Phantom costumes - real and replicas

Madame, that is gorgeous!

MajesticPhantom wrote:Madame, that is gorgeous!

Thank you!

It weighs a ton and I sound like Mardi Gras when walking around, but I'm very pleased with how it's turned out. Can't wait to take it into action!

~Madame~

Madame Giry wrote:Almost done with the Giry cape! I still have to do more tacking down of the beaded appliques, but you can get a good idea of what it will look like from these pics:





Getting excited!

~Madame~

Looks FANTASTIC. Excellent work

Agreed. It looks great. Madame Giry is going to be looking lovely at the Opera House.

Waouh! Guys these news pics are amazing!
The giry coat is just wonderful!

When I saw your pics from Las Vegas, I've started to work on my wishing dress again (in stand by for many reasons!)

Here's the dress today, and some WIP pictures from yesterday (more pics on my facebook costume page https://www.facebook.com/melly.debellegarde - don't hesitate to add me, this is a public profile! ) :


(haha the bodice is not even putted correctly over the skirt XD it's not symetric! sorry!)







And the final choice... which solution should I choose? I think that I'll keep the lace around the collar but this one is too big. I have to find a new one, smaller.
Please tell me what you think, I don't know what to choose !



thanks a lot for your help ♥

Melly wrote:Waouh! Guys these news pics are amazing!
The giry coat is just wonderful!

When I saw your pics from Las Vegas, I've started to work on my wishing dress again (in stand by for many reasons!)

Here's the dress today, and some WIP pictures from yesterday (more pics on my facebook costume page https://www.facebook.com/melly.debellegarde - don't hesitate to add me, this is a public profile! ) :

And the final choice... which solution should I choose? I think that I'll keep the lace around the collar but this one is too big. I have to find a new one, smaller.
Please tell me what you think, I don't know what to choose !

My vote actually goes to this one. I'm not sure why. It's not really like any other stage versions I've seen, except maybe what Ana Marina/Tabitha Webb wore as understudies in West End, or the metallic original one Rebecca Caine wore in Toronto. But it has the "torn edges" Maria Bjørnson was so fond of, and it kinda reminds me of angel wings. Which is fitting both for the Mausoleum scene and the whole theme of Phantom. So yeah, that one gets my vote. But I do love 'em all.

Your replica is truly fantastic!

It weighs a ton and I sound like Mardi Gras when walking around, but I'm very pleased with how it's turned out. Can't wait to take it into action!

Hahaha! A real Phantom costume, then. I'm SO sorry to have missed you in Vegas, I really looked forward to see your costume and to MEET you. But you'll have the costume for another event. Maybe Broadway's 25th anniversary?

Thanks a lot Operafantomet

I like this design too, but on the pic I had forgotten tu add the little lace around the collar (even if I'd like to use a smaller one), and the bow... There are too many things on this dress when I try to put everything... I'm still wondering if I should use this design wich has a lot of appliqués...

Once again, thanks a lot for taking the time to help me

I have decided my first Phantom piece should be the Mandarin robe, how could I not? Just look at my s/n lol, and I just happen to have a great attachment to that scene and costume piece. I would like to have one by the time the 25th anniversary rolls around in late Jan of next year; however I am very...sewing challenged...and would most likely have to commission someone to do it for me, any suggestions?

StrangerThanUDreamt wrote:I have decided my first Phantom piece should be the Mandarin robe, how could I not? Just look at my s/n lol, and I just happen to have a great attachment to that scene and costume piece. I would like to have one by the time the 25th anniversary rolls around in late Jan of next year; however I am very...sewing challenged...and would most likely have to commission someone to do it for me, any suggestions?

Artistkae or Viscountess!

http://artistkae.tumblr.com/
http://viscountess.tumblr.com/

Thanks! Going to get in contact with one or the other shortly I hope; I havent seen this piece done before, so I hope I havent gone above what is possible.

StrangerThanUDreamt wrote:Thanks! Going to get in contact with one or the other shortly I hope; I havent seen this piece done before, so I hope I havent gone above what is possible.

Hey STUD, I've been actually planning on doing that Mandarin Robe costume for a while, even have a few bits and pieces for it. (I was even going to wear it for Bway 25th!) It just had to take a backseat until I got my Giry costume finished.

Showing Here:



I would have worn this to Vegas but for very last minute circumstances that unfortunately resulted in me having to cancel all my plans basically the night before I was to fly out. Ah well.

~Madame~

^That is beautiful!

lol you will probably beat me to the chase on the Mandarin robe, seeing as I dont sew, but still I would love to have one, the version I have my eye on is the UK version, specifically the one shown on the dvd special of the 2004 movie, I believe JOJ wore it as well, but like I said I will most likely have to comission someone to do it for me

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but since it's costume-related...

Kind of a silly question, but I'm curious...Which Red Death skull mask do you all prefer and why: the traditional large one (I call it the "puppet-style" head) that's always been worn, or the one Ramin's Phantom wore in the 25th Anniversary RAH performance? Or maybe both?

I like the original UK style the best...

Hey all, not sure if this is the proper place, but here goes...

