It could be a hat, gun, cushion, wine glass, lightsaber, carpet, kitchen unit, tree or aircraft. I always think of the suit as being the armor in the office and then the casual sportswear is these moments in the show where he sort of takes it all off.A prop, or property, is any moveable item that can be seen on a film. ** Bryant:** If you go back and look at all of Don’s casual moments, it is really all about this heat that this character has.
GQ: Good looking people getting together. ** Bryant:** Totally, and you can understand why he and Betty have this moment together, both of them being so attracted to each other. GQ: So it’s always that American alpha male ideal?
I wanted him to seem like how we had seen him in the past, with that tight polo shirt and the khaki pants. Especially for this past episode, the whole encounter with Betty. And in terms of story, when he does have his casual moments, it really speaks to the scene as well. ** Bryant:** When he’s in casual wear I always feel like I want Don Draper to look so sexy. GQ: There are guidelines of how Don dresses for the office, but how you approach his costume design when he’s not on company time?
#PROPS FOR SHOT DESIGNER HOW TO#
** Bryant:** What can I say? Don Draper knows how to dress. GQ: Don’s polo is one of those pieces that would look just as sharp today. And then I found that amazing vintage polo that when he put that on I was like, "Yes! Jon Hamm you are wearing that." That pale glen plaid was one of my favorite jackets of the season. I love it when the characters have an opportunity to repeat their costumes because I love the realism of that. Was that the same sports jacket as the one he wore drinking the Ted? GQ: Shifting to Don, as a viewer it’s always exciting to see him in clothes outside of the office and his trip to Bobby’s camp offered another peek at his off-duty wardrobe.
I also did a lot of research on what was going on in London as well for Abe, anything to set him apart I wanted him to have elements of being a little hippie-ish without being a hippie. It was an article on how couples were dressing the same, and there was this one photograph of a guy and I was like, "that’s Abe." His shirt was buttoned down really low. ** Bryant:** There was actually some research I found in the New York Times, photos taken of people on the street and there were all these different couples. GQ: Were there any particular reference points you found useful when building Abe’s wardrobe? I also wanted him in bellbottoms, wide belts, and striped t-shirts, which are all really important in terms of the times and such dramatic changes going on in fashion and society. And then to symbolize their relationship as being further and further apart, I wanted him to be in like sweaty armpit white shirts, white briefs. Even when he did dress up for Peggy’s mother, it was still in an informal manner, not a total suit. ** Bryant:** I really wanted him to seem anti-establishment. GQ: From the character’s introduction, what were some of the key pieces or elements you put into Abe’s costume design to set him apart from the more traditionally dressed characters like Peggy?
They’ve always been different in that way. And Peggy always chose the corporate world of advertising. Abe didn’t have the Fu Manchu and the long greasy hair, but he was still this cool journalist with his leather jacket and anti-establishment mentality. ** Bryant:** They’ve always really been like that, from the first time they met and made out in the closet. GQ: When you costume design for Abe are you trying to play up the contrast between him and Peggy as well?