Derrick Cole Washington For Dressing Crooked Totsey Zola Reach The Emerald City.
Chaotic film costume designer reveals cult inspiration as to why Zola wears blue gingham and red Nike Cortez and fashionable Easter eggs to watch out for.
If you’ve ever seen the trailer for Janicza Bravos Zola – all pink misty sunsets, pole strippers, and a sense of anticipation – you probably don’t need to connect the dots to the classic 1939 Wizard of Oz. But while the main goals of the film’s protagonists can be very different, with Zola trying to make a fortune and Dorothy on a mission to reach the Emerald City.
Based on a 2015 high-octane and internet-breaking Twitter thread by Bravo and acclaimed screenwriter Jeremy O. Harris, the film tells the story of A’Ziah ‘Zola’ King (Taylor Paige) and her chance encounter the mysterious Stephanie (Riley Keough).
The two meet at a restaurant, do pole dancing, and spend the night undressing before Stephanie takes Zola to Tampa, Florida, accompanied by her friend Derek (Nicholas Brown) and “roommate” X (Coleman) Domingo – where are they going? Reassure her there is a lot of money to be won in the club.
However, it soon becomes clear that Stephanie is not what she seems, and what should have been an easy and cool ride sinks into complete chaos. Trained by Derrick Cole Washington, the film’s mode subtly points to the Wizard of Oz. “Zola’s headline appearance – a series of blue ginghams – is a sign that she is our Dorothy,” Washington said by phone from Los Angeles.
“And the shoe she wears all the time, the Nike Cortez in red, played a part in the idea for the ruby-red sandals Dorothy wears herself.” A stark contrast to the way Oz transitions from black and white to glorious technicolor.
However, as Zola evolves, the palette shifts from kaleidoscopic candy to something much darker. Stephanie’s final look – a large snakeskin strap and matching trousers from I.AM.GIA – shows who she certainly is, as the hero Zola completes her story with bronze beads. “I wanted him to look like he was wearing armor,” Washington said.
From archival Dior swimsuits to cheap matching dresses in Florida malls, western-style frilled shirts, to Hardeman-free jeans, Zola is a feast from start to finish. While the film debuted in the United States this week (and we’re all holding our breath), we met with Washington to discuss trendy Easter eggs, her favorite looks and finding inspiration in cult films like Clueless and Romy & Michele.