How does one design a costume for a character, who does not want to be seen? Costume designer Cate Adams unveils the meticulous process behind crafting the enigmatic costumes in David Fincher’s ‘The Killer.’ In an exclusive interview with Spencer Williams, Adams shares behind-the-scenes stories, from deciphering Fincher’s vision for a character who effortlessly blends into the background to the awe-inspiring challenge of outfitting the incomparable Tilda Swinton. Join us as Adams takes us on a journey through cities, layers, and hidden Easter eggs, providing an intimate look into her creative process and the transformative power of costumes in film.
Spencer Williams: I’m thrilled to welcome costume designer Cate Adams. Cate, thank you for being here.
Cate Adams: Thank you for having me!
Spencer Williams: I’m excited to discuss The Killer. My heart rate has just settled, and I’m ready to dive into the costumes.
Cate Adams: You’ve had time to process everything!
Spencer Williams: Let’s dive into shall we? David Fincher directed The Killer, who also directed a few episodes of Mindhunter. A show in which you were an assistant costume designer under Jennifer Starzyk. Tell me a little about your collaboration with David working on The Killer. What did that look like?
Cate Adams: In our initial meeting, David described the character, saying, “I want this guy to look like a German tourist.” The script specified a bucket hat and Skechers or similar orthopedic dad shoes. David emphasized that the character shouldn’t resemble an assassin but rather a normal yet peculiar guy, blending in or standing out as needed. He should wear laid-back, easy-to-put-on clothes, possibly water-resistant or waterproof. Anything that might be water resistant or waterproof. Perhaps he is wearing a mix of Tommy Bahama. I got a lot of really great notes in that very first. I’m not even sure if I was supposed to be taking notes, but as soon as he opened his mouth, I started writing.
Photo: ‘The Killer’ Costume Designer, Cate Adams
Spencer Williams: *laughs* The best way to get a job is just to start working!
Cate Adams: I’m thinking, I guess they will take my notes away if I don’t get the job. So it’s fine. I’ll give them up if that’s what it comes down to. He just kept talking about the idea that this guy was not cool and that he should be able to pick up his clothing from anywhere. So whether it’s an airport, Paris, or walking into a weird, random clothing shop. David kept emphasizing that the character should look like he wears attire for lazy people, with snaps and easy-to-remove clothing. The inspiration came from early 2000s styles, Hunter S. Thompson, Liam Gallagher of Oasis, and the resurgence of bucket hats. I gathered Parisian fashion photos and insights for David and was able to send him photos through an online system, and David could say yes or no to them and make comments. For example, he directed me towards light colors like the Parisian stone color of the buildings there.
Spencer Williams: That brings me to a burning question: how do you design costumes for a character meant to go unnoticed, like The Killer, who’s all about disappearing?
Cate Adams: If you watch David’s films, you’ll notice that the costumes don’t drive the story; it’s the camera work, cinematography, actors, and script. My goal was to ensure nothing looked out of place, even when the character was supposed to stand out as a German tourist in Paris. We explored various iterations of his look, including track pants mentioned in early scripts. My inspirations drew from early 2000s fashion trends and insights gathered from Parisian streets. I used an online system for collaboration, and David’s feedback guided the process. I think I went to Paris with 10 to 12 suitcases full of things that David had already seen. David was also present at my first fitting with Michael Fassbender.
It was a bit nerve-wracking but also quite magical. You see, David is very decisive; he knows exactly what he wants. By the time of the fitting, he had already reviewed almost everything— I’d say about 98 percent of what would be in that fitting room. Sure, I might have added a few things from Paris with my personal shoppers, but overall, it went really well. The fitting lasted about four hours, during which David provided valuable input on pairing different elements like jackets and layers. We discussed how he would wear each piece, including the functionality, such as the iPod pocket in the Aloha shirt. It was a collaborative process, and everything clicked.
Spencer Williams: It’s fascinating how you brought those elements together. The Killer moves through various locations, and I’m curious about the impact on costumes and your hectic schedule.
Cate Adams: I’d love to claim that we planned out each city months in advance, but that’s not how it happened. We were constantly on the move, adapting to the demands of each location as we prepared for the next. We were always on the go. It began with preparations in Los Angeles, where I had a small crew. From there, I went solo to Paris, where I collaborated with a local crew. Then we moved to the Dominican Republic, where my U.S. crew joined me, and the Paris team wrapped up their tasks. While shooting in the Dominican, another crew was gearing up in New Orleans, and the cycle continued. We moved from city to city – Dominican to New Orleans, New Orleans to Chicago, and finally, Chicago to finish some scenes in Los Angeles.
We had approved pieces from Paris for the Dominican Republic, creating a seamless look that echoed the Chino style he sported in both locations. We aimed for versatility, relying on layers suitable for warmer climates, allowing for easy transitions and adjustments. One interesting aspect was incorporating local elements into the character’s costumes. For instance, in New Orleans, he wears a Saints hat while driving in a van, and leaving Paris, he sports a baseball hat with a small Eiffel Tower emblem. I stumbled upon these items during a late-night shopping excursion, and the next day, David picked them out during a fitting.
