In Rian Johnson’s third Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) outing, the Southern gentleman detective arrives in Chimney Rock, an eerie upstate New York village, to investigate a seemingly-impossible locked-room murder, straight out of John Dickson Carr’s 1935 classic "The Hollow Man."

The lineup of suspects includes a church congregation full of offbeat characters with something to hide—from newcomer priest Jud Duplencity (Josh O’Connor) to polished attorney Vera Draven (Kerry Washington). As Blanc uncovers who did it, the costumes by Jenny Eagan offer clues to the motivations and secrets of the people of interest. “All of them are struggling with who they really are and who they want to portray themselves as,” says Rian Johnson (and George Clooney’s) go-to costume designer.

Eagan also progressed their overall color palette from coastal blues and neutrals to ominous navies and purples as church firebrand Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin) and his sermons become more incendiary and vilifying. “It starts light because it’s like, ‘Welcome to this small town’ and we're in this lovely church,” says Eagan. “And then it's like, ‘Oh, this is getting dark’ in story and palette.”

The Rakish Detective

Word of Blanc’s exceptional deduction skills have gone global, especially after the influencer and celebrity-filled adventures on billionaire Miles Bron’s (Edward Norton) Greek Island in “Glass Onion.” “He's gotten more dapper as he's gotten more popular, so he stepped up his game,” says Eagan, who collaborated with the British actor on Blanc’s natty three-piece suits. “[Craig] just came right out the gate like, ‘Yves Saint Laurent, ’70s.’”

She also pushed Blanc toward more countryside, church-friendly light hues, like the lilac checks on golden-brown that he wears to introduce himself to a black-clad Father Jud. “A dark navy suit felt harsh, and more against the church, while the plaid and ochre were warm and inviting,” says Eagan, on-theme with the movie’s exploration of faith and religion. 

The windowpane check pattern and Blanc’s custom-designed “pinkish-red” trench coat, add a touch of eccentricity, hinting toward his intuitive and unorthodox investigation process. A slight heel on his shoes also boosts his climactic “ah-ha!” reveal. “A heel always changes the gait a little bit,” says Eagan. “When he's up there explaining everything, it's a little bit of dancing and a saunter. He really worked that part.”

The Hot Priest

A dedicated man of God, Father Jud immediately butts heads—and egos—with Monsignor Wicks, clad in glorious brocade vestments. Jud sticks to a low-key priest “uniform” of comforting dark knits and “everyday cotton pants,” with a subtly awkward fit. “There's no vanity to it whatsoever. It was purely functional,” says Eagan. “Everything was simple down to his Casio digital watch, which maybe somebody gave him as a gift.”

But, Jud’s utilitarian Uniqo parka and Reebok sneakers offer a hint of his tortured past as a boxer, and his downy ribbed sweaters feel gentle. “The jacket felt like an old coach's jacket to push a little bit of sportiness,” says Eagan. “Then we would throw in a sweater vest to [illustrate] he was so soft and warm, but juxtaposed with the hard exterior of the neck tattoo.”

The Church Lady

Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), who “knows where the bodies are buried,” is always lurking about the church grounds—whether she’s doing her job or just snooping—in long black dresses with high-necklines and prim white collars. “[She’s] married to the church and her job and her position,” says Eagan. “The lace collar brought an old worldness, like thinking about the church and what it once was.” 

Martha’s black-lace fingerless gloves and edgy leather toolbag, however, divulge a bit of danger and allure that she must surely disapprove of. “[The gloves add] a little bit of flirtiness, but also keeping a very strict uptightness, where you’re like, ‘Oh, am I scared of this woman,’” says Eagan. 

Close also brought in some of her own accessories for Martha, like the silver fish brooch which could speak to the Ichthys, a symbol of Christianity. “Her dad had bought her the pin many, many years ago,” says Eagan, pointing out that Martha wears the brooch upside down. “Getting into the whole religion of the fish. It was like, ‘Who is this woman? What is going on here?!’”

