Wednesday 3 April 2013

Les Miserables' Costumes and 'I Recognise those buttons!'.

 Les Miserables is one of my favourite musicals and I was so excited when I heard that part of it was being filmed in Portsmouth. Unfortunately I did not fit the type of extra they required - I was not a man.

They required lots of men for the convict scene near the beginning of the film, and this was filmed in the dry dock at the dockyard in Portsmouth.

Because of this connection, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard was given the wonderful opportunity to show some of the costumes from the film, and my sister, daughter and I went along (on one of the coldest days this year).

The entrance to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

 It was good to be able to see the costumes close up, only a few were behind glass.  I do admire the work of costume designers and makers. And on that subject I have to tell you that I was very lucky to be asked to make some of my dorset buttons for a costume.  This was over a year ago, and I was very excited and did scream a bit. However, I put on my professional hat and got on with the job as skilfully, and quickly as I could.  You will see which costume later.

Here are some of the costumes:

I think this is Gavroche's costume.  The waistcoat looks shiny but it was not. It was more of a hand blocked cotton print.

Eponine 






Cosette

Cosette





As for the buttons I made...they were used on one of Anne Hathaway's  (as Fantine ) dresses. This is the one,  it is lilac. My buttons were used on the back.


Fantine
 I really must apologise for the poorness of the photographs that I took of my buttons. It was a very poorly lit area (no flash allowed) and I was using someone else's camera and I am obviously rubbish at this type of photography.

Here are my buttons.
This is another dress using my buttons on the back.  It is the same dress but distressed a bit more.









It was lovely to see all the costumes and the work that went into them.  The exhibition closes next week so hurry if you want to catch it.

5 comments:

Heather Leavers said...

I think I'd have screamed more than a bit! Up until the film I think I was the only person left in the world who did not know the story, but I did know Hugh Jackman was in it...so I thoroughly enjoyed the film, all the more so for knowing there were some well known dorset buttons there!

Anonymous said...

looks really interesting

and fab buttons!

Boo's Jewellery said...

How totally fabulous for you, congratulations! I made a necklace (several copies the same) for a film, but it wasn't quite in the same league and certainly not competing for Oscars and touring the costumes. I'm really thrilled for you. Are you allowed to advertise your buttons now "as seen in multi-award winning film Les Mis."?

Jennifer Rose said...

that is so cool that your buttons were used for the dresses :)
i love seeing costumes up close, you dont really get to see all the detail in a movie

Anonymous said...

ӏ blog often and I really appгeciate yοur informɑtioո.
Your article has really peaκed my interest. І wil take a ոote оf your site and keerp checking for nеw invormation abօut onmce a week.
I subscriƄed tto your RSS feed aѕ well.

Also visit my աeb blog - hacker huen ()