Emmy Analysis: Will "Pose" FINALLY win Outstanding Costumes?

by Cláudio Alves

We all have heard and discussed category fraud when applied to acting races, but the problem doesn't end there. Not at the Emmys, it doesn't. After two seasons competing as a period show, Pose is now up for the Outstanding Contemporary Costumes Emmy. Sure, the two-part episode submission is partially set in 1998, but that still involves the recreation of a gone-by historical milieu. Saying it's a contemporary-set drama would be like describing World War II movies from the late 60s as contemporaneous stories. Still, it's not difficult to understand the logic behind the move. Generally speaking, Contemporary Costumes is a less competitive category. If that's what it takes for Pose to finally win an overdue costuming Emmy, I can't say I'm too angry about it. But what about its competition? Let's examine the seven nominees…

"Our Wedding Dre" (Season 7, Episode 6) from Black-ish
Michelle R. Cole, Costume Designer
Juliann M. Smith DeVito, Costume Supervisor

Description (from the ballot): Dre's intimate wedding plans for Pops and Ruby go awry when Pops' brother, Uncle Norman, shows up unexpectedly for the festivities; Ruby refuses Bow's offer to help with preparations.

Wedding episodes tend to do very well in this category, making this a sensational submission from the Black-ish team. Moreover, while the ABC comedy isn't averse to using costume design as a source of humor, this particular chapter posits clothing as an aspirational fantasy. We're not meant to laugh at the outlandish ensembles, so much as we're supposed to gawk at them in awe. The mix of colors and prints, luxurious excess, paints a picture of decadent opulence, a sartorial dream that pays homage to the character's African heritage. The wedding ensemble Jennifer Lewis wears as Ruby is undoubtedly awe-inspiring, consisting of a kente cloth pantsuit with a detachable train and matching headdress. That stunning look is this televisual wardrobe's centerpiece, but every cast member is dressed in eye-catching fashion.

"F**k Anyone Who's Not A Sea Blob" from Euphoria
Heidi Bivens, Costume Designer
Devon Patterson, Costume Supervisor
Angelina Vitto, Assistant Costume Designer

Description (from the ballot): Over the Christmas holiday, Jules reflects on the year with her therapist.

Last year, I came close to predicting a Euphoria victory in this category but ended up going with Unorthodox. In the end, though, I was wrong. Schitt's Creek was unstoppable, taking the prize for its wedding-themed series finale. Regarding this year's race, I'm not so confident in the HBO hit series' chances. On the one hand, this special is singularly focused on Jules Vaughn, the character whose Gen-Z fashions most define the style of the show. Indeed, Hunter Schafer sports some vibrant ensembles in flashbacks and oneiric reveries, contrasting with a more subdued outfit for the episode's therapy session cum framing device. On the other hand, Sam Levinson's lensing rarely lets us look at the costumes, fragmenting our perception of Jules to the point where she often seems like a colorful abstraction, all smudged makeup and intense emotion. It's not the design showcase one might expect.

"There Is No Line (Pilot)" (Season 1, Episode 1) from Hacks
Kathleen Felix-Hager, Costume Designer
Karen Bellamy, Costume Supervisor

Description (from the ballot): Legendary Vegas comedian Deborah Vance is in danger of losing her residency. Meanwhile in LA, Ava, a young writer is desperate for a job. Their mutual manager Jimmy sets them up on a meeting, much to their chagrin. 

This submission is a classic example of TV comedy costume design. Felix-Hager's work is all about establishing humorous contrasts between characters, pinpointing their personalities through style in extremis. An early montage gives us a vision of Jean Smart's Deborah Vance as a Joan Rivers-type. She's all spangled luxury with a touch of classic cheekiness, comedy by way of dramatic glamour. Her coprotagonist's a different story. Hannah Einbinder's Ava is defined by her youth and a certain sense of LA-bred pretentiousness. Her severe aesthetic reeks of social media assimilation while still coming off as a personal brand rather than the Xeroxed photocopy of an Instagram post. Watching the pair face-off in the pilot's final act is a comedic delight, both because of how the actresses deliver their witty lines and their visual clash.

"Social Media Is a Great Way to Connect" (Season 1, Episode 9) from I May Destroy You
Lynsey Moore, Costume Designer
Rosie Lack, Assistant Costume Designer
Debbie Roberts, Costume Supervisor

Description (from the ballot): Arabella's bloated social media presence finds her more glued to her phone than ever. At a Halloween paint and wine, Kwame opens up to the girls about his recent sexual experiment – and Arabella's reaction lands her in an emergency session with Carrie, her therapist. 

The I May Destroy You's Halloween episode comes at an exciting juncture in the show's narrative, costume-wise. In the previous chapter, Arabella tried to regain a sense of self by returning to Italy by donning the costume we saw her sport during the series' first hour. At a sartorial level, this episode follows an antithetical strategy. Here, we find the characters putting on self-aware costumes, defining themselves as angels and demons, using clothes to escape from themselves. With all this conceptual density at play, one could understand if the designers had perchance lost some of the series' contemporary bite, its authenticity, in pursuit of powerful imagery. Moore and her team don't falter, however. The costumes strike the perfect balance between homemade messiness and theatrical symbolism, from Arabella's barbed-wire accouterments and string-operated wings to her friend's nightclub-ready angelic fantasies.

"Miss Lady Hawk Herself" (Season 1, Episode 1) from Mare of Easttown
Megan Kasperlik, Costume Designer
Francisco Stoll, Costume Supervisor
Taylor Smith, Costume Supervisor
Laura Downing, Costume Supervisor
Jennifer Hryniw, Assistant Costume Designer

Description (from the ballot): After checking about a neighborhood prowler, Detective Mare Sheehan shoulders her chief's directive to revive an unsolved missing girl's case. While her family celebrates her ex-husband's engagement, Mare attends a celebration for her legendary high school basketball win. Afterwards, Mare unexpectedly connects with Richard, a professor who's new in town. 