The Fixer Lawyer

Vera Draven’s (Kerry Washington) dedication to her late father, a fixer for the Wicks family, kept her in this small town—and away from her big city ambition. But she still dresses the part in chic and professional power pantsuits. For out-of-office occasions, like Father Jud’s congregation meeting outside of Wicks’ purview, she sports a tan Saint Laurent blazer and jeans, and a Veronica Beard blue-and-white striped shirt. “She could be more casual about it, but she still wanted to have taste and style,” says Eagan. 

Vera’s rich jewel tones—like a teal Veronica Beard pantsuit for a bombshell drop and rust-hued ALC blazer paired with amethyst trousers by The Row for the perp reveal—help take the edge off of her tightly-controlled persona. “I wanted to soften her up a little bit,” says Eagan. “Because she was so stuck, and she's trying to get out of it, and color lifted the spirit a little bit. Like you're trying everything that makes you happy, exterior-wise, but inside, it's so frustrating.”

The Town Doctor

Dr. Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner) dresses as unassumingly as you’d want your local, trustworthy MD to be—or he used to anyway. “We wanted the idea that his wife probably dressed him,” says Eagan, imagining the fashion-loving Darla (Nicola Hughes) always styled his J. Crew, LL Bean, and Lands End-populated outfits before she left him for a Phish superfan. “Everybody can look at Nat and go, ‘I'm familiar with that guy. He feels safe to me as a doctor.’” 

But since Darla’s not there to dress him, Nat’s conservative, collegiate outfits become increasingly disheveled.

The Ailing Musician

Cello virtuoso Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeny) came to the church seeking salvation from the chronic pain that keeps her from her beloved craft. She packed her New York City wardrobe, complete with a delicate lace top by Sézane and a dark-purple, cut-out shoulder and slouchy knit by Victoria Beckham. “We did a lot of wrap sweaters and long skirts that we thought would be easy to put on if you were in so much pain,” says Eagan. “She's had money, so she has nice things, like leather pants. She's creative and she’s got style. But, her circumstances brought her to this place, and she's hiding out.”

The devil is in the details, of course, like Simone’s literally thorny earrings, rings, and bracelets by British jeweler Shaun Leane. “Like the lace says, ‘I'm soft and sweet,’” says Eagan. “‘And then the hard thorns are really what I'm feeling.’”

The Author With Writers Block

Bestselling sci-fi author Lee Ross (Andrew Scott), stalled with a case of writer’s block, bunkers down in Chimney Rock—and Wicks’ pews. Lee wears plaid flannels, like a tan, vintage one from  Levi’s, to worship and to build his fortress in the woods. “He's trying to be the ultra-masculine characters he writes about, but he doesn't know how to do it,” says Eagan. “To him, plaid represents a manly, hard-working man.” 

But Lee always wears his rugged, checked shirts half-way unbuttoned, also telegraphing his disconnect with his concept of masculinity. “That was his way of being like, ‘Look, I'm a little sexy, like a man,’” says Eagan. “It’s just a little awkward and uncomfortable.”

Or maybe Scott, himself, is just messing with us. “Truly, he just really likes to have his shirt open,” says Eagan. “He does.”

The Tech-Bro Influencer 

Vera’s adopted son and failed politician Cy (Daryl McCormack) also dresses for the job he thirsts for: conservative influencer with any ideology that’ll garner the most likes and shares. Eagan scrolled Instagram for Jeff Bezos-spawned “sun’s out, tech bro vests are out” content for Cy’s hilarious combos of half-zips, down vests, and Vuori and Lululemon-looking athleisure. Of course, he wears his Oakley wraparounds slung around his neck.

“We started layering him just too much,” says Eagan. “Like, this shirt with the sweater, with the vest, and then the short, khaki, technical five-pocket pants that were too tight. He was trying to be something he wasn't and he just missed it every time. Everybody is missing the mark.”