The Meaning Behind the Fashion in Mulholland Drive
David Lynch’s mind-bending filmography consistently leaves no detail unnoticed. Throughout his career, fashion played a pivotal role from his signature look, including suspenders and a white shirt with no tie, to the thoughtful styling of iconic characters such as Dale Cooper’s infamous trench overcoat in Twin Peaks.
Mulholland Drive is no exception. The 2001 release saw costumes used to explore character identities and offer clues to its intricate narrative. Crafted by costume designers Amy Stofsky and Durinda Wood, the film went on to earn them a Costume Designers Guild Awards nomination.
Use of stereotypes plays a huge part, with the cast embodying common tropes and the era’s Y2K style, seen especially in Naomi Watts’s Betty. Introduced as the quintessential embodiment of optimism, and naivety, her wardrobe is dominated by soft pinks and pristine whites, reflecting a preppy and meticulously tidy aesthetic. She wears girlish pink robes and prudish high-neck tops, a choice that underscores her initial purity and the idealistic expectations she has on her arrival to Hollywood. As noted by Vogue, Lynch’s use of costumes often reflects his fascination with the uncanny and the contrast between outward perfection and hidden darkness. This is regularly seen in elements that are subtly unusual, like Betty’s clothes often appearing slightly too small, perhaps harking at her childishness or a desire to fit in where she does not.
In stark contrast, Betty’s alter ego, Diane, presents a more dishevelled appearance. Her choppy hair is paired with a wardrobe palette of greys and off-whites, with her robe instead being a dirtied beige shade, mirroring her messy reality as a result of her crushed Hollywood dreams.
Laura Harring’s character, initially known as Rita, exudes an air of mystery and allure. Her chic ensembles frequently feature deep reds and pure blacks, evoking the classic femme fatale of noir cinema and placing her as fitting into the world of big screen glitz and glamour. This dark colour scheme not only enhances her attention-grabbing, charismatic presence but alludes to her danger and ideas of the unknown. As highlighted in Dazed, the characters’ looks contain both keys to their personalities and crucial hints to unravelling Lynch’s twisted narrative.
Interestingly, the director Adam Kesher maintains a consistent style throughout both his dream and reality appearances. This unchanging wardrobe suggests that, in Diane’s perception, Adam remains a fixed figure: a representation of the Hollywood system that she believes has wronged her.
A seemingly minor character, the neighbour in apartment 12 at Sierra Bonita wears a simple, unassuming outfit. However, as the initial story blurs further into reality, the buttons on her shirt become reversed: a subtle choice that distorts reality and ties to the inversion of norms prevalent throughout the film.
Each outfit, whether its Rita’s iconic strappy LBD (Little Black Dress) or Betty’s tight pink cardigan, contribute to the ‘Lynchian’ atmosphere. Through these deliberate wardrobe choices, Lynch asks his audience to question the dangerous allure of Hollywood.
Mulholland Drive screens at the Tyneside from Thursday the 13th February 2025, and you can book tickets now.