Katherine`s Beauty Mark_ `The L Word

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Home > TV Guide > Watercooler > Katherine's Beauty Mark: 'The L Word'
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‘The L Word’,
undressed
By Katherine Flemming
2009-02-06
Beauty Mark:
Staking out
fashion and
beauty’s
territory in
television
Special Feature
Hot Contest!
If you thought Sex and the City was the high priestess of fashion television, you’ll be knocked off
your pretty little pumps (or, if you’re like me, your salt-stained winter boots) with just one
viewing of The L Word.
Take the
MovieTime QUOTE
QUIZ now and
enter for your
chance to win an
AQUOS 65”
1080 LCD TV!
From Lanvin to Chloé to Alice Temperley, the all-female cast (save for the occasional transitional
character) rocks the most drool-worthy, high-end labels that will have you at your knees.
Galleries
I spoke with the show’s stylist, Cynthia Summers, about how she gets her hands on the most
elusive designer pieces, staying on top of the runway and her favourite character to dress.
Summers, who works among “the most to-die-for shoe collection,” told me she has to dream up
entire outfits for upwards of 21 characters – not to mention guest stars and background extras –
in less than eight days.
But after six seasons, she says, “it’s become a collaborative effort between the actresses and
myself. I’ll ask them to bring in magazine tears and we’ll discuss their character’s inspiration for
the season.”
Summers stays on the fashion pulse by attending New York and Los Angeles fashion weeks, even
though “L.A. isn’t as big as New York. Because the story is set in L.A., it’s crucial that I attend.”
Aside from haunting local vintage stores in Vancouver, where the show tapes, Summers asks
design houses such as Chloé, Lanvin and Mui Mui to send things directly to her, or she hits the
pavement and shops for the characters herself, using the “gigantic discounts” the design houses
afford her.
One particularly interesting design story resolves around the death of Jenny in the Season 6
première, which aired a few weeks ago. The dress Jenny died in was incredibly rare (there’s just
one!) and was from the Miu Miu store on Rodeo Drive in L.A., which carries a specific collection
solely for that store.
When they needed a double of the dress, says Summers, “We literally had to ask Mui Mui from
Milan to send the pieces left from the fabric from that collection, so we could piece together a
dress for her to enter the swimming pool in.”
Summers – who says her favourite characters to dress are Bette, Jenny, Alice and Shane, in that
order – shares in more detail exactly how she outfits a few of the biggest characters on the show.
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Katherine's Beauty Mark: 'The L Word' | Sympatico / MSN TV Guide
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And On The 700th Party, She Rested
Bette (played by Jennifer Beals)
Bette, who “never likes to have a skirt above her knee,” is
always in a suit. “Over the last few years she’s gotten a little
more feminine, but our icon for her has always been a
‘40s-looking [Katharine] Hepburn, because she was always in
that period’s version of slacks and very square shoulders,
which was a very ‘40s thing, or men’s inspired suits or
dresses… nothing fluffy or girly,” says Summers.
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Because Bette is a professional with deep pockets, “she’s
fashion-forward, and always had to be interesting to look at as
someone to be reckoned with,” says Summers.
“She’s heading a team, so she needs to be someone who’s got
the reins. She’s easier to dress, in a way, because she’s been
very descript, and the character is well-drawn, in a way.
There’s no guessing.” Summers often pulls Max Azria, Alice
Temperley and Alexander McQueen to dress Bette.
30 Rock (Thurs., Feb. 12, 9:30 p.m. ET, NBC)
Excuse me for swooning! Jon Hamm (Mad Men) swaps
his fedora and grey flannel suit and shows up at
Rockefeller Plaza to sweep Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) off her
sneakers. Cue the countdown…
Jenny (played by Mia Kirshner)
Jenny’s style is a reflection of her character’s journey, rather
than her fashion inclinations. When Jenny joined the series as
a straight, married woman, her conservative style began to
morph.
