A selection of the Oscar-nominated costumes from Anna Karenina go on public display tomorrow. The London exhibition features pieces worn by Keira Knightley in the film, created by award-winning designer Jacqueline Durran.
The exhibit is on display at Ham House in Richmond – a key location used during the filming of Anna Karenina – and will be open to the public from January 26 to April 4. The costumes have been nominated for Best Costume Design at this year’s Oscars and BAFTA awards – recognition that Durran describes as "such an honour".
"I’m delighted, particularly because the entire production was such a strong team collaboration. Everyone was completely in tune throughout the project, so I’m really pleased," the designer told us. "You have to go into it thinking that you’ve got a 20 per cent chance of winning – it’s just such an honour to even be nominated. You can’t worry too much about it. It’s too traumatic! It’s almost a relief when you find out that you haven’t won, because you don’t have to go up on stage."
The costumes aren’t historically accurate, but at the same time had to be believably period and have an aura of period opulence. We took a design, minimised the frills and lace, stripped everything back to leave just the silhouette and then worked out a way to make that really beautiful."
It’s not the first time that Durran, Wright and Knightley have collaborated to silver screen success – the trio notably worked together on Atonement (which resulted in that scene with that green dress), and undoubtedly have found a winning formula. And if Durran had her way, she’d work on every project with the actress.
"Keira’s always so interested in her character and does a lot of research. She takes it very seriously," said Durran. "And what I love about her is that she’s not at all vain. She won’t ask us to make a costume in a certain way so that it suits her – it’s always about what’s best for the character and the shoot. She’d never turn around and say, ‘Oh, but I don’t wear red’. Keira’s very astute about what works, she’s very involved and very collaborative. There’s no starriness interfering.
"Of course it helps that she’s more than beautiful and everything just looks beautiful on her," she added. "She wears costumes so well. I’ve never dressed her in a modern wardrobe, I’d like to do that."
For a costume designer to have their work on public display must be the ultimate accolade – or so you’d think. Durran describes the honour as a "double-edged sword".
The Anna Karenina costume exhibition will be open at Ham House from January 26 until April 4, visit nationaltrust.org.uk for more details. The film is out on DVD and Blu-Ray from February 4. – Vogue