TL;DR
Get your wardrobe favorites delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
War costume designer Matthew Price says he and Sienna Miller worked to make Carla Duval’s wardrobe distinct from Miller’s own well-known style. Their approach combined archival designer pieces with accessible modern clothing, while also hiding Miller’s pregnancy during filming.
Costume designer Matthew Price says he and Sienna Miller deliberately shaped Carla Duval’s wardrobe to keep the character from feeling like a version of the actor herself in HBO’s divorce drama War. Their approach brought together archival designer clothing and contemporary labels, while also accounting for Miller’s pregnancy during filming.
Duval is a British, Hollywood-famous actor whose divorce from tech executive Morgan, played by Dominic West, drives the series’ story. The resemblance between character and performer made wardrobe choices especially sensitive: both are associated with fame and fashion. Price told ELLE that working with Miller on a character so close to her public image felt “a bit meta.”
Price and Miller agreed early on to use French minimalism as a reference, including the work of magazine editor Claire Thomson-Jonville. They avoided locking Duval into one silhouette. Price said some Chloé pieces felt “a little too Sienna,” a judgment that helped the team identify where the actor’s personal associations ended and the character’s style began.
The wardrobe draws on pieces from Fendi, Stella McCartney, Dolce & Gabbana, Comme des Garçons and Alexander McQueen, alongside clothing from & Other Stories, The Frankie Shop and Agolde. Price said the mix was intended to keep the character’s style grounded rather than “totally unreachable.” A team of 30 worked on the show’s costumes, sourcing archival pieces from collectors and fashion collections; Miller supported the search and was not focused on labels when a garment fit the character.
How Wardrobe Separates Actor and Character
The interview offers a specific look at how costume design can help audiences distinguish a performer from a character when the two share visible traits. In this case, archival clothing and deliberate styling choices gave Duval a fashion history and changing preferences of her own, rather than simply reproducing Miller’s public image.
That distinction also supports the drama’s portrayal of divorce. Price said clothing could function as armor and a form of “revenge dressing”, but the choices were not always overt. He identified a paisley Chloé jacket with black leather boots in episode two as Duval’s revenge outfit, describing it as more nuanced than an obvious statement look. The design shows how wardrobe can communicate a character’s shifting state without making every change explicit in dialogue.
archival designer clothing for costumes
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
The Costumes Behind Carla Duval
War was created by George Kay, whose credits include Killing Eve, and is described in the report as an HBO divorce drama. Its central relationship is between Duval and Morgan, a high-powered couple whose separation provides the plot’s framework. The character’s profession and fame make clothing part of how she is presented, not just a practical element of the production.
Price told ELLE that he proposed exploring archive fashion, potentially reaching back to the 1980s when a piece suited the story. The wardrobe includes a fringed Comme des Garçons gown worn in a later court scene and an early-2000s McQueen coat. Price said the team considered whether archival garments should feel naturalistic or more showy, and worked with Miller to make those pieces fit Duval’s evolving style.
The production also involved a practical challenge: concealing Miller’s pregnancy while keeping the wardrobe consistent with the character. Price said the fitting process helped them find suitable clothing. The report does not describe the specific garments or filming techniques used to achieve that concealment.
“Having a character like Carla was gold dust. As she is played by an actor such as Sienna, it is a bit meta.”
— Matthew Price, War costume designer, speaking to ELLE
modern fashion pieces for costume design
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
What the Interview Leaves Open
The ELLE report focuses on the design process and does not provide episode release dates, a full costume inventory or detailed production methods. It also does not specify how the team concealed Miller’s pregnancy in individual scenes or whether any costume adjustments changed during filming.
Price’s comments describe the creative team’s intentions; they do not establish how audiences or critics have received the series or its wardrobe. The report names particular garments and labels but does not provide a complete account of every look or the sourcing and loan arrangements for each item.
costume designer wardrobe accessories
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
More Wardrobe Details on Screen
The costumes can be seen as War’s episodes unfold, including the episode-two Chloé look and the later court-scene gown Price singled out. The ELLE interview does not announce a new production milestone or provide a schedule for further costume information, so additional details will depend on future coverage or material released by the series’ producers.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What is the main news about War’s costumes?
Costume designer Matthew Price explained how he and Sienna Miller made Carla Duval’s wardrobe distinct from Miller’s own image while drawing on archival and contemporary fashion.
Who is Carla Duval?
Duval is Miller’s character in War, a British, famous actor whose divorce from Dominic West’s tech executive character, Morgan, shapes the drama.
What does Duval wear for the revenge-dressing moment?
Price identified a paisley Chloé jacket and black leather boots in episode two as the character’s revenge outfit.
Which designers are represented in the wardrobe?
The report names archival and designer pieces from Dolce & Gabbana, Comme des Garçons, Alexander McQueen, Fendi and Stella McCartney, alongside contemporary clothing from other labels.
How did the costume team account for Miller’s pregnancy?
Price said the team worked through fittings to find clothes that kept the character’s wardrobe consistent while concealing Miller’s pregnancy. The interview does not give further technical details.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