“At the end of Season 5, she’s a very adventurous gay woman
who has struggled to find herself. She’s a writer, but she’s
trying to find out what kind of writer she is. She’s a real s--disturber,” says Summers.
After coming out of the closet, Jenny’s character went through
a tumultuous journey and became free, which was reflected in
her wardrobe’s “completely schizophrenic” sense of style.
Jenny’s wardrobe is heavy on Mui Mui, but she also wears the
French brand Lanvin.
Alice (played by Leisha Hailey)
The “girly girl” of the bunch, Alice “never, ever apologizes for
who she is or what she is,” says Summers. “She’s a journalist
and she’s quirky, and she’s fun, and I think her wardrobe
indicates that.”
Grammy Girls Look-a-Like Marathon
(Sun., Feb. 8, 4 p.m.–7 p.m. ET, Star!)
From Ri-Ri to Ms. Gwen Stefani, this
three-hour session turns out the most
incredible celebrity makeovers. When will I
get my chance to turn into Penélope Cruz?
NAACP Image Awards
(Thurs., Feb. 12, 8 p.m. ET, Fox)
From Halle to Denzel to America (Ferrera),
a gaggle of good-looking celebs
will be prancing down the red carpet.
Alice is always in dresses, and almost always in Italian
designer Marni – a line that “is the perfect silhouette for her,”
says Summers, “because it’s not constricting and it’s fun.” Alice
is often in colourful, fun prints but because of the character’s
flair, it doesn’t “come across as a costume or caricature.” It
helps that the actress adores similar styles in real life, too.
Shane (played by Katherine Moennig)
“Within the lesbian community, there are obvious characters.
Kate’s character, Shane, is the nod to the Mac truck,
hat-wearing, definitely more butch stereotype that the straight
world has of lesbians and style,” says Summers. “[But,] this is
TV, so we want to glam it up and make it more interesting.”
Referencing a more fashionable version of Ellen DeGeneres,
Katherine Moennig and Summers brainstormed, and found
inspiration in an early ‘70s Mick Jagger. It’s that “rock ‘n’ roll,
‘70s, tight pants, tight shirts, low, chest-revealing, and sort of
boy look.
"We kind of used the pop and punk world as reference, and in
the end, we embraced Dior Homme, and that’s pretty much all
she’s been wearing for the last two seasons.”
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Max (played by Daniela Sea)
Max has gone from a lesbian to a man, so her wardrobe is
more character-driven and dressing her is a challenge
because of situations in the media with gender-change
lesbians (read: the pregnant man). “We need to be sensitive
to that because the world is not totally acknowledging that it’s
happening, that they have rights,” says Summers.
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“We walk on the safer side. His wardrobe has also been
closeted in a sense. He’s been working in a corporate situation
and has gone to work in really not a very interesting
wardrobe,” says Summers, citing pieces like chinos and
collared, button-down shirts.”
She’s trying to be accepted as man, so she wants to look like
one, so we’ve been working to make her look normal, if you
will, which includes breast-binding, wearing a package and
wearing boys’ clothes from head to toe.”
For the fashion mavens who crave more from The L Word fashion, Summers is happy to let
viewers know exactly where she found a particular piece, from a lacy bra to a patent pump. “I
am so happy to e-mail people because people are paying attention, and if I can help them out, I
definitely will.”
Who’s the best-dressed character on the show? kflemming@tvguide.ca
The L Word airs Tuesdays, 10 p.m. ET, on Showcase.
For more beauty buzz, check out Beauty Q&A with Catherine Main.
Self-proclaimed beauty nerd Katherine Flemming picked up a pink
Strawberry Shortcake lip balm in Grade 1 and never looked back.
Her regular spots for scoring fashion staples are Joe Fresh, Gap and
J.Crew. She swears by sunscreen and won’t be caught dead in
red. She’s a sucker for ruffles, polka dots and teeny, tiny bows. She
also writes for Fashion Magazine and the Toronto-based blog Lipstick
Powder n Paint.
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2/19/09 6:04 PM