Beige suit (coat and skirt) as worn by Vanessa Redgrave in her role as Nivea
Jacket and dress as worn by Winona Ryder in her role as Blanca
Wedding dress as worn by Meryl Streep in her role as Clara
Stage 5: On display are three costumes from the movie The House of the Spirits (Germany/Denmark/Portugal 1993), directed by Bille August.
The first costume on the left is:
a beige suit (coat and skirt)
as worn by Vanessa Redgrave in her role as Nivea.
This silk beige suit consists of a three-quarter-length coat and a calf-length skirt. The lapel is embroidered with vine and leaf motifs. This gold embroidery continues underneath the lapel and ends just below it. There is a pleated panel inserted from the hip to the hem on both sides of the jacket. Around the edge of these inserts, the silk of the jacket is adorned with the same golden embroidery. The long sleeves are cut straight along the upper arm then flare from the elbow with the addition of another pleated insert. The jacket is lined with lilac crêpe georgette and ends just above the knees. The narrow beige skirt has pleats down the sides.
Made by and from the collection of: COSPROP, London
The costume in the middle is:
a jacket and dress
as worn by Winona Ryder in her role as Blanca.
The wide wrap jacket is made of a cream-colored cashmere wool blend. It ends below the hips and features a narrow lapel and a belt. There is one slanted pocket on the left chest and two vertical pockets under the belt – one on the left and one on the right. The shoulders are slightly oversized and padded. Under this jacket, Blanca wears a brown linen jersey dress. The round neckline of the dress has a white piped trim. Four flat mother-of-pearl buttons form a vertical row down the center of the bodice. The dress has a straight skirt that ends mid-thigh.
Made by Theaterkunst, Berlin
Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum für Film und Fernsehen / Theaterkunst Collection
The costume on the right is:
a wedding dress
as worn by Meryl Streep in her role as Clara.
The cream-colored crêpe satin wedding dress with a train features a tight bodice with a peplum. The wavy, deep neckline is decorated with floral embroidery along the border and filled with a high V-neck tulle panel adorned with cream-colored embroidery of leaf and flower motifs. Transparent white beads run along the edge of the tulle at the neck. The dress is tailored with several darts. The fabric bulges along the seam of the sleeve. The wide sleeves extend over the wrists and are decorated with small, convex mother-of-pearl buttons. These same buttons form a tight row from the back of the neck to the skirt. On the front, almost covered by the peplum of the bodice, is a small rectangular panel of smocked fabric. From the bottom of this panel, the skirt cascades to the floor in narrow pleats. At the back, the many deep pleats create an opulent expanse of fabric that extends into an oversized train. Over the dress, Clara wears a waist-length jacket in cream-colored crêpe satin with wide three-quarter sleeves and a small stand-up collar. In the film, Clara also wears a transparent veil that ends just over the hips.
Made by and from the collection of COSPROP, London
