Emma Stone’s Power Look in BUGONIA – Jennifer Johnson on Costume Design (SPOILER)

In this episode of Decorating Pages, I’m talking with costume designer Jennifer Johnson about the wild, layered costume design of Bugonia, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Emma Stone.

We start with Michelle’s single, unforgettable look: a McQueen-inspired power suit, custom skirt and burgundy overcoat all chosen to telegraph power, control, and a character who always feels slightly out of step with the people around her.

Jennifer and I dive into:

• shaving Emma Stone’s head on camera and designing the basement sequence so Michelle stays powerful, not sexualized

• putting her into Teddy’s mother’s pink floral dress and how that small costume change completely shifts the emotional balance

• building Teddy’s world from a real beekeeper’s aged, smoke-stained suit and letting that grime drive both costume and set choices

• custom-making Teddy and Don’s suits with vintage fabrics so they feel like real, lived-in “dad suits” on VistaVision

• collaborating with production designer James Price on the film’s climactic council scene: a highly stylized, organic space built from miles of hand-knotted crinoline that feels part ritual, part biology, and totally unique

If you’re obsessed with costume design, production design, set decoration, and the craft of visual storytelling, this Bugonia episode is a deep dive into how far one team will go to make every stitch and stain matter

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Discover the Art of TV & Film Design with Decorating Pages Podcast

Hosted by Emmy-winning Set Decorator Kim Wannop, this podcast takes you behind the scenes of your favorite shows and movies. Each episode features in-depth conversations with the industry’s top production designers, set decorators, prop masters, and art department professionals, offering rare insight into the creative process of visual storytelling.

Whether you’re a film and TV fan, aspiring designer, or entertainment industry pro, Decorating Pages Podcast is your backstage pass to the world of production design. Learn how sets are built, stories are shaped visually, and characters come to life—one episode at a time.

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