Plot Summary:
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL recounts the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the World wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting and the battle for an enormous family fortune — all against the back-drop of a suddenly and dramatically changing Continent.
Table of Contents
Costume Relevance to Story:
The Grand Budapest hotel is a comedy, drama, adventure, crime, placed between World Wars. It illustrates the surroundings of 1930s Eastern Europe. The director, Wes Anderson is famous for visual interpretation in movies and even this movie says it all. Character point of view, The Grand Budapest Hotel is all about uniforms and thoroughly inspired from 20s-30s European uniforms. Even, the most elegant character Madam D.’s dress, coat, overcoat, Astrakhan fur overcoat, cape, hat are flawlessly made.
About The Designer:
Milena Canonero,
(born 1 January 1946) is an Italian costume designer, who has worked for both film and stage productions. She has won four Academy Awards for Best Costume Design, and been nominated for the award nine times. She started working at the age of 25. Her first Academy Awards was for Barry Lynon(1975).
Designing Facts:
Uniforms: Capturing the Essence of Characters and Era
Costume designer Milena Canonero focused on uniforms worn by characters in official roles. The movie revolves around the period between World War I and World War II in fictional, candy-colored Eastern Europe. Canonero extensively researched literature, images, and the works of German artists and writers from the pre-WWII era to create the costumes.
Inspiration from Real Uniforms and High-End Luxury
To achieve authenticity, Canonero incorporated the cut and style of real uniforms from that period. She also drew inspiration from photographs of high-end luxury hotel staff, ensuring the actors’ costumes exuded the rich elegance associated with the hotel.
Symbolism of Colors: Purple and Black
The costumes in purple represent the opulent grandeur of the hotel. On the other hand, the characters, including Dimitri, wearing all black symbolize conformity and darkness taking over.
Gustave’s Distinguished Uniform
As the protagonist and of higher rank, Gustave’s uniform stands out with intricate details. He wears a purple tailcoat with a notched lapel, a red velvet bow tie, and a pristine appearance. Notably, his lapel features an emblem called The Society of the Crossed Keys, representing the unity among prestigious hotel concierges.
Zero’s Military-Inspired Uniform
Zero, an associate of Gustave, wears a similar but slightly simpler uniform without the emblem. His costume carries a military-esque influence, resembling a drummer boy’s hat with “Lobby Boy” stitched on the front. While his uniform maintains the formality of pre-WWII dress, it lacks the same impeccable quality as Gustave’s.
Collaboration with Prada and Fendi
Italian brands Prada and Fendi contributed to the film by designing costumes and accessories, as well as providing fabrics and materials. Their involvement added a touch of luxury and prestige to the overall aesthetic.
Symbolic Contrasts: The Prison Uniforms
The gray costumes worn by soldiers in the prison scenes starkly contrast with the vibrant purple of The Grand Budapest. These prison uniforms bear resemblance to those worn by Kaiser Wilhelm’s Third Reich army, reinforcing the historical context.
Madame D’s Vintage Luxury
Madame D, an elderly countess, embodies the fashion of the 1920s and early 1930s. Her shoes, multi-strand necklaces, fur coat, and elaborate hat reflect the luxurious style of those eras. Notably, Prada designed her 21-piece luggage set, further emphasizing her wealth and opulence.
In conclusion, Milena Canonero’s costume design for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” was meticulous and thorough. By incorporating authentic uniform styles and collaborating with renowned brands, she successfully captured the essence of the characters and the era. The costumes not only served as visual elements but also carried symbolic significance, reflecting the film’s narrative and themes.
Awards and Nominations:
Awards: Oscar, BAFTA Awards, Awards Circuit Community Awards, Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards. Cinema Bloggers Awards, Portugal, Costume Designers Guild Awards, Gold Derby Awards, Hollywood Film Awards. International Online Cinema Awards (INOCA), Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists, Italian Online Movie Awards (IOMA). Online Film & Television Association, Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards, Satellite Awards, Seattle Film Critics Awards.
Nominations: Where she was nominated, She won every awards
Some of the Costumes From The Movies:
How was the review ? Let us know in the comment section!!!
Also Read-Costume Review: The Great Gatsby(2013)
Palace Bristol Hotel in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), Czech Republic was not in the film but was one of the inspirations in designing the outer facade of the fictional Grand Budapest Hotel.
I have been surfing online greater than three hours as of late, yet I never found any attention-grabbing article like yours. It抯 lovely value enough for me. In my view, if all web owners and bloggers made excellent content as you did, the net will likely be a lot more helpful than ever before.
Just desire to say your article is as astonishing. The clearness for your put up is simply spectacular and i could suppose you’re a professional in this subject. Fine along with your permission allow me to clutch your feed to stay updated with approaching post. Thank you one million and please continue the enjoyable work.
Thank you very much for sharing, I learned a lot from your article. Very cool. Thanks. nimabi