Michael O'Connor, winner of this year's Best Costume Design Oscar for "The Duchess," is just the latest in a string of recipients who have received the award for costuming a period film.
"The Duchess" is set in England during the 18th century. It tells the story of the Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes) and his wife, Georgiana (Keira Knightley), during the reign of King George III.
While "The Duchess" delivers stunning costume design and thoughtful art direction, it is in no way comparable to films such as "Titanic," which won 11 Oscars - including costume design.
Of the film's 14 nominations, nine were made on the basis of artistic design.
"Period dramas often get bad press," according to the U.K. newspaper Telegraph. "Critics sniffily dismiss the popular genre as being all corsets, cleavage and country houses, or ... style over content."
Content aside, O'Connor created the intricate pieces to enhance the storytelling process but admitted to the Telegraph that costumes can be overdone.
"You don't want the clothes to distract," he said. "Though in reality they were probably extremely distracting."
Knightley's character, the Duchess of Devonshire, was considered the "Empress of Fashion", according to the Los Angeles Times. For inspiration and accuracy, O'Connor reviewed the 18th-century portraiture of Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough.
In the film, both the character and costuming undergo a transformation split into three distinct periods, according to an article by Aspen Film.
The extensive wardrobe necessary included more than 30 voluminous gowns that required Knightley's trailer to be enlarged.
At the height of her popularity, Knightley's character wears a bold red taffeta gown accented with feathers to showcase her status against the rest of the scene, according to the Aspen Film article. Historically, Georgiana popularized the headdress worn at the Bath Ball, and it "became one of the most important fashion styles of the time," O'Connor told Aspen Film.
Accuracy in design was extended to all aspects of costuming, even the undergarments. This is apparent in the wedding night scene during which the Duke of Devonshire undresses his bride.
The wigs worn by Knightley were also part of the actual Duchess's signature style.
However, the lack of photographic evidence provided the designers with a chance to use their imaginations, according to Aspen Film.
This attention to detail has been applied to other period films like "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" and "Emma" - films which O'Connor also designed the costumes for.
Period films have dominated the costume design category for the last several years. In some cases, these films are recognized solely for their art direction, like Sofia Coppola's "Marie Antoinette." Other winners include "The Aviator," "Chicago," "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" and "Memoirs of a Geisha."
The Academy Awards will continue to favor films that present visually stunning and accurate depictions of romanticized eras in history.
You can reach these columnists at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
