'Materialists' Needed a Modern Working Wardrobe—Katina Danabassis Delivered
Fashion
TSS Talent
Katina Danabassis
Fashion
TSS Talent
Katina Danabassis
The renowned costume designer shares how put together the protagonist's enviable capsule wardrobe for the film.
It's the eternal battle: to curate the failsafe wardrobe of foundational pieces that stand the test of a long day spent on a stuffy commute, an air-conditioned office, and after-work social. One that has evolved in recent times, where we work from home more, meaning the office day outfit has even more emphasis. So, what are the new rules of workwear, and where do we find inspiration now?
Enter new summer rom-com "Materialists," a film that follows the journey of an ambitious New York City matchmaker who finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex. Boasting a triple-threat casting of Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans—set to send you into a romantic haze and furious wardrobe envy.
That was the job of "Materialists" costume designer Katina Danabassis, opens in new tab: to curate the looks of a modern working woman, a chic, timeless wardrobe that allows her to move between worlds through an interchangeable mix of high-end and high-street pieces to cover all eventualities. In Lucy's case, it could be dinner with a millionaire one night, to crashing a wedding or drinking in a dive bar the next.
We spoke to her on what it takes to build an unbreakable New York work wardrobe and offer our guide of breezy outfits for balmy days in the city. "To me, a classic tried-and-true wardrobe consists of nice button-ups and high-quality basics… a really good pair of jeans, T-shirts and trench coats. It's that classic, quiet luxury," Danabassis notes.
"When it comes to building a tailored wardrobe, you'll have blazers, smart pants, and pencil skirts. Then you have the power suit, which I put my modern take on," she notes. "I found an Aritzia Blazer and paired it with a vintage Versace pencil skirt. The silhouette just worked so well with the knee-high boots and the pantyhose… it was this tough, cool, serious look that I knew I had to have in this movie," she adds. Using color and structure to build a uniform can act like armour on important days: "If you use black strategically, it has a lot of power."
It's not all high-end suits and boots for Danabassis: "I like high-street brands like Zara and Uniqlo, because I do believe that most women—unless you're really wealthy—go to those places and get a pair of jeans, maybe a Uniqlo cardigan…we did shop some stuff at really nice vintage stores here as well."
Floaty floral dresses ease formality and ensure a high-comfort, low-effort look, especially when paired with sneakers. "She wears a butter yellow Dôen floral dress with sneakers, and you can't get more comfy and real than that," Danabassis adds.
Going on a date after work? You might consider following Danabassis' romantic themes: "There are a lot of secret hearts in the movie. Her hero ring that she wears all the time has these little, dangling hearts. Then the flashbacks with the floral blouse… flowers are a symbol of love in this story," she adds.
But it's the core investment pieces that can carry an outfit to the next level: "Dakota has Gucci shoes, a black fringe skirt from Another Tomorrow, the Le Set kind of tank top range… the pieces that are a little bit pricier, but it's special because it fits well and the cotton's nice," she adds.