It's no surprise that part of Kasperlik's research involved people-watching. There's a sense of overwhelming realism to her designs, a quality that suggests that each character lives outside the limits of the show's narrative. It's all in the little details and textures. Notice the grayish tinge of an outworn shirt, blouses that look as if they were bought two decades ago but still fit so they never leave rotation, mementos of long-gone youth haunting middle-aged folk, unexplained idiosyncrasies like a child's costume cape. Despite the verisimilitude achieved, there's still character specificity and a steady build-up of atmosphere, a cohesive aesthetic of autumnal shades. While a few choices may veer into clichéd territory, they never go too far. For instance, the innocent victim is bedecked in girlish flowers, a beacon of fading light in a dark world. It's a bit commonplace but effective, making a solid impression and guiding the audience's wandering eye to what's thematically essential. 

"Series Finale" (Season 3, Episodes 7 & 8) from Pose
Analucia McGorty, Costume Designer
Michelle Roy, Assistant Costume Designer
Linda Giammarese, Costume Supervisor

Description (from the ballot): When Blanca discovers an HIV clinical trial is denying access to people of color she joins ACT UP in an effort to get Pray Tell the medication.

It's easy to be dazzled by the balls and forget about the other costumes, but all of Pose's wardrobe is pitch-perfect. By far, this year's longest submission, this two-parter is a feast for the eyes, so full of incredible designs it's difficult to summarize their magnificence. Some particular instances of genius include how Blanca's and Pray Tell's puff-coats continue the color story of their ball costumes. Next, there're the different levels of mourning each character wears, a testament to their specific styles and backgrounds. When the second episode jumps to the late 90s, the ladies' Sex and the City moment is hilariously on point, down to Elektra's pearly top. Carrie Bradshaw might have been basic and only worn a demure pearl string, but this queen knows when to bring the drama, wearing an entire bodysuit of pearls. Finally, the new members of House Evangelista represent the future, their costumes nodding towards current ball culture and not merely the 1998 scene. In its momentous finale, Pose proves, once and for all, that it is the best-dressed show on TV.

"New York State of Mind" (Season 2, Episode 1) from The Politician
Claire Parkinson, Costume Designer
Lily Parkinson, Assistant Costume Designer
James Hammer, Assistant Costume Designer
Laura Steinman, Costume Supervisor

 

Description (from the ballot): Frustrated with his polling numbers, Payton goes to Georgina for help as he weighs using his opponents hush-hush love life to score political points.

This may sound like a back-handed compliment, but one of the best qualities about The Politician's costumes is how fake they look. Ryan Murphy's incursion into the realm of political satire is at its least insufferable when the narrative entirely disconnects from our reality. Perchance realizing this, Claire Parkinson ups the ante on the styles Lou Eyrich developed for the show's first season, dialing them up to eleven. From floral power-suits and pattern-clashing loungewear to uber patriotic red-white-and-blue ensembles for the warring candidates, this wardrobe is deliciously 'too much.' That being said, the approach can sometimes be a conduit to unintended absurdity. When gallivanting through the streets of New York, the main characters are seen in environments populated by regularly-dressed extras, sticking out like a sore thumb. This garish world is inconsistent, often too overtly curated, but one can't deny that it's fun to look at.

Predictions

1. "Series Finale" Pose
2. "There Is No Line (Pilot)" Hacks
3. "F**k Anyone Who's Not A Sea Blob" Euphoria
4. "Our Wedding Dre" Black-ish
5. "Social Media Is a Great Way to Connect" I May Destroy You
6. "Miss Lady Hawk Herself" Mare of Easttown
7. "New York State of Mind" The Politician

Personal Ranking 

1. "Series Finale" Pose
2. "Our Wedding Dre" Black-Ish
3. "Miss Lady Hawk Herself" Mare of Easttown
4. "Social Media Is a Great Way to Connect" I May Destroy You
5. "F**k Anyone Who's Not A Sea Blob" Euphoria
6.  "There Is No Line (Pilot)" Hacks
7. "New York State of Mind" The Politician

How would you rank the nominees for the Outstanding Contemporary Costumes Emmy?

Comments

[Finbar McBride]

I think the wedding outfits from black-ish dominate the category.

I also think the best costumes of the year were snubbed. Novice costumer designer Phoenix Mellow embraced the best of nostalgia to design the apparel for Sylvie’s Love, a romance set in the 1950s.

Color is a key to understanding Sylvie. She wears blue when she is romantic. That unforgettable beautiful ensemble of dress and shawl in a rich azure for her evening at the theater is sigh-inducing. That color is echoed for her walk on the chilly beach with Robert.

Mellow draws on the iconic look of jazz musicians of the day to create Robert’s distinctive style, long and lean. Subtle stripes often appear in one article of his clothing to remind us of his eye pleasing physique.

These are costumes that enhance the romance, stamp the era into every frame, and create a visual statement that makes Sylvie’s Love memorable.

[Cláudio Alves]

Finbar McBride -- I'm quite terrible at predictions, so you might be right about black-ish taking the prize. Still, I'm hoping for a Pose victory.

Regarding Sylvie's Love, I completely agree. I especially love the Chanel azure ensemble you mention. That snub is unforgivable and I'm sure to bring it up when I write about the Outstanding Period Costumes Emmy race.

[Glenn Dunks]

I am hoping for a POSE win because they're the best costumes of the bunch (even if they're not 'contemporary' beyond, i guess, the dayware veering towards those more modern styles) but also because that show deserves a win here.