CD Magazine, Fall 2026 (Costume Designers Guild)

FEATURED

The Odyssey: Ellen Mirojnick

Sugar: Christie Wittenborn

Movie Night: William Travilla & Marilyn Monroe

Spider-Man:

It’s already that time of year. Emmy nominations have been announced, and I’m thrilled to congratulate over 25 of our CDG members for their nominations. We are proud and honored by their extraordinary artistry and contributions to production. Our community of designers, assistant designers, and illustrators share in celebrating this esteemed recognition of their work.

It wasn’t that long ago that the Television Academy first recognized costume design as a vital artistic component of production. In 1966, the 18th Primetime Emmies awarded two variety shows in the Individual Achievement in Art Direction and Allied Crafts-Costume Design category: The Hollywood Palace designed by Ed Smith, and Danny Thomas’s The Wonderful World of Burlesque: Second Edition designed by Ray Aghayan and Bob Mackie.

Over the past 30 years, the Academy has continued to acknowledge our contribution and has grown the love. The Academy’s governors review and update categories as needed to conform to the ever-changing production landscape. Thanks to this ongoing process, our artistry is now recognized in five different categories with five productions nominated in each. This recognition not only feeds the individual artist’s soul, it also elevates and spotlights our entire community.

This beautiful issue of our CD magazine also showcases the dynamic variety of our members’ work. From Ellen Mirojnick’s epic costume vision and interpretation of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey to Sanja Hays’ portrayel of contemporary Spiderman in Spiderman: Brand New Day and Tracey Field’s textural dive into the Spiderverse with Spider-Noir in both full color and graphic novel black and white, we are transported to other universes. Which brings me to Colin Farrell’s Sugar, costumed by Christie Wittenborn, another wonderful investigator au noir, with a twist!

Our guild supports so many avenues to costuming, and I’m proud to congratulate our Eddie Marks Scholarship recipient, Ms. Andrea Santana Ochoa!

Our IATSE District 2 convention reminded us that, though the tax incentive initiative has brought some production back to California, we need to persevere with the campaign in Washington for a national tax incentive. This is reliant on our IATSE PAC funding, and that means we all need to contribute. No matter the amount, every dollar is essential and funds the campaign to keep production rolling here and across the country. Please consider contributing whatever you can for the future of our industry. Contributions can be sent to the Guild with a note stipulating “For the PAC.”

Stay In the Know. Open our weekly email for updates and news.

In solidarity,

Terry Ann Gordon

Terry Ann Gordon tgordon@cdgia.com

4 EMMY ® NOMINATIONS

INCLUDING

OUTSTANDING PERIOD COSTUMES

“DANCE IN THE COUNTRY”

JOHN WALTER GLASER III • DOUGIE HAWKES • GEORGE SAYER

ANTHONY BROOKMAN • AMANDA MC LAUGHLAN • PASCHA HANAWAY

There is a rhythm to a working costume department that is hard to describe unless you’ve lived it. The racks are full, fitting rooms are humming, trucks are loading out before sunrise, and the talented crew are solving impossible problems with remarkable ingenuity.

But lately, too many of those workrooms have been quiet.

Our industry has always weathered change, but this moment calls for more than patience: It calls for action. California has made meaningful progress in strengthening its Film & Television Tax Credit Program, yet the competition for production has become global. We need a strong federal film and television tax incentive that encourages studios to keep productions, and the tens of thousands of careers they support, here in the United States.

I’m encouraged to see respected actors like Noah Wyle and Jennifer Garner using their platforms to remind the public that this is about people, not just productions. Behind every call sheet are artists, technicians, vendors, and small businesses whose livelihoods depend on a healthy entertainment industry.

We must also remain engaged here at home. AB 122, which limits the amount of California business tax credits that may be applied each year, has the potential to reduce the value of the incentives and the recent increase that help attract and retain production. As this conversation continues, we may ask you to lend your voice. When that time comes, I hope you’ll answer the call.

Our craft has always been built by hands that create, adapt, and persevere. If we bring that same determination to protecting our industry, I’m confident the next generation of costume designers will inherit not only our knowledge, but the opportunity to continue designing in this heritage industry where it all began, Hollywood, California.

