Catherine Marie Thomas
From Wikifashion
| Catherine Marie Thomas | |
|---|---|
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| Born | Hyde Park,Chicago |
| Occupation | Costume Designer |
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About
Catherine Marie Thomas is an American Emmy-nominated costume designer who has worked with the most creative filmmakers today. Her wide array of projects including Meryl Streep's down-home costumes in A Prairie Home Companion, to Uma Thurman's sharp and edgy fight suit in the cult film Kill Bill, made her one of the most sought-after designers in the film industry today.
Early Years
Thomas was born in Hyde Park, Chicago. She studied at the Chicago Academy of the Arts and the Kansas City Art Institute. [1]As a designer, she began her career at a costume shop in The Julliard's School located in New York City.
With the help of her mentor and fellow designer Edi Giguer, who felt that Thomas could actually earn more than a few hundred dollars a week, Thomas began working with a number of films, including[2] Neil Jordan's The Brave One, Richard Shepard's The Matador, and Ethan Hawke's The Hottest State. In 2008, she designed all of Katherine Heigl’s bridesmaid gowns in Anne Fletcher’s romantic comedy 27 Dresses.
Grey Gardens
In 2009, Thomas landed the costume design job for HBO biopic Grey Gardens, based on the 1975 critically acclaimed documentary of the same title. It is a film[3] about the lives of Edith Bouvier Beale (Little Edie), played by Drew Barrymore, and her mother, Edith Ewing Bouvier (Big Edie), played by Jessica Lange. It depicts the Beales’ years in their crumbling Grey Gardens estate in East Hampton, New York.
According to Thomas, her main goal was to tell this great mother-and-daughter story through their clothes as clothing were a significant part of the Beales. This proved to be a great challenge to Thomas. Not wanting to disappoint the fans of the documentary, Thomas wowed the audience with her stunning designs that honestly captured the Beales’ 1930s bohemian style without once going over the top. [4]Barrymore said, “That she could (execute) the accuracy and the artistry without it feeling like a costume piece is a delicate balance not many people could pull off.”
She received an Emmy nomination for her outstanding work in the film, not only cementing her status in the industry, but also[5] gave her name recognition beyond Hollywood.
Awards and Recognitions
Thomas was nominated for two Costume Designers Guild Awards for her work in Kill Bill Vol. I and II. Aside from her Emmy nomination, in 2010, she won the award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie or Miniseries for Grey Gardens in the 12th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards. Her work was[6] featured in Deborah Nadoolman Landis’ Dressed: A Century of Hollywood Costumes, published by Harper Collins in 2007.
Other Notable Projects
In 2009, Thomas worked on Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut film, Whip It, a comedy-drama film based on Shauna Cross’ novel Derby Girl. She proved to be Barrymore’s “go-to designer” when she collaborated with the actress for the third time in the film Going the Distance. Thomas also worked with A-list actress/producer Sandra Bullock in The Proposal, creating smart and sexy wardrobe that were accurate for Bullock’s character.
There is no doubt that Catherine Marie Thomas is a great addition to the few talented designers in Hollywood who actually knows their craft.
Gallery
Grey Gardens
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