KEY POINTS:
Dressing the characters from Outrageous Fortune sounds like more fun than hard work.
Katrina Hodge is responsible for all the westie-chic outfits seen on Outrageous Fortune. As the costume designer on the TV series, it's her job to come up with the endless supply of skin-tight gear, jeans and T-shirts the West family is partial to. For her dedication to Westie outfitting, she's a finalist in this evening's Air New Zealand-sponsored Screen Awards for Contribution to Design. Hodge was also the costume designer for the movie Snakeskin and many other local television productions including Mercy Peak and P.E.T. Detectives.
Who are your favourite designers?
Chloe, Kenzo, Hermes, Valentino, Prada, Chanel, and Lisa Ho. I am a huge fan of New Zealand designers Karen Walker, Kate Sylvester, Miss Crabb, and Zambesi. For jewellery I love Gucci, Tiffany, Zoe and Morgan and Charlotte Penman, a great New Zealand designer.
What's your most cherished item of clothing or accessory?
My black wool flannel coat from Karen Walker this season. It's like an old sailor's pea coat but fitted, very cool.
Where did you find your best fashion bargain?
A stack of vintage dresses at Jetset Bohemian, a little shop in Grey Lynn.
Which nation do you think is the most fashionable?
I think each nation has something that creates its own flavour; I don't see one as better than the other.
What's your favourite current fashion trend?
The collaboration of designers with major manufacturers is a recent trend that has turned out some really good products. Iconic New Zealand brand Karen Walker for Swanndri and Tiffany and Co with Frank Gehry the architect are some of my favourite examples.
What's the most enduring fashion trend?
Reconstitution of the history of fashion. Designers keep turning over the eras and I think the clothing gets better and better. The cuts are more flattering, the fabrics improve and the styles are timeless. You know that if you hang on to a good period piece that its time will come again.
What do you wish you could ban forever?
I don't think I would ban anything as everything has its time and place. I often find myself calling on a fashion faux pas to create a unique character's wardrobe.
What do you usually have on your feet?
Blue vintage leather boots, Kathryn Wilson Jimmy boots, tan boots, or black motorcycle boots. A girl can never have too many pairs of boots. For a night out my favourites are my Chloe pumps from Mei Mei or a pair of very comfortable Yvonne Bennetti black suede wedges.
What do you wear when you hit the town? I usually wear a great frock, heels, a coat and wicked accessories.
Is there any colour you don't wear?
Pink.
Is there anything that you couldn't live without?
Oh, I could live without them all as long as I had my family, but it would hurt to lose my cherished charm bracelet from Karen Walker.
What was the last item you bought?
A pair of brown leather ankle boots from Kate Sylvester. They were pre-worn in a show and fantastic.
Who's the most fashionable of the Outrageous Fortune characters? Well, I would not say that our characters are particularly fashionable, but film and fashion do take inspiration from each other. Designers often base their ranges on a classic film or television character. Maybe Cheryl West will be Karl Lagerfeld's next muse for Chanel!
If you had to wear the costume of one character, which would it be? That would really depend on my mood. Cheryl's if I was in a kick-ass rock chic mood. Pascalle's if I was feeling like a sexy young thing that wore skirts shorter than most of my belts. Rochelle's if I wanted to be an authentic old-school Stevie Nicks Westie. Or Kasey's for that killer leather vest and a bit of her true bogan hippie style.
Are there any clothing items from the show you'd like to take home? Oh, far too many to list, I am definitely a Westie at heart. Most of my own wardrobe ends up in the characters' wardrobes too.
