“You don’t have to be nervous,” says Sophie (Amandla Stenberg), tries to calm his frightened new girlfriend Bee (Maria Bakalova) in an opening scene of A24 slasher-thriller comedy “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies.” The two drive to Sophie’s best friend David (Pete Davidson)’s upstate New York mega-manse (technically the estate of his one-percenter parents) for a grown-up sleepover in the middle of an impending hurricane. Feels ominous, right?
If you look closely, Sophie is a mismatch Brandy Melville earrings dangling to the right of the screen is a small silver skeleton. “It’s a fun little Easter egg — like ‘bodies, bodies,’ bodies!”, says costume designer Katina Danabassis.
Bee (Maria Bakalova) and Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) with her little skeleton earring looking forward.
Photo: Gwen Capistran/Courtesy of A24
Danabassis, who designed writer Mike Mills’ acclaimed film “C’mon C’mon,” boasts some serious Gen-Z costume bonafides. She earned an Emmy nomination as part of Heidi Bivenss team in season one of “Euphoria“, and also counts April Napier (“Book smart“”Lady Bird“) as a mentor.
For director Halina Reijn’s exciting, bloody treatise on Gen-Z social – and social media – dynamics, Danabassis began her research process in the cohort’s natural habitat: Instagram. “I felt it was the necessary place to start,” says Danabassis.
As the hurricane begins to rage outside, Sophie and her friends engage in a “Mafia”-like game called “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies.” But as the group tries to uncover the pretend killer, their bubbling anger, rivalries and deep-seated insecurities surface. The searing revelations and accusations feel particularly crucial to a generation fixated on how they present themselves (and are seen) online. It’s clear the 20-somethings are dressed for it, too, whether they’re doing a TikTok dance or running from a real killer who’s picking them off one by one in the sprawling mansion.
Like arranging clues, Danabassis considered several factors in determining the ideal character-creating costumes for each of the leads, who slowly reveal themselves as the story—and the tension—intensifies.
“It’s like a Venn diagram” of “texture, gloss, lightness and reality,” says Danabassis, who had to consider Reijn’s kinetic, naturalistic direction and cinematographer Jacob Wolf’s frenetically tense camerawork.
Ahead, Danabassis takes us through each of the main characters as you guess who the killer is and who survives the night.
Sophie (Amandla Stenberg)
Sophie, Bee, David (Pete Davidson) and Alice (Rachel Sennott).
Photo: Erik Chakeen/With permission from A24
Low-key super-rich Sophie – who has been silent on the group text – surprises her friends when she arrives at the party. Her Gucci logo tote, with a thick gold chain strap, hints at her parents’ vast net worth, but her layered outfit feels like a metaphor for her true loyalties and troubled past that’s slowly being revealed: a neon yellow Zara tank, black bra peeking out, topped by a Asos long-sleeved plaid shirt and an oversize Uniqlo hooded sweatshirt with zipper.
“I wanted Sophie to feel a little bit gamine,” says Danabassis, who also added tough, sporty and vulnerable elements. “She could get dirty, but there’s also a sex appeal.”
Filming took place last year, so Danabassis was actually ahead of the trends in shopping Sophie’s H&M shorts, a style now worn by celebrities from Bella Hadid to Meghan Markle. “The long pant shorts elevated the look,” she says.
Danabassi’s tenacity conveyed through Sophie’s sturdy patent leather boots from Kickers: “In the dark, [the boots] could catch light… She’s more out and taking more and more risks.”
Bee (Maria Bakalova)
Sophie and Bee have a quiet moment.
Photo: Erik Chakeen/With permission from A24
Bee is the working-class, Russian immigrant outsider who ventures into the viper’s nest of wealthy, debauched, backstabbing friends. She assesses the group as they chug Veuve Clicquot (plucked from the exclusive wine cellar) and snort lines like it’s a Bret Easton Ellis novel from the 80s.
“Bee is a practical, pragmatic character,” says Danabassis. “She’s no good woman woman.”
The costume designer drew inspiration from the French model and Demna Gvasalia’s muse Yuri Escudie for Bee’s long shorts from Aritzia, Dickie’s work shirt and graphic t-shirt designed by multidisciplinary artist and punk musician Andrea Lukic. The latter has a drawing of two sides of one face, which suggests a duality – and perhaps duplicity. (Like, is Bee who she says she is? Does anyone?) Danabassis was drawn to how the artwork expressed Bee’s personality: “There’s a noir to it and it’s kind of dark and there’s a femininity to it , but it’s also a little bit gross, in a great way. Bee isn’t afraid to just do something creepy. I really liked that for Bee, because there’s a DIY-ness to her character.”
Danabassis also incorporated a little sartorial foreshadowing with Bee’s purple bandana bracelet, which lingers on screen as she places her hand on the railing as she explores the expansive house. The bracelet’s bold hue is a nod to the title of a popular industry book, “If It’s Purple, Someone’s Gotta Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling” — and a series of upcoming events.
Alice (Rachel Sennott)
Alice and her glow sticks.
