S26 - Ep 10 - 98th Oscars - Costume Design

Costume design defines character before a word is spoken — through silhouette, texture, and the quiet language of fabric.

For Episode 10 of Below the Line’s 2026 Oscar series, Skid is joined by Liz Vastola, Austin Wittick, and Allison Choi Braun to examine the nominees for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design at the 98th Academy Awards. Drawing on their experience across period drama, contemporary storytelling, and large-scale production, the panel evaluates this year’s field with a focus on research, construction, collaboration, and narrative clarity.

As with the rest of this year’s Oscar series, the conversation is available both as an audio podcast and as a full video episode on YouTube.

Our discussion explores:

• The physical craftsmanship behind Avatar: Fire and Ash, and how tangible garments support performance even in a digitally expansive world
• In Frankenstein, how heightened color and silhouette push beyond strict period realism to create something emotionally immediate
• How Hamnet uses restraint — muted palettes and softened textures — to support its interior storytelling
• The meticulous 1950s tailoring in Marty Supreme, and what period specificity reveals about character and class
• Blending Americana, music culture, and horror in Sinners, where aging, multiples, and continuity become storytelling tools
• The collaborative relationship between costume designers and directors, and how early visual conversations shape the entire production

Throughout the episode, the panel reflects on how costume design operates at every scale — from the smallest accessory to the broadest color arc — and how these choices work in concert with lighting, production design, performance, and theme.

🎧 Press play — or watch the full conversation on YouTube — and join us Below the Line for Episode 10 of our 2026 Oscar series as we head into the final stretch. For more, visit belowtheline.biz.