In solidarity,

Brigitta Romanov

Brigitta Romanov bromanav@cdgia.com

By Gary Victor Foss

Despite the fact that there may never actually have been a Homer, the Homeric epics are among the world’s oldest stories in what we now might call a shared universe. Scholarly consensus is divided, but the text we have for The Odyssey was likely an oral tradition—a lyric poem, told and retold, elaborated, updated, and attributed to an author who is himself as legendary as his stories. From James Joyce to the Coen brothers, artists and creators have heard the sirens’ call, taken up Penelope’s tapestry, and made them their own.

For costume designer Ellen Mirojnick, preparing for a project like The Odyssey was itself a search through time, place, and a gamut of cultural influences. “The research had to move through history, archeology, sculpture, art, mythology, other cinema, and different material studies to amass an understanding of the ancient period of time so we could move beyond ancient Greece. You go as deep as you possibly can and absorb it, so you can extract the essence. We tried to find a pathway from the classical Greece that people have in their minds, be it imagery of the characters from vases or book illustrations. The film was a daunting, challenging experience, but it was also exhilarating to create a timeless mythology relevant to a modern audience.”

The very name Odysseus (Matt Damon) is synonymous with the heroic journey, and designing him was a storytelling master class. “Odysseus is not a clean hero, and he’s never static. He survives the collapse of a civilization, and that influences everything visually. The world after Troy is exhausted, haunted, and spiritually fractured. Every costume and silhouette carried that feeling of a world trying to remember itself after catastrophe.” The character walks a line between fate and free will, and must live with the consequences of the choices he makes to stay alive and return home. Aging and weathering the costumes definitively showed the characters’ trials and tribulations. “We did a lot of physical research on how erosion, salt, and sea degraded fabrics and metals. What would that do to bronze? To linen? To leather? Most heroes arrive fully complete on screen, but Odysseus deteriorates. He reconstructs, disguises, adapts, and survives. Over the course of the journey, the sea and time rewrite him. His design allows the audience to feel that erosion without losing the core of who he is.”

Interwoven with the story of Odysseus is a wide range of characters whose own motives and ambitions complement and conflict, starting with his own family. Penelope (Anne Hathaway) represents faith and loyalty in the face of increasingly menacing threats. “My whole performance was informed by Ellen Mirojnick’s costumes,” says Hathaway. “I spent the entirety of my filming time thinking about them. Then I thought, ‘She wears bright colors because she’s not in mourning, because her husband is not dead. She gets herself done every morning because every day is the day he comes home.’”

Mirojnick explains, “Odysseus is constantly on the move. Penelope is still. She carries this immense psychological depth and endurance. She wears the colors of the house of Ithaca. I needed Penelope to capture a restraint. Her fabrications start soft and move into a harder edge. At the loom there is a softness in the textiles.” As the embattled character confronts what seems inevitable, she sets the task, and trap, for her suitors. “The costume that she wears starts with a very strong gold necklace. It bleeds into a dress that has the sharpest, most precise drapes. Just as Odysseus needed his silhouette, at the moment she sets the challenge, she is the warrior. I wanted her to feel that power emanate from her, but in a still way.”

Telemachus (Tom Holland) is torn between loyalty to his family and his own ambitions. “He exists between inheritance and absence. As the story goes on, his appearance comes from specific experiences. In the beginning his costumes are echoes of Odysseus. There’s no identity yet. When he goes to Mycenae, his identity becomes stronger. Menelaus actually gives him confidence to be able to become the king.”

Patron and confidante Athena (Zendaya) appears only to Odysseus. She is his conscience and guide who keeps him on the path. “Her costume language had to be strong and simple at the same time. You needed to see an intelligence, an unseen hand. She was Odysseus’s wisdom, and you needed to feel that. Athena moves through the human world without ever belonging to it. All of that needed to be of a beautiful neutral base as she moves through time and memory.”

WARDROBE

WARDROBE

If Athena is Odysseus’s conscience, Calypso (Charlize Theron) is his healer, warden, and lover. Exotic and dominant, she eventually coaxes his mind back from the horrors of war, but at the cost of his memory and many long years of subjugation. “Calypso lives in the most isolated place in the world, but she is selfsufficient. She is always in the water. She had to fish to live and survive. We created a fishing net, an apron that she would just strap on with a very large basket attached, so she can capture fish and bring them back. It was a utilitarian, purposeful piece of costume that was part of her identity.”

