The costume designer behind Frankenstein (2025), now streaming on Netflix, is explaining her first and final touches on the characters and everything in between.
After previously working together on Crimson Peak, Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro reunited with costume designer Kate Hawley for his Frankenstein adaptation.
For the magic to begin, Hawley revisited Mary Shelley’s original novel for inspiration before creating the film’s lavish and unsettling world.
Set during the Crimean War in the 1850s, del Toro envisioned a version of Frankenstein that felt larger than life. “He wanted a world that was expansive and modern,” Hawley said, adding that del Toro avoided the typical “black top hats” look of historical dramas.
For Victor Frankenstein, an ambitious scientist who attempted to conquer death, Hawley drew costumes from unconventional sources. “We discussed contemporary icons like David Bowie and Prince,” she revealed.
“Victor is an artist building life as if it were his masterpiece.” Inspired by Lord Byron and the Romantic era, his early costumes reflect a man of privilege and intellect, gradually shifting to decadence as his ambitions grow.
When audiences first meet Victor (played by Oscar Isaac), he’s dressed in aged velvet, a hint that his wealth and stability are fading. As he grows closer to Harlander, his wardrobe becomes more flamboyant, reflecting his obsession with fame and power.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s costumes form the emotional core of the story. Her wedding dress, one of the first pieces Hawley designed, connects the human and monstrous worlds. Its fitted bodice and ribboned arms mirror the Creature’s form, symbolising Elizabeth’s growing empathy toward him.
Hawley linked all of Elizabeth’s gowns to nature and anatomy. Her blue dress, inspired by an X-ray motif, required 60 meters of fabric to achieve the ethereal glow del Toro wanted for the moonlit scenes.
The team collaborated with Tiffany & Co., drawing from its 200-year archive. Among the chosen pieces were the Wade Necklace, featuring over 40 carats of diamonds, and the Louis Comfort Tiffany Scarab Necklace.
“This film became a kind of fairy tale for me,” Hawley said. “Every stitch, every jewel, had to tell a story about creation, decay, and love.”
