‘Pretty in Pink,' 'American Psycho,' and J. Lo Inspired the Look of ‘The Studio’
The costumes in the hilarious Apple TV+ show are full of Gen X pop culture references
Hey WNVM-ers,
Fawnia here this week, and still on the TV and costume beats. I happily binge-watched all the screeners of Seth Rogen’s “The Studio” on Apple TV+ so fast, while absolutely howling with lols (especially in any scene involving Ike Barinholtz) and cringing (in a good way). The Hollywood-set comedy felt a bit too real at times, but I also found myself triggered (in a good way, too) by all the Gen X aspects — mainly in Kathryn Hahn’s logomania-filled outfits, and ‘80s/’90s cinematic Easter eggs in the wardrobes. So I talked to costume designer Kameron Lennox about it all — and just in time for the season two renewal announcement!
And, in news, a double dose of Keanu, we scold a millennial, and more.
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Lauren, Katherine, Lana, Too… Bette Davis, We Love You
‘The Studio’ is full of Gen X moments, from the past to present
By Fawnia
Warning: very mild spoilers for ‘The Studio’ through episode 5 below.
Watching “The Studio” rendered me barely coherent because I could not stop laughing so damn hard. Of course, there are the A-lister cameos happily spoofing themselves (the Golden Globes episode, omg!) and the excruciatingly embarrassing situations that Matt Remick (Seth Rogen) — the well-meaning, self-involved, and very prone to accidental sabotage Continental Studios boss — gets himself into.
But the Gen X Easter eggs, especially in the costumes by Rogen’s go-to Kameron Lennox had me nodding and cackling even more — from a fiery generational office showdown, as expressed through suits and neck-ties, to marketing maven Maya’s (Kathryn Hahn) try-hard, logo-overload wardrobe. Appropriately for “The Studio,” which follows Matt and his team’s often-bumbling efforts to bring a Kool-Aid-themed blockbuster to fruition, Lennox referenced loads of ‘80s and ‘90s movies throughout.
Ahead, the Emmy-nominee, who also costume designed “Pam and Tommy” and the ‘80s-set “Physical,” takes us through the Gen X references — especially the pop culture, and emotional mid-life deep cuts.
Gen X Does Z
Hahn just eats up every scene she’s in, and Maya’s outfits — wild concoctions of luxury logos and returned, throwback trends — punctuate her zingers that are usually directed at Matt and his misguided ideas. You know, like turning a mainstream Kool-Aid movie into a Killers of the Flower Moon-esque treatise on Jonestown.
“COOL?! Who are you, the fuckin’ Fonz?” yells Maya. Name-dropping Henry Winkler’s iconic character from “Happy Days” of our youth, she rips off her long Moncler puffer vest to reveal acid-washed Diesel cargo pants, with way too many pockets down each leg (and attached boots), and a football jersey by Stüssy — the skater brand that my cool friends wore in college and what Zoomers wait in long lines for now.
“I'm in my 50s, so I thought about women my age or older, who tend to have a lot of money,” says Lennox, pointing toward moms who try to emulate their teen children or Zoomers in the office, like Maya’s in-the-know assistant Tyler (Dewayne Perkins). “She thinks that she knows everything that's going on.” As the head of marketing, Maya wants to show she has her finger on the pulse of that elusive box office demographic.
“We are mad hype to show you our early concepts,” says Maya, pitching campaign posters to director, and “Happy Days” alum, Ron Howard, playing a version of himself. “This one,” she continues. “Dead-ass lit.”
Befitting her cringe-y, slang-filled presentation, Maya works the boardroom in a paint-splattered military jacket and pants set by streetwear brand Kith. You cannot miss the ginormous “KITH” down her back, or all the Louis Vuitton logos covering her Speedy bag and scarf. Because, at the end of the day, Maya’s power-dressing in her own way, and conveying that she’s earned her c-suite office and her overload of designer labels.
“She is in a powerful position, and this is her work attire,” says Lennox. “Like in an office building where everyone is in suits and trying their best, this is her version of it.”
Gen X Pop Culture Inspo
“All of us are so inspired by John Hughes characters,” says Lennox, who looked to Annie Potts’ Pretty in Pink record store owner Iona, and her chameleonic fashion personas, for Maya’s continuous roll-out of outrageous fashion transformations. “Today she can be this, and the next day she can be that.”
Lennox also imagined that the tenacious film industry insider would have been influenced early on by David Lynch’s 1990 fever-dream thriller Wild at Heart, and 1994’s gonzo Natural Born Killers, starring Juliette Lewis and Woody Harrelson as road-tripping serial killers. Tracks.
“If she’s my age, then, through the years, what has inspired her?” asks Lennox, going deep into Maya’s head. So, Jennifer Lopez during her “In Living Color” Fly Girl era, Gwen Stefani through the years, and Beyoncé.
