Poker Face Costume Designer Scanned Thrift Stores to Create Accessible Looks for Natasha

Posted by Jenniffer Sheldon on Wednesday, June 5, 2024

The desert meets the ’70s meets the Western. That’s how “Poker Face” costume designer Trayce Gigi Field describes the vibe of Peacock’s whodunnit series starring Natasha Lyonne.

Lyonne plays Charlie Cale, a casino worker with a knack for solving crimes as she goes on the run across the country. Field knew the first thing she had to do was create a look that was a departure from Lyonne’s previous series, “Russian Doll.” First rule: No black.

“We wanted a different color palette, so I put together mood boards, and some of those things like the buttery brown YSL jacket made it into the series,” says Field.

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Charlie is a character who lives off the beaten path and “probably shops at thrift stores,” says Field. Furthermore, she wanted to ground Charlie in reality, and as someone who keeps her clothes in the car. “Natasha loved the black rickrack vest, so we repeated it,” she says. “You’ll see the same jeans, T-shirt and same jacket, and because she’s a real person. She wears the same things all the time.”

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Their conversations about Charlie’s outfits continued throughout shooting: “We talked about what her character is doing and what the right pieces would be for that particular scene or episode.”

To craft each outfit, Field collected pieces from Urban Outfitters, antique malls, thrift shops and a few smaller brands. “I’m always trying to find clothes that are exclusive, but not too exclusive because you want people to be able to access them,” she says. “I liked smaller brands, too, because maybe it’s not too mass-produced, and that kept it special and fresh like our characters.”

As for Charlie’s trucker hat, Field says it was the perfect accessory for the character. “It keeps the sun off her face and keeps her incognito. I feel she got that at a gas station,” she says. As for where Field found it? Amazon — made by Zipper. Stevie Nicks and Debbie Harry were among the music icons on Field’s vision boards to help infuse a ’70s vibe into Charlie’s outfits, as evident in her vintage T-shirts and short shorts.

Another rock star, Joan Jett, was the inspiration for Chloë Sevigny’s character, Ruby Ruin, the lead singer of metal group Doxxxology, who appear in episode 4.

“Chloë is a fashion icon, and you can put her in anything,” says Field. “I was going for rock realness — leather, a studded belt and a choker.” The look was completed with Alexander McQueen pumps.

Cherry Jones, who appears as Laura in episode 8, was inspired by Disney villain Cruella de Vil. To create the look, Field worked with hair department head Marcel Dagenais, who presented her with a white wig. “I said let’s go with that,” Field recalls. “I wanted her clothes — vintage Max Mara and Carolina Herrera — to feel mean with this sense of ‘The Devil Wears Prada.’”

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