'Black Swan' Costume Controversy

"Black Swan, the critically acclaimed thriller starring Natalie Portman as a deranged ballerina, has enjoyed considerable buzz throughout the past few months. A lesbian make-out scene caused quite a lot of excitement, and the off-screen romance between leading lady Portman and the film’s choreographer — who are now engaged and expecting a baby — satiated the tabloids.  But that’s all old news!  The latest hot Black Swan scandal: the costumes, which are the center of a mini controversy rocking the fashion community.

The film’s feathery tutus generated a lot of hype even before its release, thanks to the news that fashion-industry favorites Kate and Laura Mulleavy of the label Rodarte had designed some of the ballet outfits, which were a huge hit. Then in January several outlets reported that because the Mulleavy sisters were not part of the Costume Designers Guild, they were not even eligible for and Oscar for best costume. The fashion world threw a fit (a typical headline, on the website Fashionista, read “Why Rodarte Won’t Get the Credit They Deserve for Designing Black Swan’s Costumes”), and the film’s head designer, Amy Westcott, fought back, saying that Rodarte’s involvement with the costumes had been greatly exaggerated by the brand's PR and the press. It turns out the Rodarte Brand was only responsible for collaborating with costume designer Amy Wescott... on seven of the fourty costumes used in the film!

 To top everything off, after all of the drama, the film’s costumes didn’t even end up getting an Oscar nomination!!! (The film, however, is nominated for best picture, actress, director and several other Academy Awards.)

Click 'Read More' to take a look at some of  the costume designs that were at the center of all of this drama!

Wibble Waddle STRUT!

This is Beth Ditto, lead singer of a UK band called Gossip.



If you paid any attention during the F/W 2010 fashion shows you would have spotted her sitting front row at some of the biggest fashion shows along other A-List celebrity guests. Now Beth recently graced the runway for Jean Paul Gaultier's Ready-to-Wear S/S 2011 collection; She was used as a muse to showcase XXL appeal. Ditto seems to be the perfect fit for designer Gaultier as he has a knack for choosing models who will shake up the status quo. The model/singer that boast a size 28 figure may have recieved a thunderous applause while slinking herself down the runway, but not everyone was impressed.

Ditto definitely embraces her curves and had this to say to the haters:

"I don't understand all these women who say they feel betrayed by fashion. A piece of clothing can't talk — it can't tell you that you can't have it — so really, you're just telling yourself that," she told the Times in 2009. "You make yourself the victim, because if you want clothes that bad, then make them yourself. You have to get creative if you're fat."
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/fashion/2010/10/04/


Whether Gaultier was trying to prove a point about the beauty of full figured women or shed some light on the controversy between XXL and XXS models, he definitley had everyone in the audience perched on the edge of their seats!