“These powerful and strong women,” says Lennox, with a caveat. “But, they have stylists.”
Maya, instead, makes her own interpretation. Like, she bursts into Matt’s office in a sheer pattern top by Marine Serre, the brand made famous by Beyoncé in Black is King, layered under a harness by the superstar’s ‘90s-inspired activewear label, Ivy Park. Maya’s Ugg platform boots add a dose of street style Rihanna.
“Kathryn’s just so fun. She takes something and she runs with it,” says Lennox. “We were laughing so hard in our fittings.”
On my new favorite podcast “Good Hang With Amy Poehler,” Hahn also gave Maya’s wardrobe approach a backstory, saying, “She’s just totally got a girl at Saks who will bring the shit to the office and she tries it on at lunch. She has a running tab at Saks and Dover Street Market.”
Reality Reflecting Fiction, or Vice Versa
In the penultimate episode, the Continental crew heads to Vegas for more Matt-fueled buffoonery and superstar cameos. Maya’s at her absolute peak-Maya in a slouchy, mirrored-sequin camo pants-set by influencer-beloved Retrofête, a Balmain cut-out bodysuit, and Timberland boots. Her hip-length high-side braid is smothered in hair clips and rhinestone Kool-Aid-branded barrettes.
A few weeks after “The Studio” wrapped filming last year, promo billboards of Gwen Stefani hosting “The Voice” — in the exact same bananas bedazzled Retrofête outfit and similar hair — popped up around L.A.
“I sent [a picture] to Kathryn, like, ‘Hey, we did it first!’ type of thing,” says Lennox. “We were really tapped into the zeitgeist of who [Maya] is.”
It's a Tie: Gen X v. Z
In episode five, endearingly bro-y Continental exec Sal Saperstein (Ike Barinholtz) feels threatened by ambitious assistant-turned-creative exec Quinn (Chase Sui Wonders1), who’s on a mission to prove herself with valid disruptor ideas. Not helping Sal’s Gen X-y fears of irrelevance? His mini-Mikey Madison, terrifying tween daughter dragging him as “old,” “lame,” and “so cringe.” Chilling.
Sal and Quinn throw themselves into a savage game of physical comedy-filled sabotage, which hilariously results in some collateral damage. At the height of their battle, Sal, with his gray suit covered in craft services tomato sauce, chucks a burrito — or quesarito, sorry — at Quinn. “Make my day, make my life, old man,” she says, in a wide-lapel shirt with epaulets, a vintage tie, and pleated pants.
“Quinn’s not quite at Sal’s level, but she's very much focused on becoming that,” says Lennox. “So I liked the idea that they're just clashing in their own version of this powerful suit.”
Sal, the X-er, wears classic, tailored gray suits befitting a studio exec — with some slick Hollywood sharkskin here and there. Lennox looked to Richard Gere in the 1980 erotic-thriller American Gigolo and Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in the 1987-set American Psycho — the first character who came to mind for Sal when Lennox read the script. (Was it the hoovering coke off the back of his hand scene? Aw, Sal.)
For Quinn’s power-dressing, Lennox referenced Melanie Griffith in 1988’s Working Girl, the movie that popularized sneakers with suits. Quinn’s retro vibe nods toward Pretty In Pink’s Andie (Molly Ringwald) — also reflecting Gen Z’s IRL dedication to vintage shopping. The junior exec also wears her ambitions by dressing like boss Matt, whose wide-lapel suits in earth tones reference Robert DeNiro in Casino, Griffin Dunne in After Hours, and Roxy Music’s Bryan Ferry.
I need to say, Quinn — in her Katharine Hepburn-esque knit vests and tweeds, ‘30s-style wide-ties with jaunty pins, and little neckerchiefs inspired by Cybill Shepherd in 1976’s Taxi Driver — is my fashion icon of the show. Lennox also holds a soft spot for Quinn.
“I wore a lot of suits and ties when I was younger,” says the costume designer. “It just made me feel so powerful to be able to wear them.”
Ron Howard’s Retaliatory Streak
In episode three, no one wants to give legendary director Ron Howard a “note” to cut a superfluously long scene in his ‘70s-noir Alphabet City — or the “never-ending snore-y,” as Maya puts it. When Matt finally does the deed, a grudge-holding Ron flips out, drop some F-bombs, and lobs his signature “Imagine” cap at Matt — like he’s Sal with a quesarito.
But Howard’s been spoofing himself since he hosted “Saturday Night Live” in 1982. In character as a talk show host, Eddie Murphy refuses to discuss Howard’s directing achievements, while relentlessly calling him “Opie Cunningham2.” I remember watching it on a rented VHS tape, and appreciating how game Howard was to make fun of himself. (I can’t find a clip of it online, but here’s a transcript.) I also greatly enjoyed his recent “Ron Ron” stint on “Only Murders in the Building,” playing another petty version of himself — vengeful after a singed eyebrow incident.