Draped in privilege and entitlement, Penelope’s suitors are guilty of the most depraved of crimes in ancient times: They are discourteous to their host and take advantage of her hospitality. Their decadence is more than a symptom; it is the underlying disease of a society breaking down. Antinous (Robert Pattinson) is the most polished of the suitors, but also the most snide and treacherous. “For these men who, with ambitions of becoming kings, indulgence is never too much. They are overly layered and decorated. They wear everything they have on their backs.”

Helen (Lupita Nyong’o) is a queen trapped in a cage of circumstance and her own machinations. “There was an image I came across of a broken statue, and it really resonated very deeply. We created a sculptural neck and chest plate. It sat over her shoulders and

looked like a broken statue. After that, the gown that I created was something that looked like fire wrapped around her. The last costume that you see her in is a piece of golden woven metal that is about 30 pounds in real life,” she laughs, “but Lupita loved it. It was like the heaviness of her position.”

Making a film as ambitious as this requires a steady hand at the helm, and Mirojnick is quick to point out the leadership director Christopher Nolan provides. “Chris is one of the most inspiring people I have ever met in my entire career. He approaches filmmaking, and the material, through physical truth. He is completely energizing because everything matters— from the initial design through the materials, the aging, and the physical construction. The costumes are never just isolated objects. They become part of the architecture of the film itself.”

16 EMMY ® AWARD NOMINATIONS

OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY COSTUMES FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE

Olga Mill • Bailey Gardner • Sarah Basta • Kellie Ishisaki episode 201 • All the Things We’re Never Going to Have

For Your Moodboard

With hundreds of authentic vintage wallpaper designs, endless customization, an in-house design team, and top-notch production staff, we can create the perfect wallpaper to suit any period set, costumes, and aesthetic.

An Homage to Los Angeles

By Bonnie Nipar

“While our story centers around the boxing world in Los Angeles, Sugar Season 2 resonates with diversity, capturing different neighborhoods and subcultures that make LA so unique,” explains costume designer Christie Wittenborn. Scenes range from gritty pool halls, Koreatown’s nightlife, and Downtown’s homeless encampments to Beverly Hills luxury hotels, hospitals, and breathtaking Malibu Beach.

The goal was to make it authentic to Los Angeles and not the Hollywood version of it. “ “

Wittenborn’s process involved not only breaking down the characters, but also all the subcultures. She notes, “Background costumes often do that quiet storytelling. They tell the audience where they are before anyone speaks.” She extensively researched the neighborhoods, absorbing the people and details that make the world believable. Her biggest challenge was to make those subcultures come alive. She considers crowds one of her most important tools in storytelling.

It was against this tableau that Season 2, full of cloak-and-dagger suspense, builds on Season 1’s stunning reveal that private detective John Sugar (Colin Farrell) is an alien, part of a group sent to observe humanity. When his companions are summoned home, he remains behind to search for his sister. His love for film noir helps him connect with his new world. “His suiting is definitely influenced by the detectives he admires,” notes Wittenborn, “but we never wanted it to feel like cosplay. He genuinely sees the beauty in that era, the elegance, the manners, the sense of purpose. His suits became an extension of that romanticism.”

Choosing the right fabric and dialing in the fit and silhouette was critical. She started with silk cashmere for its

lighter weight, but it did not wear well, especially in action scenes. She transitioned to mohair, which is more durable and has a nice patina and shine. His color palette starts dark and gets lighter as he assimilates to his surroundings.

“Everything with Colin was intentional, and small details mattered to him. Sugar’s cufflinks reflect a man who values craftsmanship and history. His suspenders are a throwback to the old detective lineage in black-and-white movies. When Sugar gets dressed every morning, he does it with a purposeful ritual. Even his shoes are flawlessly polished.”

There are a few times where Sugar wears casual hoodies and T-shirts, but his suits are his armor, and the effect is an otherworldly perfection. All of Sugar’s suits are custommade by Serj Costumes & Tailoring.

The supporting characters are as diverse and detailed. Sugar’s PI apprentice, street-savvy Val (Sasha Calle) challenges expectations. Wittenborn didn’t want her clothing to feel either feminine or masculine. “Val’s costumes focus on confidence and practicality. She knows exactly who she is and doesn’t worry about what other people think.” Tom Flyberg (Shea Whigham) is a mystery, because you can’t quite categorize him or his profession.

