Alannah Henry
This major project is an adaptation of the novel “A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J Maas. Published in 2016, set in a fantastical world inhabited by High Fae and Illyrians, tells the story of Feyre Archeron, who has now been granted the powers and lifespan of a High Fae. The novel explores themes of trauma, war, and transformation as Feyre navigates the web of politics, passion, and great power, while a more powerful evil lies ahead. Depicting Feyre’s time in The Spring Court through 1840s England, while depicting her time in The Night Court through Norse and Greek Mythology, showcasing the contrast. Through research, costume and character design, Alannah constructed a Norse mythology-inspired gown for Feyre.
Alannah constructed a Norse mythology-inspired garment inspired by an event within the novel called Starfall. This garment symbolises Feyre’s transition from survival to belonging. It contrasts with everything Feyre previously wore in the novel. Alannah wanted to construct a garment that is soft and unstructured, as described in the novel as weightless and fluid, allowing Feyre to occupy the space freely for the first time, with the garment responding to light and movement rather than controlling Feyre’s body.
Alannah constructed a Norse mythology-inspired garment, consisting of two princess seam gowns - the under layer being a satin back crepe gown, with the top being a chiffon gown with extra volume added into the seams - to give it that pooling effect. Learning and understanding the careful process of working with a delicate fabric such as chiffon, including the tiny hems that would be needed. Including the problem-solving and learning curve, the chiffon presented when attaching the two layers together. Alannah enjoyed the whole process, especially the little details such as the buttons, the draping along the back, the two trains and the beading along the front.
Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games series and its prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, effectively form the dystopian young adult genre. Book-to-film adaptations often apply meaningful creative choices that manipulate an audience's interpretation of the story’s themes and characters. Distinct visual symbolism is evident throughout the costume designs, which are more than surface details; their costumes function as a form of communication that expresses a political and narrative purpose beyond what the dialogue can convey. The adaptation of the films displays the mechanisms of control in which individual characters reclaim presentation to then challenge and overturn oppression.
Adaptation helps us, as the viewer, to understand the transition of literary symbols, characters, and central themes into the visual language. Particularly, costume that acts as a link between the internal world of the novels and the external world of the film, from being able to communicate character traits, social positions, power relations, and themes visually and instantly. Costumes can serve as a signifier within The Hunger Games, characterising deeper meanings that trace back to power, character development, and loyalty shifts, by applying Saussure’s idea of the signifier and signified to many of the iconic costumes throughout the series.
Alannah Henry is a 23-year-old costume design graduate. She is very passionate about sewing and making costumes for both film and TV. Over the past four years, she has gained experience in a variety of projects, both collaborative and individual - working on Dancing with the Stars and other productions. Alannah has a wide range of skills, including in-depth research, character design, technical sewing, and garment construction. She enjoys the process of understanding the characters' journeys and creating costumes that support those journeys. As a recent graduate of Design for Film (BA), she hopes to pursue costume designing and making in the industry.
