Euphoria is a widely acclaimed drama television series known for its compelling narrative and high-quality production. The show offers a diverse range of visual aesthetics, effectively immersing viewers in a stylized narrative that explores the lives of various characters. The central focus is on Rue, a young girl who possesses profound emotional depth but occasionally experiences a distorted perception of reality. The costume design of Euphoria has garnered significant recognition for its avant-garde approach, effectively encapsulating the essence of youthful liberation through a diverse range of styles tailored to the distinct personalities of the characters.
The wardrobe of the characters, unlike shows of this genre before, provides an experimental space for the audience’s aesthetic judgment to shape that variety of the aesthetic experience for an immersive experience that is heightened with the scoring, cinematography, acting, and narrative both of written word and visuals to be felt rather than seen through simultaneously bright yet tenebrous imagery. The juxtaposition is stylized to serious themes supplemented by dark color grading, but youth spirit and hope remain present through the beauty of both the light of the light shining on each character and the light they radiate out through personal aesthetics. In this video, we will be looking into how fashion functions in Euphoria, the contribution to the visual narrative, and how this holds an impact in the world of Euphoria as well as our own.
Previously, teen dramas held a more prominent influence on the fashion of the personal style of real people, such as Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, 90210, and The OC. The costume design of these characters would set trends and transform the way people viewed and interacted with fashion through its overall art direction. It was a landmark in teen dramas but grounded in an elevated reality that was perfectly crafted through cinematography, lighting design, composers, etc who breathed life into each show’s unique visual identity.
This realm of television has set the precedent for channeling style inspiration, but in recent years, more sources of media have influenced dress such as socials until Euphoria- the show that combined dirty realism with an elevated stylized reality that produces not only a feast for the eyes, but for the mind and heart in a way that has influenced visual styling with praise for its cinematography, score, acting, storylines, and costume design. Clothing psychologically possesses a communicative component that not only visually sends a message but also reinforces a mood. In Euphoria, the mood is crucial to the tone, pacing, and narration of the story as the narration is rooted in Rue’s emotional state and perception, The clothing not only contributes to visual narration but gives viewers further insight into each character outside of Rue’s eye which is highly resourceful as she is an unreliable narrator. This grounding is necessary for viewers to understand the world in and out of Rue’s mood and perception.
Euphoria does not shy away from the darkness of life or set out to portray a specific world but rather acknowledges how beautiful life can be with respect to each of the character’s dimensions and magnitudes while handling issues of reality without crossing a line into reality. Levinson in an interview with New York Magazine explained, “We established early on that each scene ought to be an interpretation of reality or a representation of an emotional reality. I’m not interested in realism.”
Euphoria is an emotional telling, emotions are defined as biologically-based psychological states brought on by neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. With deviation from realism, the production is not just shaping the narrative, but the audience as well through the views and demands of inner emotions through the use of aesthetics and personal styling.
Neuroaesthetics is the study of aesthetic experiences on a neurological level that explores the creation and contemplation of aesthetics such as art, music, fashion, and film or tv. We as people feel and experience beauty, aesthetics have the power to unify, shape the looks, and transform the minds of people. I’ve spoken on the concept of neuroaesthetics in production earlier in a video about The Neon Demon if you’re interested more on this topic.
In Euphoria, the characters all have a relatable barrier even if one does not see themselves in them. The costume design is an extension of each character’s identity, defined by their physiological and physical traits in hand with interpersonal variables such as social standing. The costume design allows for familiarity by the infusion of current trends mixed with those of the late 1960s such as supermodel Twiggy, Nina Simone, and 70s glam rock that are then intertwined into the aesthetic of each character. Creator Sam Levinson stated, “a way of transcending mainstream archetypes and stereotypes and embracing a more fluid, boundary-pushing mode of self-expression.”
The integration of costumes into the visual picture enhances the cinematography by using principles of color psychology, texture associations, and pattern visual stimuli. This integration creates an immersive experience that evokes emotional responses and captures the essence of subjective perception, rather than aiming for a strictly realistic representation. On such a highly collaborative visual execution, the wardrobe cues were written into the script for a distinct vision that not only humanized each character but created a connection to the audience that allows for an emotionally accessible experience through the work of costume designer Heidi Bivens.
We as people have innate emotional responses that are not completely conscious while watching According to Hugo Münsterberg in ‘The Photoplay: A Psychological Study’ the audience’s ideas derived from experiences, imagination, and learned concepts will signify how to fit the imagery to the presentation is on the screen based on the interests of the viewer. This caused a film or show to tap into one’s imagination by mimicking the psychological functions on-screen.
An example of this is that each character has a defined color story Kat is red, Maddy is Purple, Cassie is light blue, Rue is maroon, and Jules has eclectic color schemes. The application of these colors psychologically furthers the emotional experience due to the emotional connotation of each shade and the transformation of each color story contributes to the bigger picture- making Euphoria visually captivating overall through visual momentum that aids in the pacing of the story that escalates, each color story is blended into other aspects of cinematography for visual narrative. The detail-oriented scenes that are intimately shot allow for attributes of the characters to shine such as hair, makeup, jewelry, etc that is very telling of the personality and emotional state each character is in. The audience may not be familiar with color psychology, but this is seen and felt to create slower moments that, though fleeting, are both distinguishable and personal.
Euphoria features many seamless cinematography techniques and merges many moments to bring viewers back down from emotionally heightened points. In these moments, production respects the intelligence of the audience and also gives space for “as-if” reflection to truly see and feel for each character in their own way rather than just through the unreliable narration of Rue. As the story progresses, each color story develops as well, visually the characters’ interaction to the fabricated world transforms, for instance, Jules begins sporting soft pastel, candy-colored looks that are a bright focal point amidst the darkness that develop into abstract neons and darker tones that blend into the environment with a component of opposition.
Her visual placement in the world transforms with her evolution in relation to identity formation as well as personal struggles. Rue on the other hand is struggling with identity and addiction, she latches onto others for a sense of security even by her signatures of dress. Rue wears her father’s hoodie all season, signifying her emotional connections and depth. maroon is a warm, comforting color associated with passion and beauty, the way that Rue views the world as well as strength and courage, traits that Rue admired in her father and longs for herself.
The styling and design of each of the characters reflect their inner life in the manner by which they see fit in the world.
Euphoria’s use of aesthetics is very personal and dimensional, each character’s fashion functions in a different manner from self-development to curation and expression. Costume designers in the past have defined trends in the real world, but often this was done in a direct manner that showcased specific styles or garments time and time again for a foundational look of a character. Uniquely, Euphoria’s characters have a foundation rooted in emotion rather than a style such as grunge or prep, that has inspired people to recreate their interpretation of style or makeup between the visual inspiration that the show provides as well as the aesthetic trends it has elevated. Euphoria offers the spectator a simulated environment in which they may admire and encounter the aesthetics of the world, as well as the many expressions of the characters. This experience serves as a source of inspiration for fostering creativity in both personal artistic endeavors and the broader societal context.
Sources:
Feeling Beauty: The Neuroscience of Aesthetic Experience (The MIT Press) – https://www.amazon.com/Feeling-Beauty-Neuroscience-Aesthetic-Experience/dp/0262527448
Wardrobe cues into the script
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fVFOoCVVPE
socio-relational emotion of feeling closeness when –
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-018-0111-y
MAKEUP – https://www.nylon.com/euphoria-makeup-meaning
Mhttps://www.allure.com/story/euphoria-head-makeup-artist-interview
