A fun-filled, fashion-centric exclusive interview with costume designer ALIX FRIEDBERG discussing the pins and needles and fabrics of PALM ROYALE.
SYNOPSIS: PALM ROYALE is a true underdog story that follows the ambitious Maxine Simmons (Kristen Wiig) as she schemes to secure her seat at America’s most exclusive table: Palm Beach high society circa 1969. As Maxine attempts to cross that impermeable line between the haves and the have-nots, PALM ROYALE asks the same question that still baffles us today: “How much of yourself are you willing to sacrifice to get what someone else has?” Set during the powder keg year of 1969, PALM ROYALE is a testament to every outsider fighting for their chance to belong.
Created by Abe Sylvia with episodes directed by Sylvia, Tate Taylor, Stephanie Liang, and Claire Scanlon, PALM ROYALE stars Kristen Wiig, Allison Janney, Ricky Martin, Josh Lucas, Julia Duffy, Leslie Bibb, Laura Dern, Mindy Cohn, and Carol Burnett, to name just a few of this star-studded cast.
You know her work. “Big Little Lies”, “True Detective”, “Sunshine Cleaning”, “Gone Baby Gone” and “Extract”, to name a few. (Next up is something totally different for Alix – “Tron”.) But with PALM ROYALE, costume designer ALIX FRIEDBERG tackles her biggest project yet and does so with award-worthy period-perfect authenticity filled with fun, fashion, and glamour. From brocade and bejeweled evening wear to charming cotton shifts to mermaid costumes, layers and layers of chiffon, an astronaut, turbans galore, and even Allison Janney in a Las Vegas showgirl costume complete with feathers in her hair, Alix left no seam unstitched or bead overlooked with PALM ROYALE.
As you will hear, ALIX FRIEDBERG is pure joy. You can hear her passion for her craft and excitement for this project with every word she speaks. And that joy and excitement is infectious and something that you will also hear in my interviews with her collaborators, Production Designer Jon Carlos and Set Decorator Ellen Reede, and cinematographer Todd McMullen. The cohesive collaboration of costume, production design, and cinematography makes PALM ROYALE what it is – gobsmackingly gorgeous, immersive, and award-worthy.
As we jumped into our exclusive interview, Alix discussed, among others:
- the process of creating authentic costuming for a TV series set in 1969
- research with photography (notably Slim Aarons whose work showrunner Abe Sylvia used as the initial inspiration for all of the artisans on PALM ROYALE), fashion magazines of the day, socialites of the day, etc.
- costuming influences for each main character
- costuming for background actors
- challenges presented due to limited resources and tight deadlines with a very large cast to design for and dress; thinking of the actors’ comfort with the designs
- the importance of collaboration and creativity in designing for memorable scenes and characters; “cohesive creativity”
- specific costumes, e.g., an easily removable straightjacket, Maxine’s (Wigg) chiffon gown and wearing it in water for an entire day (5 gowns were required with 20 yards of chiffon in each), Norma’s (Burnett) turbans, mermaid outfits, Vegas showgirl,
- making costumes versus sourcing vintage
- contrast of West Palm Beach and Palm Beach; earth tones and denims versus high fashion couture
- color palette of costumes and production design; costuming and tanned skin tone; principal actors’ colors versus background actors’ colors
- designing for Carol Burnett and following in the footsteps of decades of Bob Mackie dressing her in glamour
- the culminating Beach Ball
- and more!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 05/09/2024
PALM ROYALE is currently streaming on AppleTV+.
