'Saltburn' Makes a Case for 2000s Fashion

Without a doubt, "Saltburn" is the viral movie of the moment. Whereas most corners of the internet are obsessing over that infamous bathtub scene, Jacob Elordi's infinite beauty, or Barry Keoghan's naked dance, others have been keen to focus on the craft of the film: The mesmerizing performances of Elordi, Keoghan, and Rosamund Pike; the ingenious vision of Emerald Fennell; the sumptuous cinematography and production design; and – of course – the costume design of Sophie Canale.

Best known for her work as costume designer of "Bridgerton," Canale's work on "Saltburn" is also making headlines for the way that she's been able to level up the questionable fashions of the mid-2000s, making clothing most of us think of as passé instead seem hip, sexy, and even necessary. Costume dramas and period pieces like "Bridgerton" tend to draw more acclaim for their clothes than works with contemporary costumes, yet it would be wise not to dismiss the costumes in "Saltburn" as merely contemporary; they convey to the viewer so much about who these people are, where they come from, and the world they currently inhabit.

While some might argue that the most alluring moments of "Saltburn" are the ones without any clothes, the wardrobe in this case really does make the movie. In a recent interview with Harper's Bazaar, costume designer Sophie Canale opened up about how she approached the film, the ways that she enhanced characterization through their clothes, and what she thinks about turn-of-the-millennium fashions making a comeback.

"I think clothing is really key to who and how people are," she told Harper's. "We're all part of tribes, even if we don't intend to be. Especially for an age group of university students as we see in this film, you're judged so easily by what you wear, and that was so important here."

In the film, the working-class (and very eager) Oliver Quick, played by Keoghan, enters Oxford on scholarship and he falls in with Felix, played by Elordi, together with the rest of his upper-class friends. Felix sympathizes with Oliver, who is dealing with some family issues, and invites him to spend the summer with him at his family's estate, called Saltburn. Part of Felix's allure, in addition to his incredible wealth, is the fact that he's the most beautiful man at Oxford.

"Felix, the most beautiful man in the world, wears the worst clothes known to man," writer-director Emerald Fennell told GQ. "Because boys like that don't have to dress well."

Indeed, while the students in the film are judged easily by what they wear, the beautiful and wealthy students – like Felix – get away with things that are resolutely unfashionable, donning things like slouchy sweaters, rumpled Oxfords, and ill-fitting jeans. Oliver, on the other hand, tries hard with his clothing – sometimes too hard – to varying success.

Before arriving at Oxford, Oliver makes sure he looks the part. He gets the whole outfit: The blazer, the tie, and the scarf. But when he shows up, the rich kids at Oxford are awash in mid-2000s classics like Uggs, polo shirts with popped collars, and velour tracksuits.

"In England, the richer and more old money people are, the more in disarray their clothes," Fennell – who actually did attend Oxford – told GQ. "So it was important that right from the get-go Oliver was the person who was trying desperately to fit in by wearing the blazer and the tie. Then he realizes that the A-team on campus... just wear pajamas and Ugg boots."

To nail this era of pajamas and Ugg boots, Canale looked to her own mid-2000s Facebook posts, in addition to what the old money of the UK was wearing at the time. People like Prince Harry and Prince William favored things like Abercrombie and Fitch rugby shirts, jeans, and polos by Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren.

"The 1990s are very popular in the UK right now," Canale told Bazaar, "but the 2000s are quite a strange period of fashion that hasn't quite come back to the same degree. It's an interesting period to costume, because they're not quite in the costume houses yet, but they're not in the shops anymore."

To solve this issue, Canale took to online resellers like Depop, eBay, and vintage shops to find the perfect garments. For inspiration, Canale immersed herself in pop culture from the era, studying the looks of people like Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, and Kate Moss.

"I do see the film as a period piece," she admitted to GQ, "because it wasn't about going to the high street or shopping in Selfridges and Harrods to get key pieces of today. Even the cut of a T-shirt; you can go into H&M now and the ribbing won't be the same as it was in the 2000s."

While the '90s have made a fashion comeback lately, the 2000s haven't quite gotten there yet, which is understandable considering its recency (and all the bad clothes most of us would like to forget). So what does Canale feel about a 2000s fashion resurgence?

"Who knows," she told Harper's Bazaar. "The higher-end brands from that period definitely had some beautiful key pieces. But those wide belts? And the bootcut jeans? There's a place in time for things, and I think it needs a while for those to come back."

Watch the "Saltburn" trailer here, and stream the film on Prime Video.