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Joker: Folie à Deux received an 11-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival—three minutes longer than Todd Phillips’ original film. Whether or not this increased ovation can be used to measure its success is up for debate. What’s certain, however, is the strong emotional resonance the sequel elicits across audiences. While much of the film’s anticipation is rooted in Todd Phillips’ Oscar-nominated writing, Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar-winning performance, and the addition of multi-talented Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, it is Arianne Phillips’ costume design that plays a pivotal role in bringing depth and realism to these characters. As a three-time Academy Award nominee, with additional nominations from BAFTA, the Critic’s Choice Awards, and the Costume Designers Guild Awards, Phillips’ sartorial choices are integral to stripping away the superficial elements tied to the Joker’s caricature. In Folie à Deux, her work psychoanalyzes and redefines the iconic duo, preserving the traditional visual cues of Harley Quinn and the Joker, while adapting their wardrobe to humanize their chaos and absurdity. Grounding these characters in a style reflective of everyday life, Phillips removes the “costumey” feel, instead creating designs that enhance the emotional depth of the film’s themes. Her expertise, showcased in films such as Walk the Line, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, and Don’t Worry Darling, is the driving force behind the visceral connection audiences will feel with the new complexities of these characters. Be sure to catch Arianne Phillips’ masterful designs in Joker: Folie à Deux when it hits theaters this Friday, October 4. Whether or not the film lives up to its festival reaction, her costumes undoubtedly breathe new life into these iconic characters.
Arianne is a part of Exposure NY’s styling division. Exposure NY is a photography/styling agency in New York City.
