The films may be set in a dystopian future where young adults are forced to fight to the death in the name of entertainment, but that doesn’t mean they can’t look pin sharp whilst doing it. If these new promotional shots from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire are anything to go by, Katniss Everdeen and chums have upped the fashion ante for the second film in the series.
Shown in a series of ‘portraits’ being drip fed by the studio ahead of the film’s autumn release, Elizabeth Banks is wearing a look from the Alexander McQueen autumn/winter ’12 collection (look 29, to be precise – an explosion of red ruffles) as she sits in a tense pose, in keeping with her character Effie Trinket’s uptight nature. Meanwhile, the film’s star, Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence, wears what looks very much like a custom-made Alexander McQueen gown based on Sarah Burton’s autumn/winter ’12 show (though brand representatives have confirmed that it isn’t).
And the style inspiration doesn’t stop at McQueen; in a previously released still from the film, which shows Katniss on a stage with will-they-won’t-they, do-they-don’t-they companion and fellow Hunger Games survivor, Peeta Mellark (aka Josh Hutcherson), Lawrence looks suitably strong and a little futuristic in a leather-trimmed moiré silk dress that’s a dead ringer for Christopher Kane’s autumn/winter ’12 collection (again it isn’t, but it could be).
This high fashion steer for the film can be put down to new costume designer Trish Summerville, who replaced the first film’s Judianna Makovsky, presumably when writer/director Gary Ross moved on to other projects. Clearly, Summerville – who previously created Rooney Mara’s costumes for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – favours strong looks for strong female characters. If these shots are anything to go by, the millions of young girls who look up to Katniss will soon be doing so as much for her wardrobe as her smarts and her ass-kicking prowess.
All images from The Hunger Games films © 2013 Lionsgate. All rights reserved. Alexander McQueen catwalk image © 2012 Alexander McQueen. All rights reserved. Christopher Kane catwalk image © 2012 Christopher Kane. All rights reserved.