Tag: Cate Adams, Costume Designer

“The Killer” Costume Designs by Cate Adams: The Expert

Cate Adams, Costume Designer
Edited by Leonard Zelig
Behind the Scenes photos by Miles Crist
March 5, 2024

Illustrations by Richard Merritt
(Click to view in full resolution)

During my first talks with David Fincher to discuss the script, one of the first notes he gave me was that maybe “The Expert” should be in an Ann Taylor suit. Ann Taylor is a small US chain of clothing stores for fashion-forward career women. Put together, but not flashy. Very understated despite her wealth. That was my first impression.

When we got closer to shooting the scenes with Tilda Swinton in Chicago, there was correspondence between her and David about shaping the character, what she would wear, what her house looks like, that he shared with me and Gigi Williams, Head of Makeup.

She lives in a beautiful, mid-century modern home, and she has money from her occupation, but she is very under the radar. She indulges herself with smaller luxuries like fine-dining restaurants, where she keeps her own bottle of whisky, and Swiss ultra-luxury vintage watches like an Audemars Piguet. A masseuse could be seen leaving her home with a table.

David suggested a simple but beautiful dress with a flow, with a sway. It had to be warm because it was going to be really cold since we were shooting at night in Chicago in February. So, maybe wool. And nice shoes, but not so tall as to risk hurting anyone when she topples. He wanted something that was in a lighter tone, similar to “The Killer” in Paris. It’s funny how there are these hidden Easter eggs, everything connected. And all the light tones couldn’t have a touch of pink in them. If you look at some khakis on the color wheel they will lead to pink. And he doesn’t like pink. I also had to avoid greens. And patterns. So, it had to be muted tones like off-white, ecru, eggshell, cement… She shouldn’t be menacing when you first see her. You want a bit of compassion or empathy for her.

I knew I wasn’t going to have a lot of time with Tilda. So, we just started doing a lot of research. After scouring the internet for dresses and looking for reference photos of her films and press appearances, we started to think that we should make our own dress.

Read the full exclusive article here, on The Fincher Analyst

“The Killer” Costume Designs by Cate Adams: The Dominatrix

Cate Adams, Costume Designer
Edited by Leonard Zelig
March 5, 2024

Illustrations by Richard Merritt
(Click to view in full resolution)

“The Dominatrix” is played by the gorgeous and fearless Monique Ganderton, a top Hollywood Stunt Performer, Stunt Coordinator, Actress, and Director.

We started to research for the looks of The Dominatrix in Los Angeles, around July/August of 2021. From the script and David’s notes, I knew we wanted her to be elegant with a hint of sexy the first time we see her, but not revealing as we didn’t want to give away what was to come. The inspiration for this look came from images of the classic vintage style of vedettes and fashion icons from France, such as Carine Roitfeld, formerly of Vogue Paris, Victoria Beckham, and vedette, burlesque dancer, and model Dita Von Teese in public:

Read the full exclusive article here, on The Fincher Analyst

“The Killer” Costume Designer Cate Adams Makes Michael Fassbender Blend In

Jack Giroux
January 10, 2024
Below the Line

Costume designer Cate Adams convinces audiences a guy like Michael Fassbender can walk through the world unnoticed. That’s not an easy task. The costume designer makes the titular character in David Fincher‘s The Killer an assassin who blends into his surroundings, almost like death himself in the big cities.

It’s a Fincher film in which the craftsmanship shines without drawing attention away from the story at hand.

Or, in the case of The Killer, the character. It’s more about point-of-view than plot, thanks to Andrew Kevin Walker‘s cold yet intimate, clockwork-like script as well as the impeccable work from crew members such as Adams. She makes the killer’s world and his wardrobe more tangible, both mundane and poppy.

Recently, the costume designer spoke with Below the Line about her beautiful, subtle work in David Fincher’s latest film.

Read the full interview

Dressing to Disappear: Cate Adams Reveals the Secrets Behind ‘The Killer’ Costumes

Spencer Williams
December 8, 2023
The Art of Costume

How does one design a costume for a character, who does not want to be seen? Costume designer Cate Adams unveils the meticulous process behind crafting the enigmatic costumes in David Fincher’s ‘The Killer.’ In an exclusive interview with Spencer Williams, Adams shares behind-the-scenes stories, from deciphering Fincher’s vision for a character who effortlessly blends into the background to the awe-inspiring challenge of outfitting the incomparable Tilda Swinton. Join us as Adams takes us on a journey through cities, layers, and hidden Easter eggs, providing an intimate look into her creative process and the transformative power of costumes in film.

Read the full interview

“The Killer” Camera Department: Dominican Republic

Notice the VFX foliage in the out-of-focus foreground.

