On 25 October, Italian costume designer Daniela Ciancio delivered an in-depth masterclass at Sofia’s CineLibri (10 October–3 November), as part of the BOB - Based on Books Forum, exploring the intricate craft of costume design in film. Active in cinema, theatre, opera, and ballet and known internationally for her work on Paolo Sorrentino’s Oscar-winning work The Great Beauty [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Paolo Sorrentino
scheda film], Ciancio shared insights into the creative and technical processes behind shaping a character’s identity through clothing. Throughout her decades-long career, she has worked with revered directors such as Antonio Capuano, Vincenzo Marra, Francesca Comencini, Michael Winterbottom, and JJ Abrams.

(L'articolo continua qui sotto - Inf. pubblicitaria)

Quoting Aristotle, Ciancio emphasised that costume design is about “making the invisible visible.” “Costume, for me, is something that has to show not only the outer side of the character, but also the inner part, the soul of the character,” she explained.

The designer outlined her process, which begins with a thorough reading of the script and discussions with the director to determine the atmosphere and tone of the film. Research is central to her work, encompassing historical periods, sociological and anthropological contexts, and even the minutiae of everyday life. Ciancio highlighted the importance of understanding the world the character inhabits, from how they dress and live to their habits and personal codes. This, she noted, is akin to how people choose to present themselves in daily life: “Even if we’re in the same time period, on the same day, in the same room… all of us like to represent ourselves through our costumes. Or we use the costume or our dress as a mask.”

Once the research and conceptualisation phases are over, Ciancio begins fittings with actors, a stage she describes as magical. She explained that the transformation occurs when actors wear their costumes, and details such as accessories, hats and jewellery can profoundly influence how they embody the role. She cited Deborah Nadoolman Landis, noting that when actors fully inhabit their costumes, the designer helps them turn into their character.

Using her work on The Great Beauty as a case study, Ciancio demonstrated how subtle alterations can define a character. For actor Toni Servillo’s portrayal of writer Jep Giambardella, she adjusted jacket and shirt patterns, collar heights and internal padding to modify his silhouette, ensuring it reflected the character’s elegance and charm while differentiating him from other figures in the film. She contrasted this with Servillo’s previous role as Giulio Andreotti in Il Divo [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Nicola Giuliano
intervista: Paolo Sorrentino
intervista: Philippe Desandre
scheda film], where his silhouette and posture were entirely different, creating a very old and short-looking figure, enhanced by lengthy make-up sessions.

Ciancio also highlighted the challenges of working to tight schedules and with limited budgets, noting that even in large productions like The Great Beauty, fittings and costume preparations often occur at the last minute. She emphasised the need to collaborate with directors, actors, and department teams, and for flexibility and creativity when unexpected changes arise on set.

Colour, texture, and silhouette, she explained, are the three fundamental tools for constructing a character’s visual identity. Through examples from films such as Wong Kar-Wai’s In the Mood for Love, she illustrated how careful attention to colour and fabric can convey mood, emotional states and narrative progression. In In the Mood for Love, for instance, the gradual evolution of costume colours mirrored the protagonists’ emotional journey, while coordination with set design and lighting reinforced the atmosphere.

Ciancio also discussed her approach to historical and research-based projects, such as police uniforms in penitentiary settings or period dramas. Here, attention to technical accuracy, detail and the social significance of clothing informs both realism and character differentiation. She underscored that research extends beyond mere aesthetics to encompass behaviour, group dynamics and the symbolic language of clothing.

Modern tools like artificial intelligence have entered her workflow, but Ciancio stressed the importance of traditional methods such as sketching and drawing to fully capture her vision. She views AI as a supplementary tool rather than a replacement for the artistic process.

Her masterclass concluded with reflections on the collaborative nature of costume design in cinema. She described fitting sessions with both leading actors and extras, where every detail - from earrings to pocket squares -was meticulously planned to add to the visual narrative. In films like The Great Beauty, where street casting resulted in hundreds of minor characters, the costume department’s work extended to ensuring continuity and coherence across the entire ensemble. The party scenes served as clear examples of how meticulously each and every extra had to be dressed, providing a memorable backdrop for the performances of Servillo, Sabrina Ferilli and Carlo Verdone.

Ciancio’s approach blends technical precision and artistic intuition, always aiming to create a world that’s both credible and expressive. She left the audience with a final reflection on the transformative power of costume: “When the audience feels the actor is the character, costume design has been done well. You need to forget the actor; you have to see the character.”