Photo: Courtesy of A24
Tragically self-aware podcaster Alice is dressed for the occasion in a rainbow crochet halter top from Zara, leather jeans from Aritzia and straps with a stacked heel that looks cute but still gives you the option of running for your life. She also brings an out-and-out for the weekend: Greg (Lee Pace), a 40-year-old she recently met, perhaps on Tinder.
“We wanted her to feel sexy because she has this date, like she’s trying to be hot and sexy for Greg,” says Danabassis. “Also, what do you wear to a party upstate? Like, do do you dress up It’s like she’s really going for it.”
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The tactile outfit – with the textured patterns on the top and flashes from the pants – also complements Alice’s glow-stick necklaces and bracelets, which catch (or even just give) light as the body count increases. The metallic pink cowboy hat she wears for a brief moment also captures the carefree recreational-drug-enhanced euphoria that quickly dissipates.
“It’s silly,” says Danabassis. “She’s just a goofy girl and she’s a lot of fun, and that’s why she was able to pull off the craziness of those glow sticks with her outfit. It somehow works together in the chaos.”
Emma (Chase Sui Wonders)
Sophie, Bee, Emma (in her blood and rain soaked Zara) and Alice.
Photo: Erik Chakeen/With permission from A24
Emma’s buttercream Zara sundress – with the ruching and delicate band at the ’90s-style square neckline – speaks to her people-pleasing nature and the picture-perfect image she wants to convey. She’s the actor of the group (although her passive-aggressive friends seem to have mixed reviews of her performance in “Hedda Gabler”), and as the soon-to-be-deadly game heats up, asshole boyfriend David accuses her of having no originality (and overuse of Twitter buzzwords), sending Emma into a fit of tears.
“It’s this vulnerability,” says Danabassis. “She has so many vulnerable moments and she gets really dark, but she always tries to keep this positivity. The colors for her were just really sweet and bright.”
But Emma’s full schoolgirl-referential look is also a powerhouse: “For that outfit, it’s really all about the shoes. She’s supposed to be a wealthy girl, so she has those patents on. Miu Miu Mary Janes; the ankle socks with metallic lamé thread are just an extra little style point.”
Jordan (Myha’la Herrold)
Bee, Sophie, Jordan (in her tactical-chic Sandy Liang tank top) and Alice.
Photo: Gwen Capistran/Courtesy of A24
Despite being a longtime group member, Jordan has a big chip on her shoulder and sees herself as an outsider. She and Sophie also seem to have some sort of past connection.
Jordan has “a boldness and a bravery,” says Danabassis. “She doesn’t care. She’s just comfortable with her body.” For example, when she crawls out of the pool to reluctantly greet Sophie and Bee, she’s actually wearing her bra and thong, not a pool-ready bikini.
Jordan also cares the least about dressing up for a hurricane party, and is definitely not interested in adorning herself for the male gaze. After shedding her vintage-esque sweatshirt during the first bloody death, she reveals a black cut-out athletic-style tank top by Sandy Liang and wide leg chinos. The ensemble feels tactical-chic, especially when Jordan resourcefully dons a headlamp to maneuver through the house.
“There’s a militant thing about it,” says Danabassis. “It just hits the trends that are happening, but also feels natural and believable – purposeful naturalism.”
Greg (Lee Pace)
Photo: Gwen Capistran/Courtesy of A24
Danabassis recalls his conversation with the Internet’s sweetheart about how he envisioned his geriatric millennial character: “He’s like, ‘Greg’s just down for a good time, and he’s just there to have fun.'”
Breadless, Greg successfully sabers a bottle of champagne with David’s father’s Gurkha sword, impressing the young women and threatening the frail David. His straightforward swim trunks with elasticated waist and acid-washed hat suggest that he feels relaxed and effortless in his masculinity. To dress up for the evening festivities, Greg dons a striped short-sleeve button-down shirt from Urban Outfitters.
“His shirt is this natural cotton or linen that hits that note of ‘natural man,’ maybe a wisdom,” says Danabassis. “Like, he’s been through some stuff.”
Greg later takes a break from the backbiting Zoomers and relaxes in a sticky, long-sleeved white thermos—which was actually Pace’s suggestion. Danabassis also “doctored” a pair of Reigning Champ sweat shorts, “so he looked really good and struck a note: still relevant, but older and a little out of this world that they’re in.”
David (Pete Davidson)
Greg and David don’t see eye to eye.
Photo: Gwen Capistran/Courtesy of A24
David – Sophie’s best friend and an idle ultra-rich kid (the others are just on a regular basis rich) — has a lot to prove. “He’s trying to be alpha, but he’s making up for something. He’s loud and obnoxious and cold, but he’s on trend and knows what’s cool,” says Danabassis, who landed on a designer streetwear aesthetic after discussed the grade with Davidson.
“We ended up calling it the ‘baby suit,'” she says of the pink Supreme hoodie and long shorts sets, which she luckily found in multiples. Gucci slides with ruffled athletic socks complete David’s punch-chasing look. (It also looks a lot Pete Davidson, who interestingly tells Sophie what seems like a meta BDE referential line: “I look like I’m fucking. That’s my whole vibe.”)
“The pink was a fun touch and a bold choice,” says Danabassis. “If anyone can, Pete can do it.”
‘Bodies, Bodies, Bodies’ premieres on Friday, August. 5 in cinemas.
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