Finally, it has arrived. This Friday, May 10, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel “The Great Gatsby,” will be transformed into a 3D theatre experience. The film was co-written and directed by Baz Luhrmann and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan.
While Fitzgerald fans across the world have had May 10, 2013, marked on their calendars for months, the general public seems to be getting into the Jazz Age spirit as well. The trends made popular in the 1920s have made their way into a variety of stores across the country due to the excitement and anticipation of the upcoming film.
The May cover of Vogue features Carey Mulligan, dressed as the character of Daisy, dripping in Tiffany and Co. diamonds. The same pieces that are seen on the cover of the magazine (such as the amazing pearl and diamond bracelet/ring combo) were all created specifically for the film. The costume department, led by Academy Award-winning designer Catherine Martin, decided to partner with the legendary jewelry designer for a variety of reasons, with the most important being that Fitzgerald himself was a customer. Every piece of jewelry that is worn in the film has either been inspired from the archives of Tiffany’s or was created especially for the Luhrmann film.
The partnership seems to be the perfect fit as Louis Comfort Tiffany, one of the first design directors for the company, was known for attending many of the Long Island parties that have been made famous through “The Great Gatsby.”
“The jewelry is really cool,” said Lisa Bent, DePaul junior. “I think that if people have the means to buy the jewelry used in the movie, they will.”
The Tiffany jewels range from $130 for a pair of black onyx earrings, to $200,000 for Daisy’s platinum diamond headband. But other jewelry companies, like Swarovski Crystal, have also created a Great Gatsby-inspired collection for those who can’t afford the diamonds.
Of course these iconic diamond accessories mean nothing if they’re not accenting the perfect cocktail dress. The women’s wardrobe was created in collaboration with one of the best designers in the world: Prada. Miuccia Prada has designed wardrobes for Luhrmann’s films before, as she was responsible for the costumes in the 1996 version of “Romeo + Juliet.” This time around, Prada created an entire Great Gatsby collection along with 90 looks that were used in the film.
“Our collaboration with Prada recalls the European flair that was emerging amongst the aristocratic East Coast crowds in the ’20s,” said Martin in an interview with UK Vogue.
The women and men of “The Great Gatsby” exuded luxury and class, but no one did so as well as Jay Gatsby. When designing costumes for a man known for “his fancy clothes,” Martin made the inevitable decision to partner with Brooks Brothers to help re-create the dapper suits from the ’20s.
“Brooks Brothers was mentioned several times in Fitzgerald’s writings as a representation of the ultimate gentleman’s purveyor of fine clothing to the American man of distinction,” said Martin in a statement for Brooks Brothers.
In a process that was similar to designing the Tiffany’s jewelry, Martin took inspiration from the Brooks Brothers archives to match the authentic suits that were worn by Fitzgerald and his friends during the “roaring ’20s.” The Brooks Brothers store on Michigan Avenue proudly displays the company’s new collection Great Gatsby of suits that were used in the film and are now available to buy.
Aside from the fashion industry, cosmetic companies have also been coming out with new products to embrace the 1920s style. Benefit cosmetic company has just released a new Great Gatsby Deco Collection that features makeup inspired by the era including smoky eye shadows and bold lipstick options.
Grab your friends May 10 and go see the top designers in the world pay homage to Fitzgerald’s writing by making his characters come alive on the big screen.
