California Apparel News

“The O.C.” costume designer discusses Southern California style

Costume designer Alexandra Welker has been practicing her craft for more than 10 years on films such as “How to Deal,” “American Pie 2” and “Joe Dirt” and on television shows including “Leap of Faith” and “Snoops.”

Welker has now headed south—of the Los Angeles County border, that is—to create the costumes for “The O.C.,” the new Fox drama produced by “Charlie’s Angels” director McG.

California Apparel News Manufacturing Editor Claudia Figueroa caught up with Welker to discuss coastal living.

What is your design background?

I did not go to design school. I learned a lot from my mother, who studied haute couture in Paris during the 1950s. When I was growing up, she worked for Vogue Patterns. So I learned everything about draping, patternmaking and fashion from my mom. My dad was an illustrator, so I grew up with a very heavy background in art. I was working in New York for a nonprofit organization, and on the weekends I volunteered to do wardrobe and styling on my friends’ student films just for fun. I was pretty good at it, so I decided to make it my career.

What type of research did you have to do for the show?

The producers were trying to make it as realistic as possible, and that’s one of my strengths as a contemporary costume designer. I do high fashion, but at the same time I try to be as realistic as possible. I had a strong sense of the California-lifestyle look already, but I did go down to Newport Beach and kick around for a while.

I actually have a strong relationship with several Orange County apparel companies that goes back about four years. I’ve done a lot of work with O.C. designers and indie labels such as Paul Frank, Modern Amusement, Hurley, Billabong, Volcom, O’Neill and Stussy. I’ve worked with St. John in the past and would like to use them in the future if the appropriate character comes along.

Newport Beach is a mecca for fashion and shopping. How do you plan to incorporate that type of lifestyle into the show?

We are portraying a lot of Newport Beach socialites as women who dress like their daughters. It’s sort of the “Trophy-Wife Syndrome.” They wear low-cut Joie Jeans and Sigerson Morrison rubber flip-flops with high heels. Just as we have the sort of conservative patrician types, we also have the tan trophy wives in their Juicy Couture sweats. I’m obviously speaking in very broad strokes about the different types of people in Orange County, but our characters are much more nuanced than that. We’re creating realistic characters.

How do you make the characters seem authentic?

Each character has a back story. I treat each one as a real person and shop accordingly. The characters have closets, and each one has a particular color palette and a certain style. For example, the lead character, Ryan, is very rebellious. He’s sort of the poor boy from the wrong side of the tracks that is dropped into a wealthy environment that is unlike anything he has ever seen. He’s a tough guy, but he’s also the romantic lead, so I have to make him appealing and non-threatening. This is the kid that shops at the Army and Navy store, thrift stores and Sears. His wardrobe is workwear, but he’s actually wearing Diesel, Volcom, Ben Sherman and Calvin Klein undershirts and some vintage pieces. As he continues to live in Newport Beach, his new family will help with his wardrobe, but he will maintain his overall look.

Fashion-wise, Orange County has an edgier side. Do you plan to incorporate that into the wardrobe?

Ryan’s best friend, Seth, is a little bit more fashionable. He’s Mod and kind of preppy. And he’s also a skateboarder, but he doesn’t wear typically baggy clothing. I have him in a leaner old-school silhouette. My friends at skate companies say the trend is moving back to that slimmer silhouette. And so Seth has been wearing Penguin, Lacoste, Ben Sherman, Earl Jeans, Paul Frank and Vans.

How often do you get to go shopping for the show?

Pretty much every week. Every script has something new. I built a closet for the characters that has a full range of clothes. They’ll have something specific for each episode—from the debutantes’ cotillion to a weekend in Mexico.

It’s a five-day-a-week job. It’s pretty grueling since we shoot a new show every eight days. My team and I are always preparing the next episode while we’re shooting the current episode.

What do you like best about working on the show?

I like the idea that it will set trends for viewers. The interesting thing about costume design is it’s about storytelling. It’s timely that we’re doing a show like “The O.C.” because Orange County has come into its own for pop culture. What we’re trying to do is to reflect that and also show the more high-fashion side of the county. I want people to tune into this show and be excited about what the characters are wearing. That’s what’s so exciting about television—there’s immediate feedback and viewers respond to it right away. With film there is a longer time lapse, so as a costume designer I have to predict what’s going to be the next trend. There are definitely shows that have struck chords with audiences and made them excited about fashion. We hope that “The O.C.” is going to be that kind of show.

Orange County is also known for its trend-setting music scene. Even McG, who is a producer on “The O.C.,” was enveloped in that scene and got his start directing music videos for Orange County band Sugar Ray.

The music and fashion is incredibly linked, especially for kids. Orange County’s music and fashion scenes have been so strong with bands like Sugar Ray, The Offspring and No Doubt, which have punk-rock, edgy and fun looks. But at the same time, there has been a rise in boardsports, surfing, skating and the lifestyle that goes into those sports, and that’s had an influence.

All of those are big influences in Orange County. Do you plan to incorporate that into the wardrobe?

Marissa, the love interest, has a strong sense of style, but she’s not necessarily a sport girl. Our teenagers are very sophisticated. The look is moving away from the ocean.

It’s not really about beach culture like “Bay Watch”; it’s about a community that just happens to be by the ocean. Being by the ocean shapes this world, but it’s not the focus of our show. But, the fact that it’s a beach town definitely has an effect on the culture of the show.