Director David Lowery (Peter Pan & Wendy, The Green Knight) enlisted Bina Daigeler, who worked on Tár and 2020’s Mulan, to oversee the film’s costumes. Taking on the project—which doubles as a true style spectacle—was about much more than covering Hathaway in sequins and Taylor Swift-esque bodysuits: Daigeler had a complex journey to craft on-screen. When we first meet Mother Mary in the film, her star has faded—and Daigeler had to manifest fashion-forward looks that conveyed the tension of lost fame. “For me, it was about finding ways to bring the emotions out, and translate them to the costumes,” she says.
In flashback scenes, we see Mother Mary in her early prime—covered in flowing capes, crystal-encrusted bodysuits, and halo-shaped headpieces, her signature accessory. (A not-so-subtle homage to the holy figure found in Christianity.) The costumer took inspiration for those from real-life singers. “I love Beyoncé, and she was doing the Renaissance tour at that time; we also looked at Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa. But I also went back a lot, too: We were drawn to older pop, especially Madonna in the ’80s.”
