This interview contains spoilers for the movie Opus.
In Opus, Mark Anthony Green’s directorial debut, fashion is psychological—from cult members in hypnotizing hues of indigo to a David Bowie-esque pop star adorned in dazzling brooches and Rick Owens platforms. That vision came to life thanks to Opus costume designer Shirley Kurata.
The new A24 thriller follows disaffected journalist Ariel Ecton (Ayo Edebiri), who gets invited to an intimate listening party by the reclusive mononymous pop star Moretti (John Malkovich). Strange things occur at his remote ranch, jeopardizing not only Ecton’s career but also her life. As she battles both a cult and her editor-in-chief’s ego, she comes face-to-face with the deadly side of celebrity culture—and some amazing fits.
Kurata, who was nominated for an Oscar for her work on Everything Everywhere All at Once, tapped her contacts at brands like Rick Owens, Prada, and Rodarte for the high fashion moments. But Mark Anthony Green’s background as a GQ editor (and onetime style columnist) lent itself well to the process, too. “I would ask him, “Well, how do you see this character? What would he be wearing?” Kurata told GQ. “Most directors would be like, ‘Oh, a leather jacket,’ but MAG would take it one step further and he would give you the brand. He’s like, ‘A leather jacket, but a Belstaff jacket.’”
GQ caught up with Kurata ahead of Opus’s March 14 release. Dressed in a pink and orange Adidas tracksuit with a pair of her signature striking glasses, she told GQ about researching cults, John Malkovich’s crucial sarong suggestion, and how she developed her own maximalist style.
GQ: What kind of research went into this project?
Shirley Kurata: Well, I watched a lot of documentaries about cults and how they dressed. I also researched, especially for Moretti, different legendary rock musicians and what their costumes were like. We only had a month of prep, so I wanted to just research what he would have worn in the ’80s and the ’90s, and then what is the modern-day version of that. And so it was researching musicians in real life and how their style has evolved.
What was the most striking thing that you discovered about the ways that musicians dress themselves?
I noticed that there was always a love for embellishments, and so I thought that that was important with Moretti. They often had their tailors making custom pieces for them. I wanted to give that vibe of just like he has his people making his get-ups, because he’s a showman, right? Even when he’s just on a ranch in the middle of the US somewhere, there are still elements of it, but I wanted it to also be realistic in that environment as well.
When Ecton meets with Moretti in prison, he points out that, in her book, she incorrectly wrote he was wearing cream-colored alligator boots instead of smoke-colored python boots when they first met. You get the sense that he’s particular about his wardrobe. The Rick Owens shoes he had on earlier in the film also stood out to me.
I was researching the ’70s glam rock era, so Bowie, Ziggy Stardust, and Brian Eno. I just thought platform shoes would be so cool, and John was so into that idea. He’s like, “I used to wear platform shoes back in the day. That’s totally fine.” And so I saw the Rick Owens platform boots because there are only so many brands that actually still make platform boots in men’s sizes.
No, that wasn’t. It was funny because we tried all these different looks and then landed on that, and then I brought it up with Ayo. I was like, “Well, are you okay with the fact that your outfit’s like Stan?” And she’s like, “I think that’s funny,” and I was like, “Okay,” because she’s trying to impress him.
