Oh, Saltburn. This film has haunted social media for three months now. The film tells a story about Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) and his journey as an outsider at Oxford University. He is quickly captivated by Felix Catton’s (Jacob Elordi) upper class social hierarchy and cool boy status. Oliver is tragically consumed by Felix and his lifestyle, igniting an animalistic chase that is reflected in their costumes. Oliver is invited to spend the summer at Saltburn, Felix’s medieval-looking family estate, and he wreaks havoc — leaving everyone dead. Yup. Besides the chaotic plot and those spicy scenes, the costume designer, Sophie Canale, did an outstanding job. I want to break down how the costume design plays an integral part in telling this story.
The film is set in 2006, so it’s technically considered a period piece. Crazy. Oliver arrives buttoned up to Oxford appearing as though he’s trying to play the part of a pretentious student. Straight away he’s insulted at the lack of ties and plaid and is instead struck by Juicy Couture track suits and colorful streaked hair. Oliver’s main color palette consists of navy, yellow, and gray with lots of early 2000s thick stripes and plaid. Oliver is calculated and manipulated, many labeling him as a chameleon because of how hard he tries to fit in. There is a scene where Oliver trails behind Felix and his girlfriend who are gossipping about him, unbeknownst to them, and Oliver wears a dark blue shirt while Felix wears a light blue one. This is the first symbolism of Oliver mirroring Felix through clothing — his darker, evil counterpart. Later at his Midsummer Night’s Dream themed birthday party, he sports a white shacket designed with leaves and moths. Moths are what Venetia compares Oliver to later in the film after she registers that he is the one who killed her brother. His jacket is foreshadowing and his antlers represent the “Theseus and the Minotaur” symbolism consistent throughout the film; Oliver, symbolizing Minotaur, kills Felix in the center of the estate’s maze underneath the towering Minotaur statue. Most disturbingly, the morning after Oliver kills Felix and destroys the Catton family he prances around the Saltburn estate in Felix’s red robe. He successfully absorbed Felix and wears his striking red robe like a wolf in sheep’s skin.
Felix is gorgeous on his own, his clothes only accentuate and lustfully drape his figure. His color palette is both soft with many pastel blues, yellows and oranges and also hard with navies, reds, and stark whites. The film is told through Oliver’s point of view, the way he looks up to Felix with burning jealousy. We first see Felix through Oliver’s window wearing a baby blue V-neck sweater with a white t-shirt underneath, his sleeves gently rolled up to flash a gold watch. For an Oxford student, Felix dresses casually most of the time as effortlessly as his personality. At the pub, he sports a tacky t-shirt that says “what happens in kassiopi stays in kassiopi” — Kassiopi is a small, affluent Greek village which would make sense that is where Felix’s family would vacation. He wears many linen shirts, my favorite is the pastel yellow button up that sways around his body while he shows Oliver around Saltburn. The light shining through the windows hit his translucent shirt beautifully, showing his body very clearly. This is an intentional choice because Oliver is mesmerized by Felix and views him as easy bait. For the Midsummer Night’s Dream party, his costume is very on brand because it consists of a white tank top, slouchy jeans and gold wings. Canale explained Felix’s lazy costume in an interview; “He doesn’t need to make an effort, it’s Felix…how he’s feeling… it’s Oliver’s birthday… why should I make an effort for you?” His wings also reminded me of Juliet from Romeo and Juliet, the 1996 film, symbolizing how he drank the poison after Oliver the same way Romeo did for Juliet.
Venetia and her “indie sleaze” style has captured the attention of social media lately. She quickly captures Oliver’s attention because she is mysterious and has a starkly different image than what is expected from an affluent family. She wears leather jackets, off the shoulder tops, and hot pink along with messy smudged eyeliner and unkept blonde locks. It is clear that she is insecure, suffers with mental illness and is painfully aware of how ridiculous her family’s lifestyle is. Her tennis court costume encapsulates her humor and the early century fashion; she plays in a violet sequined jumpsuit, a holographic, magenta, fringed jacket, red and white polka dotted heels, heart shaped sunglasses and a cigarette in hand. Venetia doesn’t take life too seriously on the outside although Oliver exploits her when she is vulnerable and the after effect is how her costumes change towards the end of the story. At Oliver’s birthday party, the opening scene shows Venetia’s backside which features a tightly fitted black dress with a spider web jewelry chain. Later in the film, she accuses Oliver of creating a spider web of lies. This character is very underrated and her fashion choices speak loud in response to her family disregarding her and her struggles.
I could write so much more, but I hope you all watch Saltburn. It’s a symbolic film but the costumes really make the story come alive.