‘The Idol’ costume designer Natasha Newman-Thomas says the clothes used in the series were a powerful storytelling prop.
The controversial HBO series – which was criticised for it’s excessive sex scenes – follows pop singer Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) as she tries to recover her career following a nervous breakdown that occurs in the wake of her mother’s death, whilst fighting for control of her relationship with boyfriend Tedros (The Weeknd), the head of a contemporary cult.
Newman-Thomas was the person responsible for dressing the cast for the show and she has revealed that the clothing chosen for The Weeknd – real name Abel Tesfaye – to wear as Tedros were key to conveying the sinister person underneath he was trying to hide from Jocelyn and the world.
In the show, Tedros is actually called Mauricio Jackson and is a convicted felon who was found guilty of kidnapping and abusing his ex-girlfriend in 2012.
The pattern-clad luxury shirts, sunglasses and expensive Gucci belts were deliberately chosen by Newman-Thomas to act as a disguise.
In an interview with Hypebeast.com, she said: “The aviators, the rings, the necklace with the Ethiopian cross. He’s giving you this false backstory of who the character is off the bat.
“That silhouette tells you so much about the character, this ominous force, and the accessories that he wears really play into his character a lot too.
“With his Gucci belt, for example, he wants to have a little high fashion element, but he pairs it with vintage clothes that might actually be more realistic to the character’s price point.”
Discussing the fashion choices for Depp’s alter ego Jocelyn, Newman-Thomas admitted that her attempts to reclaim her mental health and career by using her sexuality “is a through line across the entire season”.
She shared: “In episode one, Jocelyn’s style is a lot about her youth and a sense of playfulness, but she’s trying to really harness her sexuality and use it in a powerful way.
“That is a through line across the entire season.”
