Corset, latex and 12 meters of drama: Renee Ehrlich Kalfus reveals a chic wedding fashion
Renee Ehrlich Kalfus doesn't need special effects to tell a story. She does it with fabric. Her costumes say more about the character than any line: who she is, where she came from, and what she hides beneath the gleaming velvet or washed cotton. She is the visual brain behind Hidden Figures, Chocolat, Winemaker's Rules, and now the sequel to the fashion saga, Another Simple Favor, where Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick meet again, only now against the backdrop of an explosive Capri wedding and with more revealing outfits (and intentions).
L'OFFICIEL shares an exclusive conversation with Renee Ehrlich Kalfus, the iconic costume designer whose style is recognizable even in the reflection of a shop window.
“It's not the same movie anymore. It's a wedding. Capri. Everything is hypertrophied. And it was a hell of a lot of fun,” Renee begins with a smile.
A wedding where the dress speaks louder than the vows
“The wedding dress...I can't even call it just a dress. It was an act of aggression,” confesses Kalfus.
It started with a corset and latex leggings, which already sounds like a challenge. It was topped off with a giant silver satin skirt made in Rome's legendary Tirelli atelier. It took 50 hours of work. And to keep the audience on their toes, a 12-meter-long veil embroidered along the edge with blood-red crystals lay on the back of the dress.
“From the front, the dress is white. But the back is a harbinger of disaster. It's a visual premonition of disaster,” the designer explains.
Guest in sneakers and “mom” style
Anna Kendrick, according to Renee, played “mommy with a blog” again, but this time - strongly discouraged from being at this wedding.
“She's flying in on a private jet... in a tracksuit. Because she doesn't trust anyone. It's the clothing of the resistance,” laughs Kalfus. “No heels. Just comfortable sneakers and things that don't need ironing. And you know, there's a boldness to that, too.”
This approach rhymes with the heroine's mood: the one who is not sure whether she should participate in the story. Appearance is a mirror of doubts.
Contrast as a weapon
“Blake Lively is six feet in stilettos. Anna is five feet in sneakers. And that visual tension worked better than any words.”
While Kendrick's character hides behind normcore and utilitarianism, Lively's character shines and shows off every image as a challenge. This duo creates the visual magic between glamor and reality, between suspicion and charm.
What about “normal people”?
“Honestly? Modern clothes are harder to make than historical clothes,” confesses Kalfus.
In movies about “normalcy” like Hidden Figures, she creates costumes that blend in with reality but remain evocative. It's all about palette, structure, cut.
“I love it when an actress says, 'This is right. Sneakers are about me.” And doesn't argue with the image. She plays it.”
The final touch: when the dress is more important than words
Every image of Kalfus is like a riddle. It may seem simple, but if you look closely, there are plot twists, premonitions and hints sewn into it.
“You know what's going to happen by the way the veil looks. It's my way of saying, 'Watch closely. The story is about to begin."”
Another Simple Favor is available on Amazon Prime Video. And, however you wait for the denouement - be sure to keep an eye on what the characters are wearing. Because in this movie, fashion is a premonition of drama, love and jealousy in one seam.