R.I.P. Eiko Ishioka (7/12/1939 - 21/1/2012)

Being a shameless lover of both movies and clothes, it's not really that surprising that I am a complete nut for costume design, be it sumptuous or slick. And the work of the late Eiko Ishioka, one of the most brilliant and original visionaries in the field, has been my favourite thing about the films she did costumes for for over a decade now - even when they were otherwise rubbish, the chance to see her clothes up close on a 70mm theatrical screen alone made it worth the price of the ticket. To those who are unfamiliar with her, here are some samples of her designs in film:

Dracula (1992)

Below is Lucy's green dress in the film - the detail shot shows that it was embroidered with snakes(a classic Ishioka touch)

The Cell (2000)

The Fall (2006). I won't even attempt to hide how happy the butterfly-wing patterned coat made my eyes. 

An early illustration of a costume side-by-side with the actual costume itself. 

That headdress would probably make the late Isabella Blow proud.

The hyper-theatricality of her work may not be everyone's cup of tea, but there's no denying that her twisted, almost surreal take on classical costumes is extraordinary to look at. Ishioka's costumes were often designed to be more evocative of a feeling than a particular period in time (she created the costumes for The Cell without a single literal reference point) and especially perfect for the science fiction, fantasy and horror films she designed for.

Although costume design might have been the field in which she was best known, Eiko Ishioka was a visual artist whose talent was never confined to a single medium , whether it was directing a music video for Björk or designing the costumes for the Cirque du Soleil and the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics. Her latest - and last - work as a costume designer is on the upcoming Mirror, Mirror, a decidedly campy-looking take on the story of Snow White whose costumes do not let their creator's reputation down and are at least 75% of the reason why the film looks like it's going to be a visual treat. I'll be going for this one as soon as I can,mainly because I want a last chance to see her genius blown up on a 70 mm screen. May she rest in peace.

Mirror, Mirror (2012). 

** image sources: The Costumer's Guide, eiko_ishioka.livejournal.com, io9.com.