Imagine my shock when I recently went looking to see if we had featured legendary costume designer Eiko Ishioka and discovered that we hadn’t! Eiko Ishioka is one of those designers whose designs you instantly recognize, and those designs instantly become iconic. Born in 1938 in Tokyo, she passed away in 2012, leaving behind only a dozen films to her name, but practically every single one of them is utterly unforgettable. Her first career was in advertising, winning Japan’s prestigious advertising award in 1965 for her work with cosmetics company Shishido. Following that, she did a stint as department store Parko Ikebukuro’s chief art director, before opening her own design firm in the early-1980s. It wasn’t until 1985 that Eiko Ishioka began designing costumes for film, interspersed with work in theater. So let’s check out her historical filmography!
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters is a 1985 biographical drama directed by Paul Schrader, depicting the life of the controversial Japanese writer Yukio Mishima. The film is structured around four distinct chapters that represent different aspects of Mishima’s life: his personal and literary struggles, his obsession with beauty and discipline, his relationship with his body, and his ultimate quest for a more idealized Japan. The film begins on the last day of Mishima’s life, in 1970, and flashes back through his, and his country’s history. Credited as the production designer and uncredited as the costume designer, Eiko Ishioka’s strong design influence is seen throughout the film.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
I mean, I dare you to try to name only three costumes in this film that are not 100% iconic. You can’t. Because damn near every costume is legendary. This film garnered Ishioka an Academy Award for costume design in 1992, and I challenge anyone to question why.
The Fall (2006)
The Fall, directed by Tarsem Singh, is a visually stunning fantasy epic set in a Los Angeles hospital during the 1920s. The film tells the story of an injured stuntman, Roy, who weaves an elaborate fantasy tale for a young immigrant girl named Alexandria, who is also recovering from a broken arm. As Roy’s increasingly surreal narrative unfolds, it mirrors both his deteriorating mental state and his own dark past, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. Eiko Ishioka’s costume designs make vivid use of color and texture, adhering to historical lines inflected with the surreal.
Theresa: The Body of Christ (2007)
Theresa: The Body of Christ is a Spanish drama directed by Ray Loriga, centered around the life of Teresa de Ahumada, a young noblewoman living in 16th-century Spain who begins having visions of Christ that lead her to reform the Carmelite order. Eiko Ishioka’s designs are lush and cinematic, even if they sometimes depart from historical accuracy (but hey, that’s why you pay good money for someone like her to design your historical flicks! If you’re going to break the rules make sure they’re well done!
Immortals (2011)
Immortals, directed by Tarsem Singh, is a visually striking action-fantasy film that reimagines the myth of Theseus, a mortal man chosen by the gods to defeat the tyrannical King Hyperion. Set in ancient Greece, the film blends epic battles, divine intervention, and stunning visual effects to tell a story of heroism, vengeance, and the clash between human will and destiny. I debated on including this one because it’s even more of a departure from history than any of the others on this list, but in the end decided to include it because Eiko Ishioka’s designs are really visually striking.
Mirror Mirror (2012)
Mirror Mirror, another collaboration with director Tarsem Singh, is a whimsical, visually vibrant retelling of the classic Snow White fairy tale, starring Julia Roberts as the wicked Queen and Lily Collins as the titular Snow White. The film combines comedy, fantasy, and adventure as Snow White teams up with a band of dwarfs to reclaim her kingdom from her evil stepmother. Eiko Ishioka’s designs are exaggerated historical silhouettes, using bold color and lavish fabrics, especially with the wicked Queen’s costumes.
Do you have a favorite costume designed by Eiko Ishioka? Share it with us in the comments!
My favorite of her designs are the ones for Dracula and Mirror Mirror.
Julia’s wedding dress is luscious. (Although I wish it could have been worn by someone like Eva Green.)
Mirror Mirror has the best costumes of any Snow White adaptation, though I’ll admit I love the costumes in Snow White: A Tale of Terror! I’m usually Team Sandy Powell, but I smell Studio interference with her process for the Snow White remake! Shameful!
Wow! So many films I love, but didn’t realize they all connect with the same designer. I have me some rewatching to do.
Mina’s red gown…swoon!
I have mixed feelings about Eiko; I’m one of those horribly pedantic people who can’t stand bad historical costuming, especially that which veers toward hysterical – say Julia Roberts’ “Mirror Mirror” wedding dress. I absolutely despise that thing. Having said that, some of her out there designs for “Dracula” are just amazing. The Klimt-influenced embellishments on Gary Oldman’s robe and Sadie Frost’s wedding dress are OTT gorgeous. And who doesn’t love the red bustle gown worn by Winona Ryder. Ok, I’d wear that myself. Even Ryder’s little green day suit, even if the historical period is wrong for the story’s timeline. I haven’t seen the other films. That white beaded headpiece from “The Fall” looks amazing. It’s like something out of an Erté illustration. I suppose Eiko is a bit marmite – you either love her or hate her. I’m not a big fan, but she did create some incredibly striking costumes and perhaps the fact that she wasn’t of Western culture gave her the unique perspective to create something singular out of European and Near Eastern stereotypical characters. I did get to work with a couple of the men’s costumes that she’d designed for “Dracula,” altering them for a stage production, so that’s my one and only connection.
My favorite of her work is the costumes in “Dracula”. They are iconic.
I had the pleasure of talking to her whenever she called the costume house where I worked. She was in the beginning process of designing the uniforms for the 2008 Olympic Games opening ceremony. She would call related a collab on the design with the owner.
DRACULA is my hands-down favorite of her work. It is IMPOSSIBLE for me to choose a favorite costume from that movie. Re Immortals–costumes? What costumes? I was sooooooo focused on Henry Cavil’s and Luke Evans’s bodies that I didn’t pay attention to the other characters who were actually wearing clothes!! (Sigh)
The Mirror Mirror costumes put the new SnowWhite film to shame!! And the Dracula costumes actually make the film 100% worthwatching (despite Keanu Reeves hilarious accent!).