I've been on an opera kick lately and stumbled upon a very nice production of Les Contes d'Hoffmann starring Placido Domingo and Agnes Baltsa. I was watching bits and pieces in the middle thinking "wow, this thing looks great. Love those costumes and sets." Later I started it from the top and found that the costume designer was Maria Bjornson! I just had to share it with everyone because, let's face it, she's genius, and with what's been going on with the new UK tour... I figured she needed some love.


Sadly the subs aren't in English.

I mean really, who screws with that kind of work?

Happily, this opera is available on DVD.

Anyway, enjoy!

Thanks for posting about the Convent Garden Tales of Hoffmann production, Salle. The costumes she designed are really quite glorious and I'm glad there's at least one more videorecording that preserves her work.

Following up on that, I found a wonderful article about Maria from Offscreen Magazine that was posted in February, 2012. It gives some insight into her childhood and upbringing, as well as her temperament and passion for her work. There are, of course, mentions of Phantom and its impact on her life, and her legacy.

I don't think it's been posted on this forum, but here's an excerpt from it:

The Phantom of the Opera was the ultimate playground for Maria Björnson. The highly detailed and elaborate world of 19th century Paris let her unique talents flourish. She was obsessed with beauty. Looking at her drawings, we can see how her meticulously researched and detailed costumes produce a striking overall effect as pieces of art in their own right. The design of the Masquerade scene in Phantom introduces a huge variety of ingeniously designed costumes that represent endless hours of work, a perfect sense of fashion and a clever use of theatre magic.

and regarding the 25th Anniversary Celebration:

Matt Kinley, the designer of this special performance, proudly admits ‘when the decision was born to stage the show in full, our mission was to make it more technological as well as innovative and at the same time, we obviously wanted to pay as much respect as possible to Maria Björnson’s wonderful original design.’

Link to the full article here: http://www.offscreenmagazine.co.uk/storyboard/%E2%80%98everything-was-glamorous-and-fascinating-about-her%E2%80%A6%E2%80%99/

Here's to Maria.

~Madame~

And as another followup to the outpouring of Maria love on the Costume thread today, here's a treat for you Phantom costume researchers.

On the webpage of Judith Evans, a professional costume maker for theatre and film based in New York City, I stumbled across this photo montage of what is described as an 'Ensemble' costume for Broadway's Phantom.



It is credited: Ensemble dress from Phantom of the Opera, Broadway. Original design: Maria Bjornson. Associate Designer, Sam Fleming styled this remake.

So, Phantom costume junkies, does anyone know when this costume appears in the show? Seems like it might be a Sitzprobe dress?

Link to original webpage, which also shows some other costumes she's made, here: http://www.behance.net/gallery/A-Few-Things-Ive-Made/1815539

~Madame~

^Thanks so much ( to both of you) , I will say that my initial obsession with the show began when I was younger and pouring over Maria's designs in the George Perry book, I had heard the score and yes thought it was beautiful, but I standby the thought that the majority of this shows success lies with Maria's designs.

Madame Giry wrote:

It is credited: Ensemble dress from Phantom of the Opera, Broadway. Original design: Maria Bjornson. Associate Designer, Sam Fleming styled this remake.

So, Phantom costume junkies, does anyone know when this costume appears in the show? Seems like it might be a Sitzprobe dress?
~Madame~

It's the Mme. Firmin Hannibal Attendants dress. I love this design.

meglett wrote:

So, Phantom costume junkies, does anyone know when this costume appears in the show? Seems like it might be a Sitzprobe dress?
~Madame~

It's the Mme. Firmin Hannibal Attendants dress. I love this design.

Yup, the bodice points towards one of the Hannibal Princesses. The trims, the pockets and the cuffs are very specific for this dress. The design is based on this Harper's Bazaar fashion plate:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/reiseaudun/designhannibal/princessharpers.jpg

But I don't think I've seen the dress executed in so lush lavender and golden tones before. Beautiful!

Still a lot of work to do, and things to tweak but he's coming along

I've always wanted to see Red Death done with his hat flipped to the side, rather than the front, I just think it looks a bit more...bad@$$, still adding feathers but it's nearly done.

update; I have the bulk of the costume done (don't look at the shoes, they are atrocious as of now, but that will change! And the bows for the shoulders/upper cape should be here soon )


I know the cape is usually trimmed in a metallic gold style trim; but I'm thinking of using this instead


One can never have too many tassels

Looks great so far, STUD! I'm sure you'll be the talk of the town when you step out in that costume.

~Madame~

STUD, it's so-so-so cool! Looking forward to pictures of the costume "in action".

Thanks guys! As of now the jaw doesn't want to move as much as I had hoped; so I may have to do with just one set mouth expression; and I still have to add the trim to the cape, the costume is suppose to make it's debut this Saturday at midnight!

He is DONE! (for now )

Good stuff STUD! Congrats on the costume.

Random question: do you have a larger pic of your avatar?

Thanks! and yes I do
The one and only Anthony Crivello..creepin' in the graveyard


And if anybody was wondering this is the version I was really going for (Red Death)

This was a Dressing Gown commission for ML6. Finished it over the hurricane.