Costume Design, Its Principles and Position in the Cinema of Iran

by Melika Sadat Esmaeili

Costume design is one of the main elements in the film industry. Costume designers make actors/actresses identify with characters and deal with situations effectively. In other words, they give the story an identity.
In order to create the best designs, costume designers should be in touch with directors, producers, writers and makeup artists. After this stage, they can design suitable clothes with their own creativity and talent and with the help of research and styles.
Costume design in every company depends on the cultures and customs of the country of origin. When people stand on stage, their clothes can define their personalities. Clothes can determine a job, a person’s lifespan and such. If an actor or actress wants to have a memorable role, they need to look good as well as great acting. In other words, costume designers are able to make the characters look real and give them new roles.
Stages of a Proper Design
In order to create the best designs, costume designers should communicate with directors, producers, writers and makeup artists. After this stage, they can design suitable clothes with their own creativity and talent and with the help of research and styles.
Reading the Screenplay Line by Line
When a costume designer of a TV series reads the screenplay line by line, he/she can have a good command of each role and get to know characters and their characteristics more. In fact, a costume designer should enhance the appearance of the scene so that it can be used by a designer.
Communicating with Director

A costume designer should give the director his/her proposed designs after reading the screenplay and learning about characters so that the director gives the final approval based on scenes and other essentials. Indeed, costumes are means of interaction between the designer and the director.
Choosing Costumes for All Characters
Following the costume design activities, it is necessary to design a suitable costume for each character individually. At this stage, it is suggested that the designer should immerse himself/herself in the characters and their habits for a better result. He/she can understand the situation better this way.
Sketching
Sketching is the last stage of the costume design. In fact, the designer transfers all his/her ideas on a piece of paper and makes final changes to them. In the end, it is possible to agree on the final color of a costume according to the ideas of the director and prepare the original design.
Who Are the Best Iranian Costume Designers in the Cinema?
The most famous Iranian costume designer is a title that is presented to the top and most creative people in the field of fashion and costume design. Since Iran has always had much to offer in terms of art and there are so many people who are interested in the art of costume design, you cannot name one person as the most famous Iranian costume designer. A large group of creative Iranian youth has put their talent and effort into designing creative and great costumes, so that is why Iran is known to fashion designers.
There are several Iranian fashion and costume designers who today are among the most famous designers in the fashion industry.
The Costume Designer of “Dracula” Series
The costume designer of “Dracula” series is Ms. Nazanin Khazaei, who has worked in valuable projects such as “Doping”, “Hot Summer”, etc. This Iranian costume designer started her working life in the cinema 2

professionally in 2012. Ms. Khazaei, the designer of Dracula series, designed costumes of “Hot Summer” in 2016 which made her well-known and she progressed very well after that. It is interesting to know that this successful costume designer performs in the cinema besides designing. Nazanin Khazaei was nominated for the Crystal Simorgh (or the Crystal Phoenix) in the 35th Fajr International Film Festival as a costume designer. There may not be a variety of works in this young artist’s career, but her name in great works show that her presence in every series and film can attract the audience.
Khazaei has worked with great actors and actresses such as Parinaz Izadyar, Kambiz Dirbaz, Ali Mosaffa and such. This proves that she’s been clever at choosing good series for her career.
The Costume Designer of “The Frog” Series
The costume designer of “The Frog” series is Elham Moein, a well-known young artist who started her working life in the cinema at an early age. “The Frog” and “A Hairy Tale” are among her works as a costume designer. She graduated in costume design and is today active in this field. She has some other valuable works such as “Bomb: A Love Story” and “Reverence”, all of which show how creative and talented she is.
The Costume Designer of “Hezar Dastan” Series
Ali Hatami was a famous Iranian film director, producer, screenwriter, and costume designer who had his first experience of costume design in “Hezar Dastan” series. After all these years, Ali Hatami is gone and the costumes designed by him may be used in films but nobody knows or almost knows that Ali Hatami was also a costume designer, but they all know about “The Auteur Theory” he had. His name and works will not only be etched on the Iranian cinema’s memory but also in our historical country’s memory forever.
Melika Sadat Esmaeili