'American Hustle'a Portrait of Swank '70S Fashion

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2013 In this film image released by Sony Pictures, Bradley Cooper, left, as Richie Dimaso and In this photo released by Sony Pictures, Christian Bale, left, as Irving Rosenfeld, Amy Adams as Christian Bale as Irving Rosenfeld talk in a gallery at the Frick Museum in a scene from Sydney Prosser, center, and Bradley Cooper as Richie Dimaso walk down Lexington Avenue in Columbia Pictures’ ‘American Hustle’. — AP photos a scene from Columbia Pictures’ film, “American Hustle.” ‘ American Hustle’a portrait of swank ’70s fashion rom Christian Bale’s burgundy velour blazer to Amy fashion game after meeting the dapper con-couple. “He ends Adams’ plunging sequin halter dress, “American Hustle” up in a silk shirt and silk scarf, which are pop-culture refer- Fis a cinematic romp through the over-the-top styles of ences,” Wilkinson said. “And then he wears a leather jacket to the 1970s. Set in New York and New Jersey in 1978, the film the FBI.” tells the story of a pair of con artists (Bale and Adams) forced The designer relished in Halston’s vintage vault, to which to work for a cocky FBI agent (Bradley Cooper) bent on bring- he was granted access for the film, and he dressed Adams in ing down powerbrokers and politicians. This decadent world authentic pieces from the ‘70s. “The lines (of clothing silhou- of power, crime and big money comes to life through ostenta- ettes) of the late ‘70s, with designers like Halston, were rein- tious fashions and outrageous hairdos. All the characters are venting the wardrobe of women,” he said. “It was about being reinventing themselves, and it shows in their clothes. comfortable in your skin and walking tall.” Hair is so promi- “They had ideas, they lived large and they took risks,” cos- nent in “American Hustle,” it’s practically another character. tume designer Michael Wilkinson said of the ‘70s styles that Lead hairstylist Kathrine Gordon studied old issues of Playboy inspired his designs. “Clothes were less structured, had less and high-school yearbooks from the ‘70s for inspiration. She underpinnings - it was like people didn’t give a damn.” Though the Australian-born Wilkinson said his childhood was drenched in American pop culture, “I approached this as a research project, just like you would study about the Greek ruins or outer galaxy.” He scoured Cosmopolitan magazine, along with advertise- ments, movies and TV shows of the era. “Goodfellas” and “Atlantic City” were particularly influential films. “And ‘Saturday Night Fever’ from 1977,” Wilkinson added. “(That) had the most pertinence to Bradley Cooper’s character. He’s a guy from the Bronx, and he lived life as a black-and-white This film image released by Sony Pictures shows Amy Adams moral shooter working for the FBI, and wears a cheap poly- as Sydney Prosser in Columbia Pictures’ “American Hustle.” ester suit that doesn’t fit him so well.” The character ups his This film image released by Sony Pictures shows, from left, Amy Adams, as Sydney Prosser, Bradley Cooper, as Richie Dimaso, This photo released by Sony Pictures shows Jennifer Jeremy Renner, as Mayor Carmine Polito, Christian Bale as Irving Rosenfeld, and Jennifer Lawrence as Rosalyn Rosenfeld, in a Lawrence as Rosalyn Rosenfeld in Columbia Pictures’ scene from “American Hustle.” “American Hustle.”.

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