Call it what you want, but Cruella has truly made a statement when it comes to fashion, including everything punk and everything designer. Before becoming Cruella, Estella is a young and gifted talent who is trying to make a name for herself in the fashion world in the 1970s. When she meets notable fashion designer Baroness Von Hellman, she takes her wicked talent, and appetite for destruction to become Cruella. 

 A film about fashion needs good fashion, and Academy Award Winning designer Jenny Beavan, was just the person to make all the fashion dreams come true. An actor especially Academy Award Winner Emma Stone is known to dominate every role she plays, but with a role like Cruella, it is the fashion and costumes that truly bring life to the character. 

With competition to make the film ‘Cruella’ different from Glen Close’s version of ‘101 Dalmations’ the fashion is at the forefront of challenges. As Cruella is the origin story, it is right to develop the style of the character progressively throughout the film and showcase her overtake of her new identity through fashion. 

5/5 Estella, being Estella:

At the beginning of the film, you can recognize Stone playing Estella, and that is what makes the progress so worth it. Estella’s character is just her being herself, blending in but also standing out. Her punk style is all black everything, and the only pop of colour is her bright red hair. Much like Superman, Estella is known for her glasses and of course her berets. 

Throughout the film, Stones Estella does not just jump into being Cruella, she goes through a series of undercover missions that totally resembles the opposite of both Cruella and Estella. These disguises are known to more elegance and glamour, and with a nod to Louis Vuitton, the brand that Stone herself is the face of. 

4/5 Estella, Cruella:

When Estella finally becomes Cruella, she introduces her in the most bad-ass way. Debuting the iconic hair is one thing, but a full latex suit is another. Latex is known for punk fashion, and with heavy eyeliner, and red lip you know Cruella isn’t here to play.  

With nods throughout the film that may have been the definition of Camp, these looks still paid tribute to iconic designers, especially when costume designer Beavan says Cruella’s looks are a reflection of Vivienne Westwood and her rebellious spirit in fashion. 

3/5 Accessories and Makeup: 

One of the most debuted images of the film was a scene where Cruella shows up in an all-leather look, and as the outfit seems the most juvenile look to pull off, it is the makeup that really sends a message. In a masked look, Cruella has ‘The Future’ spray-painted over her eyes, which really sends a message that she is the new name you need to remember. 

2/5 ‘I’m Doing This In Heels”:

One of the best looks of the film comes at a point where Cruella debuts a two-in-one look. Cruella shows up to a gala in a caped white silk gown, when she grabs everyone’s attention she lights her dress on fire and reveals a high necked striking red silk dress. A dress that both compliments Stone to a T, with both silhouette and colour. 

1/5 Baroness’ Dalmations: 

A nod to the original Cruella de Vil and the story of ‘101 Dalmatians’ Cruella shows up with a dress that looks like it is made out of the Baroness dogs. Although animal cruelty is not appropriate and the film has no visual or mention of the making of the dress, it is assumed that Cruella does and makes this dress to get at the Baroness. 

As this is a film with a lot of representations and nods to specific brands and designers, its punk and camp aesthetic really shines and shows that a film with such recognition has no misses when it comes to costume design.