Canonero used a mixture of authentic period pieces and original designs, importing yards of tulle, organza, taffeta and silk from specialty houses in Italy and England, as well as thousands of plumed feathers, to create a rainbow array of royal costumes. She brought in milliners to put together hundreds of hats and spent endless hours embroidering buttons. “Buttons are absolutely key to the 18th century look,” she notes.
As for footwear, one of Marie Antoinette’s obsessions, Canonero utilized the designs of today’s trend-setting designer Manohlo Blahnik to create stylized versions of 18th Century shoes. “They’re not 100% period, yet they have that kind of feeling,” she says.
In dressing Dunst, Canonero collaborated closely with Coppola. “Sofia wanted a richness and a freshness for Marie Antoinette, and the clothes needed to show her evolution from a very young girl to a sophisticated woman,” she says. “You see through her dresses how she gains more confidence and even her décolletage becomes more emphasized.”
Although many women wore wigs during the time of Marie Antoinette, Canonero and Coppola chose a more natural look for Dunst, often using powder on her hair in the 18th century manner but also allowing her blonde hair to remain natural. “The hair is a departure from what we often associate with Marie Antoinette, but we looked for what would suit Kirsten best in these more intimate moments,” notes Canonero.
Dunst’s makeup – while extreme – was very much in keeping with the 18th Century fascination with heavy rouge. “If anything, the real look of the times was even more bold,” explains Canonero.
While the gowns for Marie Antoinette could have occupied her team for months by themselves, Canonero simultaneously was designing a broad array of costumes for Mare Antoinette’s court – with each character getting his or her own unique look.
In addition to Marie Antoinette, two of Canonero’s favorite female characters are the Comtesse de Noialles, portrayed by Judy Davis, and Madame Du Barry, played by Asia Argento. “They are unique women,” says Canonero. “For the Comtesse de Noailles, the look was very elegant and striking – she wears lots of yellow, citron and lime to represent her acidic qualities. Madame Du Barry, however, is like an exotic bird, almost like a parrot. She’s a little over the top, full of jewelry, turbans and feathers.”
When it came to Schwartzman’s Louis XVI, Canonero again moved away from the standard clichés. “I didn’t want to cover him in embroidery the way you always see him in paintings, so we tried for a bit more simplicity,” she explains. “This was the height of French decadence but we wanted to emphasize that Louis XVI was from a new generation and his clothes show a movement forward. We used a very tailored look, strikingly graphic, with rich materials and a lighter embroidery. But he does wear a lot of Louis XVI’s favorite colors – soft blues and grays.”
Schwartzman found that when it came to going back in time, the clothes indeed helped to make the man. “The costumes were a big help to me because there’s something about putting on these kinds of outfits that just changes you physically. Layer by layer, you start to travel back in time. You stand in a different way. Your back goes up, your shoulders are tighter, and you walk and sit differently, too. It’s very transporting,” he says. Throughout the extensive process, Canonero’s team worked both day and night shifts to keep the film’s entire cast of court members in fresh and spirited outfits. Canonero was constantly presenting Coppola with choices, to assure that their visions were in sync.
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