“He has a memorable, unexpected presence and rolls with high profile people.” His covert involvements and everchanging costumes suggest he may be a federal agent working undercover. His looks range from provocative, mismatched pieces to a white, peak-collar suit. Charlotte Fischer (Laura Donnelly), a businesswoman reminiscent of film noir’s female sirens, wears exquisite women’s suiting paired with soft, feminine blouses. “She understands the power of her appearance and uses it strategically,” says Wittenborn. “She is elusive and exists somewhere between fantasy and danger. That tension became the foundation of her look.”

To differentiate the three worlds of boxing, Wittenborn lets her background actors paint the picture. “A competitive boxing audience tends to have a broader mix of spectators: sponsors, families, and enthusiasts. The bare-knuckle crowds feel more underground, more unpredictable, more tribal.” The boxing gym is where up-and-coming local boxer Danny Moon (Jin Ha) trains. He hires Sugar to find his missing brother Ji Moon (Raymond Lee).

“I wanted this gym to feel like it has been around forever. We created

the gym hoodies with logos, and my incredible in-house workroom made the boxing trunks and robes.” Wittenborn also wants to recognize her assistant costume designer, Meredith Murphy. “Sugar was her first show as an ACD and she nailed it.” Another essential member of her team was Local 705 trailer costumer Kellie Ishisaki. “She’s the backbone, an incredibly calm and grounded individual who made sure that everybody was built for success for the day.”

Each of Wittenborn’s costume choices, whether for John Sugar or a background actor, is in service of understanding the character and grounding the scene. “Working with Colin is a gift. He approaches character with such depth and curiosity that it pushes everybody around him to do their best. That level of collaboration makes Sugar a truly special experience.”

“ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENTS IN POP CULTURE HISTORY.”

CDG Movie Night celebrated the epic collaboration of virtuoso costume designer William Travilla and Marilyn Monroe with a screening of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes at the Darryl F. Zanuck Theater. The event commemorated her centenary at the place where she marked her final birthday. Thank you, Fox Costume & Tailor Shop and the Fox Studio Lot for hosting.

Following the screening, phenomenal panelists: costume designer and CDG member Eduardo Castro, costume collector and Marilyn Remembered Fan Club President Greg Schreiner, and clothing and jewelry designer Michael Schmidt shared insights on the lasting language of glamour and their personal knowledge of Travilla and Marilyn. Special appreciation to cochairs Mikael Sharafyan, Jennifer Soulages, and CDG Communications Director Anna Wyckoff for their work on this series, and thank you to all of the members and colleagues who attended and sang an unforgettable “Happy Birthday.”

Spider-Man: Brand New Day : Tom Holland as Peter Parker, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, Zendaya as MJ, Billy Clements as Ramrod, Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle, and director Destin Daniel Cretton.

Photos: Columbia Pictures

By Grant Rindner

Even with the uptick of superhero media, it’s hard to think of a moment quite like 2026’s Spider-Man duopoly. Beginning in May with Prime Video’s Spider-Noir and capped with July’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day, we’re treated to two vastly different depictions of the Wall Crawler. Costume designers Trayce Gigi Field and Sanja Milkovic Hayes, respectively, crafted distinct supersuits for Nicolas Cage’s Ben Reilly and Tom Holland’s Peter Parker.

Brand New Day

The two designers faced vastly different challenges—Field rendering a cult favorite Spidey variant in live action for the first time, while Hayes handled the most recognizable aspect of a $200 million blockbuster. We spoke with both about designing supersuits that felt unique to Ben Reilly and this Peter Parker. Hayes joined the MCU with Captain Marvel and became the Spider-Man designer with 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. Because the world forgets Peter Parker, Holland’s hero is forced to make his own suit, meaning that simplicity proved a crucial concept for Hayes.

“This is the first suit that he is making without Stark’s technology. He literally made it himself at home, and that was one of the big things that resulted in the simplicity of the lines and of the suit. You can see that it’s made out of common material, something that you can find at home,” Hayes explains.

