Valley” with its intimate crew. “Creatively we worked very organically, and were very much in-sync aesthetically. It honestly felt like we had all worked together previously as the communication and decision making felt seamless.”
Murphy, who is currently developing the romantic dramedy “The Last Drop” and a Rolling Stones biopic, “Exile,” treasured Alabama’s role in costume design on “Snow Valley.” “She moved about the set and crew with ease, kindness, humor,” said Murphy. “Alabama is a true original and she embodies her craft in her persona, and vice versa: she is a true artist.”
While being part of Warner Bros. is what led Orry-Kelly to costume design such films as “Casablanca,” “The Maltese Falcon” and “Some Like It Hot”; being part of the studio, Catherine Martin’s role combined costume, production and set design into one, particularly on sets such as “Moulin Rouge!” and “The Great Gatsby,” — Alabama brings an unprecedented maverick’s contribution to her role that set her apart from her predecessors.
“I come from a punk background, so DIY is in my toolbox,” said Alabama, who has a reputation in the industry for using lace and leather in her work as an independent costume designer. “Everything I create and produce is always very close to my heart, or is at least created in response to something personal. This gives every piece and project I work on a deeper sense of purpose, which is powerful and is reflected in the final product.”
Alabama’s unconventional skills as a costume designer in Hollywood will also be showcased in Mukunda Michael Dewil’s forthcoming film “The Immaculate Room.” Dewil’s last feature was “Vehicle 9,” which starred Paul Walker of “The Fast and Furious” blockbuster franchise, released only a few months before his death in November 2013.
“The Immaculate Room” stars Emile Hirsch (“Into the Wild,” “Speed Racer,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”) and Kate Bosworth (“Blue Crush,” “Superman Returns,” “21”) as a perfectly normal couple who participate in a psychological experiment that will earn them $5 million if they manage to stay in a pristinely bare white room for fifty days.
With both “Snow Valley” and “The Immaculate Room” expected for release this year, and Alabama sworn to secrecy about not revealing too much for fear of spoilers, the talented designer does say that she firmly believes that costume design is integral to the success of the projects.
“When you step into a costume, you are essentially stepping into character,” said Alabama, who shares her name with her fashion label which has been showcased at the likes of Melbourne Fashion Festival and Berlin Alternative Fashion Week in Germany. “Costume design is integral to the performer, and therefore their performance.”
Both “Snow Valley” and “The Immaculate Room” not only have at their center the story of a couple, but also have the color white highly prominent, with the white of the snow in “Snow Valley” and the perfectly white room in “The Immaculate Room,” which therefore impacted the choice of costume design and the basis for inspiration for Alabama.
“In costume design for film, there are often time periods, cultures and history you have to align with in order to tell the story authentically, and therefore draw inspiration from,” said Alabama, whose film and music video credits have been across various genres.
Apart from her illustrious credentials in the global film industry, Alabama also has an impressive body of work in the advertising and music video sector, working with clients calling on her for editorials with Playboy, and actors such as Ashely Benson (“Pretty Little Liars,” “Spring Breakers”) and Victoria Pedretti (“You,” “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood,” “The Haunting of Hill House”)
“Dressing has always been a form of armor for me, both an armor and an expression,” said Alabama, an alumnus of the prestigious Melbourne Institute of Technology. “I think my fascination and love of dressing naturally found its way into costume design.”
More specifically on the film sector, Alabama understands that the workflow of a costume designer is across the full breadth of a film production, and therefore she thrives in her role from start to finish.
“For film, there is an enormous process where I am breaking down the script and understanding the nuance of each character, which feeds into their relationships, experiences and why they dress the way they do,” said Alabama, whose training in acting has benefitted her in her costume design work. “There’s so much delicious and subtle detail that you can add to the costume design + wardrobe of a character to tell their story visually.”
After “Snow Valley” and “The Immaculate Room,” Alabama’s forthcoming work as a costume designer on a film project will be in the film “Reverie” directed by the Australian actress, director and producer Jessica Orcsick (“Son of The Mask,” “A Death Perspective,” “Home and Away”.)
Akin to the Australian luminaries of costume design in the Hollywood of today and yesterday, Alabama certainly has valuable counsel for any aspiring costume designers who may be traversing the path she has in film, which unsurprisingly, has been far from conventional.
“Read scripts, don’t just watch films, as you have to bring those character’s to life from the page, not the screen.”
Whilst Orry-Kerry’s costume design highlight was undoubtedly dressing legendary actress Ingrid Bergman in the iconic “Casablanca,” and Catherine Martin is known for dressing fellow Australian Nicole Kidman in “Moulin Rouge” and “Australia”– Alabama Blonde has established a highly eclectic career that parallels that of her predecessors. Known for dressing actresses Kate Bosworth and Barbara Crampton, not to mention a long list of other Hollywood celebrities including Emile Hirsch, David Lambert and Echo Kellum, Alabama’s position in the industry indicates that she might just be the next Australian costume designer in Hollywood to attain Academy Award winning success.
