The exploration of The Great Gatsby through dress
Publication Date
Spring 2025
Presentation Length
20 minutes
College
O'More College of Architecture & Design
Department
Fashion Design and Merchandising
Student Level
Undergraduate
Faculty Advisor
Nia Allen
SPARK Session
Evolution of Fashion II: The Glamour and Grayscale – Fashion in Film Student Projects
Presentation Type
Talk/Oral
Summary
Exploration of The Great Gatsby through Dress
In our presentation on The Great Gatsby (2013), we explored the film’s rich symbolism, historical context, and groundbreaking costume design. We highlighted how director Baz Luhrmann’s lavish visuals and modern soundtrack reimagined Fitzgerald’s critique of the American Dream, while Catherine Martin’s Oscar-winning costumes deepened character arcs through color, fabric, and silhouette. By analyzing settings like East Egg and the Valley of Ashes, we underscored the era’s social divides, and through characters like Gatsby and Daisy. We explored and examined themes of illusion versus reality. Our project also connected the film’s fashion to real-world trends, showcasing its lasting cultural impact.
Through this project, we explored how costume design plays a crucial role in telling a story. We analyzed costume designer Catherine Martin’s research and collaboration with Prada which helped bring the 1920s to life. Catherine’s contribution to costuming added deeper meaning to the film and connected it to the culture of the 1920s. For example, her use of Gatsby’s pastel suits and formal outfits shows how he carefully builds his image and the same can be said for the use of colors to depict personalities and character. This helped us explore the fashion in films and how it helps show a character’s personality and social status through dress. By contextualizing these details, we better understood how the film highlights class divisions, wealth, and the idea of chasing an illusion through dress.
In conclusion, our project will show a new perspective on how visual elements like costume design contribute to a film’s deeper themes and messaging. Costuming is not just for style, but a powerful way to tell a story and express important ideas.
Recommended Citation
Andrews, Kira, "The exploration of The Great Gatsby through dress" (2025). SPARK Symposium Presentations. 51.
https://repository.belmont.edu/spark_presentations/51
