Fashion And Film:
With fashion and film like The Favorite, Mary Queen of Scotts, and Black Panther earning nominations for Best Costume Design at the 2019 Academy Awards, it’s no stretch to say that costuming in the film industry - and the entertainment industry at large - is bigger and better than ever. And of course, extraordinary costumes need extraordinary performers to fill them.
credit: Matthew Justmann Photography
One such star - actress Amy Letcher - is no stranger to fashion through the ages, with roles as a young aristocrat in early 1700’s Philadelphia, a warrior priestess in the 1500’s, and most recently, a Russian Grand Duchess in 1918.
“I love working on period pieces,” Letcher said recently when asked about the elaborate costumes she’s worn on set. “I don’t think it’s really known how much goes into costuming for fashion and film, television. It’s not just a matter of ‘do they look the part?’- actors are actually wearing layers of true-to-the-time-period style clothing. The corsets, the undergarments, they’re all there. Costume designers are incredibly meticulous, and I really respect that. It brings so much authenticity to a project.”
Letcher grew up in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, making the move to Los Angeles on a scholarship to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Shortly after graduating, she found herself on the set of her first-period piece; an epic fantasy set in the 1500s, about a warrior priestess on a perilous quest. “Reckoning was awesome because it was a marriage of fantasy and historical fiction, both of which are genres that I absolutely love,” Letcher said of the film. And her wardrobe? “Hot! Very hot. We shot in the desert, by the Trona Pinnacles and also on a dry lake bed, wearing multiple layers of thick, heavy material. Sword fighting, too! But honestly, it was incredible. I wouldn’t change a thing about it.”
Amy Letcher as Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevana in Matthew Weiner's "The Romanoffs"
Fashion and Film.
From there, Letcher donned a suit of armor for another fantasy, before exchanging swords for corsets in the Emmy award-winning series, Black Sails.
“Black Sails was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. The sets, the costumes, it was all just next level. And it really prepared me for other projects like the Romanoffs - corsets are no joke.” fashion and film
Amy Letcher as Philadelphian aristocrat, Lydia, in Starz' "Black Sails"
So how much does costuming matter to the young star?
“Wardrobe is such a crucial part of the process. Stepping into a costume is like putting on a character. You’re literally stepping into their shoes; understanding how they move, what their every day might feel like. It’s a very tactile way of getting to know someone. I’ve loved the projects that I’ve worked on because the characters' wardrobes have been so different to my own, which has been such a helpful, integral part in understanding who they are.”
This, it seems, is a sentiment shared by many in the industry - and with elaborate costumes and talent like Letcher in the spotlight, we’re excited for what we’ll see next.
For more on Amy Letcher, visit amyletcher.com or follow her on social media - @letcherhairdown
Amy Letcher in "Reckoning" (credit: Scott Minard Photography)
