Costume Designers Guild announces 2022 winners, calls for pay equity in industry

In its first in-person event since the start of the pandemic, the Costume Designers Guild celebrated its 24th annual awards show and revealed the 2022 winners.

Hosted by actors Andrew Rannells and Casey Wilson, the event recognised excellence in film, TV and short-form costume design, while also calling on the industry to fight for pay equity for costume designers.

In a speech at the event, Salvador Perez, the president of the organisation, who has regularly spoken on the issue, said costume designers have been “historically underpaid for too long. It’s about costume designers in the costume department being valued as a major asset to the industry and compensated accordingly”.

A similar message was mirrored throughout the event, with attendees sporting ‘pay equity now’ pins and waving flags on stage that supported the cause.

Lifetime Achievement recipient and the costume designer for King Richard, Sharen Davis, was among those vouching for the message.

In her acceptance speech, Davis said: “I’ve worked sick. I’ve worked with a broken leg, I even worked after being hit by a car. There is no understudy for costume design. We are critical to incredible filmmaking. Let’s make this year the year that we get paid equally.”

The cause is one that has rang through the industry for years, as designers continue to fight for pay equity. Perez previously noted that costume designers, of which 85 percent are women, are paid less than production designers, which are 85 percent men.

Alongside the call for equality, big winners unveiled at the event included those behind the costumes for Dune, Disney’s Cruella, Emily in Paris and Coming 2 America.

Additionally, luxury jeweller Swarovski won the award for Excellence in Short Form Design, recognising B. Åkerlund’s work in the brand’s Welcome to Wonderlab commercial.

The ad came in addition to the brand’s redesign in April 2021, during which it introduced a new logo and identity in line with its transformation strategy. Boasting a star studded cast and featuring a hit song by FKA Twigs, the futuristic short film saw characters don eccentric costumes and over-the-top attire next to elevated accessory designs by the luxury label.

Spiderman and Tick,Tick… Boom actor Andrew Garfield received the Spotlight award and, during his speech, honoured the cohort of costume designers he has previously worked with throughout his career.