A24 Releases ‘Euphoria Fashion’ Book With Heidi Bivens
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While audiences eagerly anticipate a third season of “Euphoria,” A24 is offering fans a closer look at the costumes that have helped establish the series as a cultural talking point. The production company and costume designer Heidi Bivens have commemorated the show’s impact on fashion with the release of “Euphoria Fashion,” a coffee table book, which was released Tuesday.
In addition to appealing to “Euphoria” fans, the book serves as an insider’s guide to the creative process that goes into building the visual language of onscreen characters. “Hopefully it will inspire people who maybe hadn’t thought about costumes before to explore that as a profession,” Bivens says.
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The book features interviews between Bivens and cast members including Zendaya, Hunter Schafer and Alexa Demie, as well as series creator Sam Levinson and makeup artist Doniella Davy. The book highlights standout looks from the show, and details the reasoning behind sartorial choices for each character through “flat lay” breakdowns of specific looks. There’s the burgundy hoodie that Zendaya’s Rue wore throughout season one and a compilation of her graphic T-shirts; various heavily layered ensembles worn by Schafer’s Jules, and the strappy two-piece I.Am.Gia set worn by Demie for the carnival episode in season one.
While Bivens describes her process for season one, her first TV project, as “one foot in front of the other” — some episodes featured 30 costume changes for one character — season two offered an opportunity to reflect on the evolution of each character. While the book offered an opportunity to detail the minutiae of sartorial choices for the main characters, it also highlights the notable fashion shifts that took place. Bivens notes that heading into season two, fashion brands took note of the show’s impact and were eager to align themselves with the show.
“The first season of ‘Euphoria,’ I remember reaching out to brands and telling them that Zendaya was attached, which usually will open any door, but still having some resistance from brands who didn’t quite yet understand the value,” says Bivens, adding that several brands who ignored (or “missed”) her initial emails about clothing requests for season one later reached out. “TV is now given a platform for contemporary costume designers to have this wider pool of resources,” she adds. “Fashion has started to understand the value of putting clothes on camera and not just on a red carpet.”
The book features a foreword by designer Jeremy Scott, who designed the embroidered Moschino dress worn by Sydney Sweeney in the second season, and a conversation with costume designer Arianne Phillips. Although Phillips didn’t work on the show, Bivens highlights her colleague as a “chosen mentor” and an example for what was possible for her to achieve within the industry.
“I referred to her as a mentor before I even met her,” Bivens says. “She has been such an inspiration to me, because she has worked in fashion and then also in film. When I first started out, there weren’t many — if any — costume designers who were working in both industries,” she adds. “She set a precedent in the costume and fashion world that I always thought was really exciting.”
Bivens recently worked as a creative producer on Levinson’s upcoming series “The Idol” starring Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd. “Because I was unavailable to jump on at the time and do the costume design, I asked them if I could come on as a creative producer, to find the designer and build the team and oversee costumes,” Bivens says. “It’s just been amazing to work with producers who value a costume designer in a larger creative way and not just, ‘you put clothes on people.’ And I’m hoping to do more of that.”
Bivens is considering moving into a similar role for the third season of “Euphoria,” when prep starts later this spring.
“We’re still ironing out details,” adds Bevins, noting that she’s also interested in directing. “This season, if I’m not on the ground designing every single costume and I’m taking more of a producer role as the season progresses, then I’m hoping to shadow Sam and observe him more as a director. And hopefully turn a corner and do more of that.”
Bivens recently directed four episodes of animated YA series “Gossamer,” and is also in the midst of pitching her own show, a period piece set in Milan. “Directing actors felt really natural and I’m always dealing with and working with the actors in the fittings. Moving a step beyond that and thinking about their motivation and being able to communicate with them on a set in order to get the desired performance is something that feels natural to me. I’m excited to do more,” she says, adding that she’s enjoyed taking on a more comprehensive creative role that allows her to speak to all aspects of a project’s aesthetic.
“In the past, as a costume designer, you’re expected to kind of stay in your own lane,” she adds. “The producers of ‘Euphoria’ have entrusted me in a new way with bringing me onto ‘The Idol’ as a coproducer. It’s made me feel more confident about creating my own opportunities in ways that I think I didn’t think were possible before.”
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