Comfort was a huge factor, as Holland spent roughly eight to 10 hours in the suit each day. Hayes estimates there were 50 suits used throughout the shoot. Another key to successful world-building was making the film feel representative of New York City, a quality that has always helped Spider-Man stand out in the crowded superhero field. “There’s not one New York. You go to different parts and people look different. I did a huge amount of research and pulled as many photographs as I possibly could from the streets of New York to see what actual people wear.” Having wrapped her fourth MCU film, Hayes understands the tremendous pressure these projects face to stand the test of time. “I want people who watch the movie to think, ‘This is what New York looks like.’”

Spider-Noir

After fans fell in love with Cage’s brusque superhero detective in 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, it was only a matter of time until the character earned his own series. But Spider-Noir was instantly beloved for its unique tone, sumptuous world-building, and gorgeous costumes, which viewers can experience in inky black-and-white and vibrant technicolor. The decision to offer two viewing experiences came after Fields had already begun work on the series. “About a week and a half into prep, I got a call saying that we were also going to shoot the show in color. I got that phone call and literally had a mini heart attack,” Fields laughs.

“He had been in World War I flying aircraft; that’s where his goggles are from. He rode motorcycles in France, so the vest, pants, and boots are all French-inspired motorcycle gear from the ‘20s,” Fields says. “He made the mask out of his military uniform sweater, so it’s a knit, and you can see the stitches down the side.”

Beyond the Spider’s suit, some of Fields’ striking work in Spider-Noir came in the glamorous stage outfits for Li Jun Li’s lounge singer and Lamorne Morris’s hard-nosed journalist. All of it added up to a stylized take on Spider-Man that shines equally bright in color and grayscale.

Working with costume illustrator Imario Susilo, Fields crafted a suit that nodded to Reilly’s personal history and Cage’s approach to the character, which he described as “70% Humphrey Bogart and 30% Bugs Bunny.”

Last Looks

Photos: Sony Pictures.

All That Jazz : Ann Reinking as Kate Jagger, Roy Scheider as Joe Gideon and Deborah Geffner as Victoria.

Photos: Universal Pictures. Grease : John Travolta as Danny, Olivia Newton-John as Sandy. Photos: Paramount Pictures

Albert Wolsky

By Hope Hanafin and Jeffrey Kurland

1930 – 2026

Born in Paris, Albert Wolsky conquered Broadway, then Hollywood. Beyond the accolades and storied career, his dignity, curiosity, and kindness were equally legendary. Hope Hannafin and Jeffrey Kurland, dear friends and colleagues, share their personal perspective to celebrate the gentleman behind the acclaim.

Albert understood the world in all its flaws and still found the joy. By profession and vocation, he was a traveler. His appreciation for other cultures and aesthetics enriched his life, warmed his home, and deepened his work. His curiosity went beyond the highbrow. He found interest in hardware stores and subway riders. He delighted in children and loved surprises. His intelligence shone through even in the most challenging of times. His sly wit could come as a surprise, ensuring either gales of laughter or the desperate need to hide it.

His approach to work and life was not that different. He did not rush to the solution. Solving problems was

as an opportunity to explore, get to the essence, and build from there. He was deeply collaborative; directors valued him and actors loved him. His insight on story, character, and the nature of the piece served all. He had great respect for his fellow costume designers. He was an active member of our guild until his passing. His work is well deserving of all his honors, yet his generosity and kindness are his real legacy.

—Hope Hanafin “

Albert’s and James Mitchell’s loving partnership of almost 40 years was a beacon for many of us. “ Bugsy : Warren Beatty as Bugsy Siegel, Annette Bening as Virginia Hill.

I met Albert about 50 years ago, while I was running the front room at Grace Costumes in NYC. Albert was designing The Turning Point, our shop built the dancers’ costumes, and I was lucky enough to work with Albert. My mentorship had begun!

We knew the same New York denizens of the theater world and we spoke about them often when I moved to LA, as we saw each other frequently at Bill Hargate Costumes. I not only revered him as a brilliant designer, but as an extraordinary human being: his even temper, fairness, unending curiosity, and unerring good taste,

all traits to strive for. In later years, when we realized that we lived around the corner from one another, we began the next chapter of our relationship, very social. Albert had a wonderful sense of humor, and we laughed a lot together! Albert could always get you out of your doldrums. He was wise, self-deprecating, and always the elegant gentleman, the last of a dying breed. I will forever be in Albert’s debt. His professional influence made me a better designer. His friendship made me a better person.

I think of Albert every day, and will do so for the rest of my life.