When it comes to the newest entry in AMC’s Immortal Universe, Anne Rice Mayfair Witches, the series takes viewers deeper into the late author’s world this time not with vampires, but into a world of magic and complex family as we follow the story of the Mayfairs and their generations’ involvement with the mysterious and sinister entity, Lasher. Set in the vibrant city of New Orleans, this is a story rich in dark magical elements and mystery that spans the past and present. A big part of replaying the complex story — which is based on the nearly 1,000-page novel The Witching Hour — is the costumes. That task fell to costume designer Janie Bryant. Bryant is known for her work on a variety of series, including mad menAnd dead woodAnd Yellowstone prequels 1883 And 1923, and many more projects. Bryant recently sat down with ComicBook.com to talk about her work Mayfair Witches And how did you get the characters off the page onto the screen.
“I was designing 1883 The Mayfair Witches were preparing and Jeff Freilich, a producer, had wanted to work with me for several years,” Bryant said. I actually knew Esta [Spalding, showrunner] Also in advance because I had designed last pole And she was one of the writers… So, we were all kind of spinning around each other, I guess, a little bit. And then, it worked out, time-wise, for Mayfair Witches. I’ve also worked with Alexandra Daddario before when I designed Why do you kill women?, The first season. She has also worked with Harry Hamlin before when designing mad men. So, it was great to work with so many people that I’ve worked with before, that I just love and know, and that was great.”
Read on for our interview with Bryant as she breaks down the different costume choices for the characters Mayfair Witches.
Cortland Mayfair
“For me, his character, Cortlandt is an old Southern gentleman, a Southern gentleman and I think that in general, New Orleans has such a kind of brooding beauty anyway. Also, being a Southerner, I understand that kind of tradition of dressing up with the men and women we grew up with.” With them as Southerners. Much more than formality. So, I felt Cortlandt was really into it, especially because he’s old Southern, old Southern money, there’s definitely a formality to his personality.”
“I just love that his whole palette is so intense…except for the dinner jacket he’s wearing with the costume ball, which is more festive anyway. So, that was more than that, he’s the most host and he has a very festive aesthetic that night. And especially because it’s kind of From a costume ball, which is a very big part of New Orleans customs, so it may be exaggerating. But as for his usual dress, I’ve seen him more of a gentleman in a trench coat and sweatpants, so the suit is a separate, rather than the traditional business suit. It’s much more than an aesthetic. Gentleman’s Style Quarterly.”
“I think Cortlandt has rules. And he likes his flourishes. I have all his shirts made with French cuffs, and he has very nice cufflinks. He’s very appropriate for his environment as well. The house, it’s very much designed in this cute southern style and so, his fashion design reflects the one in which he lives.” “.
Rowan Fielding
“She lives in San Francisco, and I wanted Rowan’s style to be a little more subtle. It’s even just a story, I feel, especially in the beginning, before she embraces her family and her femininity for being part of this witch, this amazing family, this is about the power of femininity. She really didn’t embrace All her strength, she really takes on a much more masculine role. She hasn’t yet reached her strength as a witch, as Mayfair, to be in the full force of her femininity yet. That’s why I really liked the idea of having more of an androgynous design.”
Rowan’s dress in “The Thrall”
“I think that’s kind of a foreshadowing of where her character is going. Because this whole scene, I just wanted it to feel super dreamy, pretty, airy, but also have her sense of the dark as well. And definitely still her color palette of navy, blue, kind of Of these cool tones, because that was a big part of the couture as well. When she’s in San Francisco, her color palette is so cool. It’s teal, navy, gray, and kind of plays with the San Francisco cool in a way, before you hit New York. Orleans, and it’s much warmer, more soulful tones. It’s a lot hotter, more sweaty New Orleans. So just in terms of the costume design, especially Rouen, because we see it in San Francisco first, and it’s color palette is totally cool. And then it really transforms. To these warmer than jewel tones, the warm undertones of New Orleans.”
Scotland, Susan, the use of green
“It’s 17th-century Scotland. And the thing Esta and I talk a lot about, is you want to make Scotland as dirty and dirty as possible. You want to feel the dirt and the sweat and the dirt in that place. Yeah. And my sad team was amazing, because we had to make all these costumes.” To be so textured, and for the audience to be able to feel the lifestyle of those characters. It takes a whole team to get all the hurt right, all the tears right. And that was a really, really important aspect of Scotland being able to see how dirty it is, which is Which I love. I feel like it adds an extra layer to the color palette, which is the texture of the characters, let’s see. I really wanted all the fabrics to be super burlap, ripped, or they should be… It was all about being loud, textured, and very contrasting. “
“My team makes fun of me because I’m always like, ‘The highs and the lows.'” The highs and lows. Everything has to be high and low. Lights and darks. Lights and darks. Lights and darks. But I just love the design and how they shoot it. It’s very important, especially for Scotland. That was an important part for Scotland. And another important part is the witches of Mayfair, their color is green, and green is the color of love. And also, if I noticed that the key of the Mayfair Witches was emerald green. And so it was very important for Susanna to wear her green robe.”
Cyprian gloves
“It was definitely a process because Ista and I talked a lot about this. Because when you read it on the page, it feels like a little fantasy in a way. It doesn’t feel real like, ‘How do you make those gloves look realistic and believable, as opposed to funny things?'” So that was really the point of getting the glove to fit because it almost had to be a second skin. And so it was really important for the leather to be super thin, for the glove to be super-fitted, and to be that. …except for the funeral, but the gloves he wears most of the time, are the brown ones which match his skin tone so beautifully. So, it’s not just an in-your-face thing. It was all about the perfect fit, the subtlety of this character having to dress something that’s totally realistic and doesn’t take you out of the story. So those were the important components of Cip’s gloves, really.”
“I think that’s exactly the challenge of designing costumes for him. Because on the page in the book, it’s different than creating it in a TV show, and like, ‘How is it really going to work?'” And without it jumping out at you like, “Oh, that’s really corny.” It’s really important for it to sound realistic and natural, something you don’t really notice, until it’s kind of pointed out. Because you know what? It’s 100 degrees in New Orleans. Why? You know what I mean there’s also this aspect as well of like, “Why would a person walk around with gloves on in 100-degree weather?”
Millie Mayfair
“I just thought Millie should have a little doily around her neck. I was really happy with the way the movie looked. I had just watched the third episode, and I was really happy with the way it turned out. There’s a bit of a Victorian-era slouchy element going on with the sisters in Mayfair Palace.
Anne Rice Mayfair Witches It airs Sundays at 9pm ET on AMC and AMC+.
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