As we moved through different locations, I had the chance to immerse myself in each city, letting the surroundings influence our creative decisions. The constantly changing environments added depth to the character, and it was a rewarding experience to see everything come together on screen.
Spencer Williams: That sounds both challenging and exciting. Moving to Tilda Swinton’s character, the Expert, her color palette and silhouette were striking. How was it designing costumes for a character like hers?
Cate Adams: Well, who doesn’t want to design something for Tilda Swinton, you know?
Spencer Williams: I was thinking about you the entire scene.
Cate Adams: She obviously had always been on my radar the whole time. We had some talks about what it had said in the script. Originally, I think the note that I had received was that maybe she was in an Ann Taylor suit, which was very understated despite her wealth. That was my first impression. But moving forward, when we got closer to shooting her scenes in Chicago, there was correspondence between David and Tilda that he luckily shared with me and Gigi, the head of makeup. That got me thinking about what she was going to wear. She dresses androgynously in real life, so David suggested a dress that’s warm with a flow. Maybe it’s wool, nice shoes, not too tall to risk injury when she needs to topple over. So, I scoured the internet for a wool, light-colored dress, avoiding pink or green tones. I looked at taupe, and the eggshell color Fassbender wears in Paris. It’s funny how there are these hidden Easter eggs, everything connected. Tilda shouldn’t be menacing when you first see her; you want a bit of compassion or empathy for her, right?
Spencer Williams: The dinner looked really lovely, actually.
Cate Adams: Yeah. Right? So what happened was that I found this movie she starred in called A Bigger Splash with Ralph Fiennes. She plays this ex-boyfriend, a singer rock star, who’s blocked her voice, and then she’s on vacation with her boyfriend and her ex-husband, something along those lines, but she looked so beautiful. She has the most simple feminist outfits, really pretty shirt dresses. They’re in Spain or Italy, somewhere like that, and she looks so beautiful with a collar but in some kind of dress or a wrap (A Bigger Splash costumes were designed by Giulia Piersanti).
Jack English/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
She’s got that long, beautiful neck. I really wanted to show her chest, but I also knew that it shouldn’t be too sexy and it shouldn’t be too revealing. She’s not going to want to wear anything that’s super tight. So I took a lot of ideas from that movie, and Raf Simons, who used to design for Dior, helped with that movie at the time. So, of course, light bulbs are going off in my head. No wonder she looks so incredible. We found this beautiful wool crepe that was the most beautiful eggshell color and the dress made. We brought it to Chicago. We didn’t have enough time to finish it there. So we lined it in Chicago. So then Ken and I spent three days, before the fitting with Tilda, shopping all of Chicago, going to Armani, going to Nordstrom. We went to Max Mara. We pulled out that beautiful coat that she wears.
We had every layer in that color imaginable, and Tilda came to the fitting. She and David talked for a bit, and then David said, “Okay, you guys, go do your thing.” Tilda took off her coat, and I said, “So, what would you like to try on? I heard lovely things about her, so I wasn’t too crazy, but yes, it was very trying at the time. I said, “Would you like to look around?” She’s like, “What do you want me to wear?” I said, “Well, I made a dress for you. I would love for you to try this dress on.” And she said, “Done.” She got changed, put the dress on, and it miraculously looked incredible on her. It needed alterations, but it looked pretty great. I felt like I had really taken all of the notes that David had given me with the flow, the drape, the wool, and the light tones.
I had also gone to Yves Saint Laurent in Chicago, and there was this beautiful brown blouse at the time with French cuffs and really cool gold cufflinks. We added that touch to the dress, kind of like a dominant male accouterment but very sly, and no one would really notice that. She tried it on, and then we put on some little booties we found from Stuart Weitzman and this beautiful Max Mara coat. David came in, looked her up and down, and he said, “Great.”
We had a few more discussions about accessories and a scarf. We had some purse options. David walked back out of the room to sit down, and Tilda started putting her clothes back on. and I said, “Do you think we need to try on another option?” And she said, “No, I’m good.” The look on my face probably is just stunned and so excited. I’m unsure if Ken and I might have hugged at that moment or tried to; I think we probably tried to be professional.
Spencer Williams: As soon as the door closed, everyone was high-fiving and dancing.
Cate Adams: Exactly. So that was one of the best moments of the film, especially because I’d been dressing mostly men the whole film. Before she left, she said something like, “Well done.” That was pretty special. That was probably one of the most incredible days of my life thus far.
Spencer Williams: Yeah. Wow, that’s really incredible. You’re going to hold onto that for a long time.
Cate Adams: Thank you. Of course, my team orchestrated and executed that look. So I’m super grateful for them.
Spencer Williams: The attention to detail is incredible. Lastly, reflecting on The Killer, what does this project mean to you?
Cate Adams: The Killer represents a pivotal point in my career. Securing such an opportunity was challenging, but I gave it my all. I’m grateful for my mentors, colleagues, and the supportive crew I’ve worked with. Collaborating with David was indescribable, and I hope to do it again one day. This project has been a stepping stone, and I’m excited about what lies ahead.
Spencer Williams: That’s wonderful to hear. I can’t wait to see what is next for you! Thank you so much, Cate, for joining us. This has been a joy.
Cate Adams: Thank you for having me. It’s been a pleasure.