“Everyone knows that Ron Howard is one of the sweetest directors out there,” says Lennox.
Unlike “The Studio” Ron, Howard graciously took her note for his on-brand costume: a navy half-zip sweater by Ermenegildo Zegna, gray J. Crew t-shirt and APC light-wash jeans.
“He was just like, ‘What do you think I should wear?’ and ‘Oh, I love all this. It's so much nicer than how I would dress,’” says Lennox.
Howard was even generous enough to donate his own prop weapon that forcefully launches Matt backwards into a boardroom chair, as glass and meeting snacks fly into the air.
“He wore his own hat,” says Lennox. “[With the cameos,] we want to always incorporate something personal.”
Like the seemingly ridiculous, but actually ripped-from-reality scenarios in “The Studio,” the costumes also provide deep-cut insights — and plenty of snort-laughs.
We are two Gen X journalists who celebrate people of our generation doing cool things, as well as analyze all the '80s and '90s nostalgia in current pop culture, fashion, and beauty. Read more stories like this one here!
You Oughta Know
Speaking of American Psycho, Kerensa Cadenas of Substack’s Middle Notes has the scoop that Chlöe Sevigny, who played the secretary Jean in the 2000 Mary Haron version, pitched herself to director Luca Guadagnino to reprise the role in his remake — but with some The Irishman-esque “reverse-aging” treatment. -FSH [Indiewire]
Kea-news #1: First off, a documentary about the John Wick movies, called Wick Is Pain, is dropping. A quote: “This is Keanu fuckin’ Reeves. You do not let him down.” That is the motto we live by also. Available May 9 on multiple streaming platforms. -CW [YouTube]
Kea-news #2: Reeves is reuniting with his Speed (1994) co-star Sandra Bullock for a new untitled “romantic thriller.” We know literally nothing else about it, but that’s enough for me! Speed producer Mark Gordon is attached, so maybe another vehicle is involved? Or perhaps it uses a more modern contrivance, like they have to download a ton of unwieldy apps to accomplish one small task. -CW [The Hollywood Reporter]
Related, SNL spoofed Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, featuring Frederick Douglass (Kenan Thompson) and Harriet Tubman (Quinta Brunson), who decide to stay put in 1987. -CW [YouTube]
Designer Anna Sui gets turned into a Barbie, as part of Mattel’s “Inspiring Women” series. She’s wearing an outfit from the 2007 runway, and accessories include a bottle of her eponymous eau de toilette. Sui tells Vogue she used to make clothes for her Barbies. -CW [Vogue]
“Hear Me Out: What If Gen X-ers Are Actually the Cool Ones?” asks a younger millennial writer. This backhanded hot take features speculation that we invented the Karen haircut, the groundbreaking realization that Winona Ryder and Naomi Campbell are cool, the assessment that bootcut jeans were our uniform (False. Baggies or flares, yes.), and the semi-ageist throwaway that we’re “still banging on about that one rave they went to in 1989, even though they’re in their 50s and no one cares.” I think this writer is trying to troll her parents? Go to therapy, girl. (Also, I went to the first Lollapalooza and I will never stop telling it to people!!!!) -CW Please don’t drag us into your cohort’s penchant for generational beefs. We want no part of this narrative! Especially a false one: Bootcuts are yours (see: the excellent “PEN15”). Also, “Real Housewives” is a millennial touchstone, not Gen X. Ours is “Real World,” for better or worse. -FSH [Vogue]
Yes, my eyes leaked when Ellie (Bella Ramsey) sang that slow guitar version of a-ha’s classic “Take On Me” in the most recent episode of “The Last of Us.” (No spoilers in the linked video.) -CW [Max YouTube]
At the annual Cartier Met Gala pre-party, I interviewed Dapper Dan, my Gen Z hero Ayo Edebiri, my other boyfriend Henry Golding, and Miley Cyrus, who threw some shade at her mom’s forever-‘80s style — which is ironic because the singer’s been walking around Paris in the most ‘80s-looking outfits ever. (Also a teaser for next week’s newsletter.) -FSH [Vanity Fair]
Fashion designer and ‘90s icon Anna Sui is her aunt!
Reference to Howard’s early-nice guy roles on “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Happy Days.”
Oh finally some intel on the costuming in this show! It’d absolutely divine!! Katherine Hahn is my favorite of all time, I’ve loved her since “how to lose a guy in 10 days” lol 😂
This was such a fun read! Obsessed with Kathryn Hahn and with you- Quinn makes me want to pull a tie off the hubs rack! And that Gen X article- spot on… Well done!