…From Mercutio’s glitzy lingerie set and cape as he belted out “Young Hearts Run Free” at the Capulet party, to Juliet’s ethereal angel wings, to the flaming sacred heart on the Hawaiian shirt worn by Romeo in the opening scenes on Verona beach, these are looks that haven’t just become a part of cinematic history, but fashion history too. (The latter style in particular has never been far from a menswear catwalk over the last 25 years.) …It’s under the former category that Barrett slots her memorable collaborations with Dolce & Gabbana (for the young Capulets’ gunslinging leather waistcoats and cowboy belts), Prada (for DiCaprio’s dreamy wedding suit), and Yves Saint Laurent (for the razor-sharp tailoring and gowns worn by the elder generation’s mob bosses and wives). “That was a dream come true,” Barrett adds. Still, the bulk of the clothing was fabricated by Barrett’s team of pattern cutters and seamstresses, including those famous Hawaiian shirts, which were all painstakingly handpainted as riffs on a piece she picked up in a Miami thrift store.  …Here, Barrett shares the story behind the costumes, from her eclectic range of references, to collaborating with Miuccia Prada on DiCaprio’s tailoring, to how she used clothes to bring Shakespeare’s romantic tale back to vivid, unforgettable life.  Read the rest of the article here: Liam Hess (Vogue)

…Visual effects supervisor Christopher Townsend worked next door to Brad Allan and his stunt team, who continually interacted with production designer Sue Chan, whose team was building sets and having to make sure that they could practically be climbed on and jumped from, as well as with costume designer Kym Barrett to ensure that the actors could move freely for their stunt work in their costumes. … Costume Designer Kym Barrett worked closely with Sue Chan and the stunt team to further develop the visual language of SHANG-CHI. First and foremost, she was aware of the need for empowerment of women and different cultural groups.  Kym Barrett (Costume Designer): “We approached everything from that point of view, exploring where people find their own power. For the fight costumes I was interested in how a costume could enhance movement and give you a heightened appreciation of the skill of a performer. All of the elements on the robe are things that really did exist, down to the ties, which were used to attach armor plates to warriors’ robes.” Early on, Barrett asked the stunt department to rehearse in the robes, to ensure the splits were in the right places and that they weren’t too tight for the required movements.  Kym Barrett (Costume Designer): “I’m most proud of the way Destin and the other writers’ script, and the worlds that Sue and I and our teams created, harmoniously gelled together and that we created a story where all our paths were heading in the same direction. I feel like we created a truly unified whole.” Read the full article here: Sarah Woloski (Skywalking through Neverland)

…While the trio’s everyday workwear and super-spy disguises are incredibly chic and fabulously fun, the costumes were designed to support the mystery that’s unfolding – and allow for the very impressive action required, stilettos and a cocktail dress or not.   Fawnia Soo Hoo (Fashionista.com)