Baz Luhrmann was born Mark Anthony Luhrman in Sydney, Australia in 1962. He is an established film director, writer, and producer with a penchant for over-the-top costume design elements. Luhrmann came upon his love of movies and fashion as his father Leonard Luhrmann owned a movie theater while his mother Barbara Carmel taught ballroom dancing. Luhrmann always relished in artistic expression and studied acting in high school, where he performed in Shakespeare’s King Henry IV Part 1. In 1983, Luhrmann enrolled at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts to further his acting studies.
In his early career, Luhrmann landed acting gigs in Winter of Our Dreams, The Dark Room, and The Highest Honor, but would eventually set his eye on writing and directing, with his first feature film Strictly Ballroom. Luhrmann’s taste for excess shows in his instantly recognizable and iconic style throughout his film catalog. The mere mention of his name elicits visions of glitz and glamour galore. Luhrmann has collaborated with his wife Catherine Martin on all of his feature-length films in one capacity or another, including his latest endeavor the popular musical biopic Elvis,whichis said to exceed the opulence of his earlier film The Great Gatsby. Here is a ranking of the best costume design in Baz Lurhmann’s movies.
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6 Australia
Bazmark Films
Australia is an epic romantic adventure set in pre-World War I Australia, that follows the strong-minded Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman), an Englishwoman who inherits an Australian ranch. She reluctantly hires Drover (Hugh Jackman) to assist her in driving the cattle over rough terrain to supply the army. The film is grand and absorbing, and features some historical elements such as the bombing of Darwin. As far as costume design goes, it is one of the more subdued of Baz Luhrmann’s films, however, no less beautiful.
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5 Strictly Ballroom
Beyond Films
Strictly Ballroom marks Luhrmann’s directorial debut and is based on a stage play written by Luhrmann during his studies at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts. The stage play was critically acclaimed and had great success at Sydney’s Wharf Theatre, where Australian music executive Ted Albert saw it and fell in love with it. Later on, when Albert started M&A productions, he proposed the idea to Luhrmann to adapt his play for the big screen. Luhrmann accepted the offer on the condition that he could direct the film. Costume designer Angus Strathie brought Luhrmann’s visions to life, and the dramatic showy pieces would foreshadow all of Luhrmann’s later works.
4 Moulin Rouge
Bazmark Productions
Moulin Rouge! tells the tale of an Englishman (Ewan MacGregor) who has fallen in love with a French dancer named Satine (Nicole Kidman) who is already promised to another. Despite her engagement, the pair fall in love and engage in a clandestine affair. The costumes and set design are gloriously over the top and pair nicely with the musical romance. Luhrmann’s wife Catherine Martin was co-designer with Angus Strathie. Martin spoke about her experience with the film in a recent interview with Vogue Magazine, stating " Baz was trying to reinvent the modern movie musical, and flying in the face of all studio conventions. He is an extraordinary visionary, and pushes you as an artist to examine stories and historical periods in new and totally unexpected ways.”
3 Romeo & Juliet
Luhrmann’s Romeo & Juliet is set in a modern-day Verona known as Verona Beach and follows the famed star-crossed lovers as they navigate their love amidst their feuding family houses. It strays slightly from Shakespeare’s original work, but is every bit as heart-wrenching. It marks the third major film production of the play, following a 1938 and 1968 version. The fabulous costumes were key elements in bringing the modern-day tale to life. Costume designer Kym Barrett recently spoke to Vogue Magazine, via her website, on the 25th anniversary about how her iconic designs have become staples in movie and fashion history.
2 The Great Gatsby
Warner Bros.
The Great Gatsby is a fabulous period piece based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel of the same name. The film is a visual masterpiece that transports the audience right back to the roaring 20s. It features some of the best costume designs of all his films, as costume designer Catherine Martin enlisted the help of iconic designer Miuccia Prada to revamp 40 classic flapper dresses and also collaborated with Brooks Brothers on more than 500 pieces.
1 Elvis
Warner Bros. Pictures
Elvis is the latest of Luhrmann’s films starring Austin Butler in the titular role. The biopic follows the King of Rock ’n’ Roll throughout three decades of his life, from his humble beginnings to his time as a Las Vegas Performer. Butler went through extensive screen and music testing before being chosen for the role, and Presley’s ex-wife Priscilla applauds Butler’s performance in the film. Luhrmann once again collaborates with his wife Catherine Martin, who designed more than 90 original costumes for Butler’s Elvis, also collaborating with Miuccia Prada and B&K Enterprises who were responsible for many of Presley’s jumpsuits during his time as a Las Vegas Headliner.
