So I know that everyone always loves to say that they would love to wear the clothes of the people on their favorite show. Did you know there is a ton of work that goes into those wardrobes? Even the ‘simple’ mens clothes. We had a chance to visit with the amazingly talented costume designer Peggy Schnitzer as well as Rose Rollins who plays Valerie Anderson on The Catch. If you have seen the Catch then you know there are amazing outfits. If you haven’t seen The Catch then you need to watch it! Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC!
Alice Vaughan (Mireille Enos) is LA’s top private investigator — and the one woman you don’t want to mess with. But when her fiancé (Peter Krause) cons her out of millions and disappears, Alice goes on a private mission for payback. No matter where it leads or the secrets she must keep along the way, Alice will stop at nothing to catch her man. From the producers of “Scandal,” “Greys Anatomy” and “How to Get Away with Murder,” “The Catch” is a one-hour drama starring Mireille Enos, Peter Krause, Alimi Ballard, Jay Hayden, Jacky Ido, Rose Rollins, Elvy Yost and Sonya Walger. The Catch is executive-produced by Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Allan Heinberg and Julie Anne Robinson.
Every single outfit, every single hairstyle, brooch, watch, everything is put into a book like the one seen above. They document everything someone wears on each episode. They even take pictures of the creases in their pants, the part in their hair. This is to guarantee there won’t be continuity errors when they have to do a flashback scene or something like that in the future. I had no idea that so much work goes into what people wore on shows. These binders are HEAVY and there is one for every episode. Of every show. So imagine a show that has been on the air for like ten seasons. There is a warehouse full of these binders out there. We got to ask Peggy Schnitzer how she decides on what outfits for each person and especially the main character Alice.
Peggy Schnitzer – Well I think at first, I wanted her to be sleek, she has an amazing body. Strong but feminine. I’m very lucky because in a lot of shows they don’t let you use a lot of black clothes. And here they do. When we go out to the set you’ll see. Their office, their business AVI is all glass and white. So it’s great to have darker shapes and people going through so you can see them. We can’t do a lot of lights and beiges. We do the occasional white dress but then surround it. It depends on what everyone else is wearing. But usually I try and do it around what Mireille and Rose are wearing, everyone else around them. Because it’s usually focusing on them in that environment.
She showed us some of her favorite pieces from the show. She says she loves to work but then people outside of work will ask her to shop with them and its not the same. She is so creative. And she told us that while you will occasionally get actors that do not like their outfits, for the most part they love them.
Peggy Schnitzer – We do what are called closets and we do it a couple of times during the show. I would say in the very beginning when you get the character, and you get the pilot or the script, you start buying a lot of clothes like anyone’s closet. You would get a certain amount of dresses, certain amount of skirts, jeans, you know, things that they would wear while you’re shooting, so I don’t have to fit them every week. You sort of work it out with everyone else.
Yes we got to see the wedding dress! It is absolutely one of a kind and just as lovely in person as it is on the tv. It even felt nice. I know that sounds weird but you know how some clothes are itchy or weird? This one wasn’t. We got to meet with Carlos Zapeda who helped Peggy make this wonderful dress. Peggy calls him her tailor cutter-fitter extraordinaire.
Apparently they shot two pilots for The Catch. The other had more of a 1940’s feel to it. It has more of a 1950’s feel to it now. And the dress she designed was based off a 1930’s look.
Peggy Schnitzer – If I were to do today modern, it’s a lot boxier than what’s out now. My aesthetic by choice is very sixties early seventies, that very sleek look. For their bodies I think it looks really well. The first pilot that we did was even older, it was a more nineteen forties thing, and then they rewrote the pilot. We shot one pilot and then we shot another pilot, and this was a lot poppier, a lot more fun, a lot more sixties with a lot more color, I think, a different color that was very muted color, this is pops of color. It’s very much a designer’s dream, because it’s a great cast, great bodies, great visuals and the story is fantastic and it’s really fun to pair up with the story in terms of the design aspect of it.
We also got to visit the set! That was cool. Above you can see Alice’s livingroom. They think of every detail imaginable. They had real mail. THey have books ranging from well worn to new. They take pictures of the set as well for continuity. They have a place for keys and random junk on the table just like everyone’s house. The kitchen was well stocked with tools but also with little things like extra towels and cookbooks.
Her bedroom was the same. Slightly rumbled bed, choice of makeups on the dresser. Some of the lipsticks look more used than others and her brushes look used. It is amazing at all the details they think of. Her desk area had papers that need to be signed, folder from work, mail she needs to read. I would never think it was show props. I would have thought it was totally real.
Then we went to the set of AVI where Alice works. It was so surreal. I thought it could be conference rooms for people at ABC. Rose Rollins who plays Valerie Anderson on The Catch joined us and walked around with us answering questions. She told us that she had no idea how much work went into each piece of wardrobe while we were interviewing Peggy Schnitzer.
Of course we had to get a picture of Rose behind her desk. She thought the hashtag sign was great.
They even have sticky notes on the desk with real stuff scribbed on them like you would find at a real office. And it only takes a few weeks for them to make these offices. I would have thought months but they said it took a few weeks. Everything is just perfect because it isnt perfect. Some files were messy, some coffee cups were put back sideways. Everything looks like there was human interaction with it and I am just amazed that they think of details like that.
Rose and Peggy took a picture with us before we left. They were both so sweet and hung around the entire time we explored answering all kinds of questions. You can follow the hashtag #TheCatch and see other people’s posts. Some of us did different interviews with Peggy so you may find something else she answered. And if you arent watching The Catch, you should definitely check it out! Thursdays on ABC at 10/9c.