The Killer: Michael Fassbender

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC UNIT
Director of Photography: Erik Messerschmidt, ACE
A Camera Operator: Brian S. Osmond
A Camera First Assistant: Alex Scott
B Camera First Assistant: Brian Wells
A Camera Second Assistant: Jonathan Clark
B Camera Second Assistant: Matt Gaumer
A Dolly Grip: Dwayne Barr
B Dolly Grip: Mike Mull

Idea and BTS Video: Cate Adams, Costume Designer
Location: Dominican Republic
Editor: Leonard Zelig (The Fincher Analyst)

‘The Killer’ Costume Designer on Dressing Michael Fassbender’s Assassin Like a German Tourist

David Fincher “did not want him to look cool at all, like a typical assassin,” explains Cate Adams.

Esther Zuckerman
November 30, 2023
The Hollywood Reporter

At the opening of David Fincher’s The Killer, Michael Fassbender’s unnamed assassin describes his look as based on a German tourist he saw in London. It’s a convenient disguise for blending in on the streets of Paris because, as he explains, no one wants to interact with a German tourist. But what does that look like off the page? That task fell to costume designer Cate Adams, working with the exacting director. “David had a lot of ideas about how he wanted him to look,” she says. “He did not want him to look cool at all, like a typical assassin.” The solution? Bucket hats, Skechers and “lazy people clothing.” 

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JV Club: Cate Adams, Costume Designer of “The Killer”

Jackson Vickery
November 16, 2023
JV Club

On this episode, we welcome the costume designer of David Fincher’s The Killer, Cate Adams!

She rejoins Fincher after being an assistant costume designer on the Emmy-nominated series, Mindhunter.

The film stars Michael Fassbender and Tilda Swinton.

Listen to the podcast:

Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Spotify

How Cate Adams’ Costume Design Helped David Fincher’s “The Killer” Disappear

Kelle Long
November 14, 2023
The Credits (MPA)

The coldest assassin is the kind you don’t see coming. In a lineup of globe-trotting sharpshooters from the movies, The Killer (Michael Fassbender) may be the most difficult to identify. On a crowded city street, he could be anyone—and that is by design. Costume designer Cate Adams developed the style for director David Fincher’s vision of a dangerous character you would hardly ever notice.

“Basically, he wears clothes that he can just find anywhere. Find in an airport, find in a convenience store. He doesn’t want to have to think about it,” she noted. “[Fincher] wanted a bucket hat instead of an umbrella to be water resistant for any kind of weather he was going to be in. He wanted a ‘lazy people notion.’ So, zippers or velcros or something pullover. Dad chinos. Anything he could have bought from an airport.” 

That mindset even extends to modern conveniences. Sometimes, the easiest way to shop today is with online delivery, and The Killer could plausibly wear pieces he purchased with the click of a button.

“One of the shirts he wears is a printed, short-sleeved Aloha shirt that was actually from Amazon. So, there are some pieces from Amazon,” Adams revealed. “It’s just very basic. Whatever he could find easily. He doesn’t take a lot of time to think about his clothes, which I really liked. He’s not in suits like James Bond. He just kind of looks weird, and you’re not really sure what he’s doing there. He just kind of looks normal and blends in.”

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How Liam Gallagher Inspired Michael Fassbender’s Style in ‘The Killer’

What’s the story, morning gory? Cate Adams, David Fincher’s costume designer, explains how Our Kid ended up on The Killer’s mood board.

Johnny Davis
November 10, 2023
Esquire

David Fincher’s new film The Killer stars Michael Fassbender as a ruthless hitman with a penchant for process, a drive for revenge and a high threshold for boredom. It’s a stylish movie, as you’d expect from the director of such gloomy noirs as Fight Club (1999), Zodiac (2007) and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011).

Illustrations by Richard Merritt
(Click to view in full resolution)

Except maybe when it comes to The Killer’s own wardrobe. As we see our protagonist move from Paris, to the Dominican Republic to New Orleans to Florida and finally New York, his wardrobe is an oddball mix of Hawaiian shirts, sensible slacks, anoraks and bucket hats.

Less John Wick more dad-at-Wickes. That, apparently, was the point.

To tell us more, Cate Adams, costume designer on The Killer, who previously worked with Fincher on the 2017 Netflix series Mindhunter, shared her mood board and inspirations. And helpfully provided actual sources for anyone wanting to ‘Get The Look’ – including Fassbender’s bucket hat, glasses, shirts and casual sneakers. Enjoy!

Read the full interview

Costume Designer Cate Adams

‘The Killer’ or Fashion Victim? Why Michael Fassbender’s Assassin Ended Up in Those Outfits

Jim Hemphill
November 10, 2023
IndieWire

Rock Star Liam Gallagher Inspired David Fincher’s The Killer

November 14, 2023
Below the Line