By ROBERT M. HORSTING
SPECIAL TO THE RAFU
On Feb. 5, the Aratani Theatre in Little Tokyo was filled with fans of the award-wining FX television series “Shōgun.”
The program, titled “Designing Shōgun: An Evening of Art and Storytelling,” began with a screening of the pilot episode of the series’ 10-episode first season.
Cheryl Boone Isaacs, founding director and professor of practice at The Sidney Poitier New American Film School, introduced the participants of the Q&A panel session: Emmy-winning “Shōgun” costume designer Carlos Rosario; Hollis Goodall, curator of Japanese art for L.A. County Museum of Art (LACMA); and Hirokazu Kosaka, master artist in residence at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center. The moderator was Spencer Williams of Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.
The program was presented as a collaborative effort of The Sidney Poitier New American Film School at ASU and JACCC.
Rosario, a French designer of Spanish heritage, spoke about the international collaborative effort in researching and designing the beautiful garments. The year-and-a-half research effort included studying the fashions prior to and following the year 1600, when the story is set.
With meticulous attention to details, the resulting costumes conveyed the rich use of materials, colors and intricate patterns for those of the highest social class of royalty and ruling regents. The samurai class wore less intricate patterns, and a color palette assigned to help distinguish the members of each of the five regent’s clans. The peasants of the fishing village wore the simpler, functional clothing of their station in society.
After having seen many material swatches that were uninspiring, Rosario assembled a team in Japan to find materials and colors that would convey the rich culture of the era. He explained his “aha” moment came to him after seeing the shipment of intricate one-off bolts of fabric.
“This was Japan in this box,” he said, adding, “I told them we needed to increase the budget.”
The commitment to elevate the quality and details of the costumes would impact other production departments, raising the level of the set designs and the manner in which scenes were shot.
“Wool and cotton were imported fabrics,” Goodall shared, pointing out that tabi made with cotton were only worn by the very wealthy. She noted that brown was the fashionable color of the time.
Goodall also expressed her appreciation of the raven feathered, fashion-forward garment worn by Lord Yabushige (played by Tadanobu Asano), giving him the appearance of a rock star.
Kosaka spoke to the history of this period and how the various clothing and accessories, such as katana (swords) worn by the samurai class or the weight of the women’s multi-layered kimono, would affect the gait and manner of how one walked. This swagger or floating grace of movement provided visually entertaining elements on screen.
Addressing some cultural differences, Rosario said he and the Canadian production team thought more along the bigger picture mindset in prepping, while the Japanese team members came with an attention to the small details. Coming to that understanding and respecting those differing approaches provided the peace of mind and comfort for all to contribute their highest quality efforts to their roles in production functions and performances. The nominations and awards reflect that.
With some pride, Rosario noted a sample of the nuance in their attention to details. In the scene introducing the Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), he is guiding his bird of prey to hunt pheasant. The first scene in which Lord Toranaga appears in front of Lord Ishido (Takehiro Hira), his nemesis, Ishido’s garment is adorned with a pheasant pattern.
Learning this detail would likely have inspired many to rewatch this first episode and become party to this bit of inside info that they could now appreciate and share with their friends.
On Feb. 6, Rosario won his first Costume Designer’s Guild Award for Best Period Costumes for TV.