Euphoria, the most iconic looks and the future of the TV series, according to costume designer Heidi Bivens

Influences of the 90s and early 2000s are now omnipresent on the catwalks, as confirmed by the latest fashion seasons: micro skirts and cardigans, cropped sweaters, low waist, glitter and fluorescent colors are just some of the leitmotifs that have been intertwined by a couple of years now in the collections of designers, as well as in the looks of the celebrities and in the most popular street styles in the fashion capitals. A phenomenon that appears to be progressively grown since 2019year of release of the TV series Euphoria.

What we are witnessing is, in fact, a real one “Euphoria effect”which shows no sign of dissolving: the search terms related to fashion in the series have seen real spikes, becoming trends on every platform, from classic social networks to the search for inspiration on Pinterest.

But in what way of the flamboyant aesthetic codes, accompanied by the nostalgic and reflective storytelling of the TV series, have they come to speak so much to the public and, in particular, to Generation Z? We tried to figure it out with the costume designer of EuphoriaHeidi Bivenswhose style choices have had a huge impact on the success of the HBO show itself.

The aesthetics he built for Euphoria is having an enormous influence in the style choices of those who have followed the TV series, especially Gen Z. Did you expect a similar result?
“The response from Season 1 was something I could never have predicted, as it was my first TV costume design job and I had nothing else to compare it to. It was amazing to see the response of so much creative work, as well as to see how much this manages to “speak” to a very young audience: it means that, in some way, they see part of themselves in what is being told. After the second season premiere, I was not surprised to see such a positive response once again – thanks to the hard work of the cast and crew. Also, I think we all had the feeling that the public had the potential to double with the new season, especially after a long period of forced break ».

What are the main references from which you started building the costumes for each character?
“It’s hard to explain, like any stream of creation, but what is certain is that each character’s costumes have been created and amalgamated from ideas built over time. Details and suggestions coming from very different experiences and images, which somehow aligned themselves to give life to all this. The biggest inspiration, however, was the real people I have met over the years ».

Is there a specific scene in the series, whose final rendering on screen amazed you more than others, thanks to your style choices?
“In Lexi’s play in Episode 7, I had a blast with the students playing the show’s main characters in the play. I wondered what Lexi would be like as a director, trying to portray her in new guises that made her more self-confident, and I imagined what the actors and actresses would wear on her stage to best embody the main characters. A real meta approach, which I believe visually succeeded! ”

In your opinion, what are the fashion items that are or will be remembered as the most cult of the series?
«I think it will only be time to tell us which are the most cult fashion items of Euphoriabut personally I think most of them will be taken from Maddy and Jules ‘wardrobes.’

How did you manage to harmonize the “two faces” of the series? The lighter one, made up of aesthetic inspirations, and the deeper one, made up of youthful stories and dramas?
«Balancing lightness and depth goes back to the creative instincts. Sometimes I’m not even fully aware of these harmonizations until I see the finished show. What probably made it more impactful, especially in some scenes, is perhaps the contrast between these two parts: the attention of the protagonists to communicate through their own image, and the dramas they were experiencing at the same time. I also think that real harmony resides in all the creative departments working in unison. We have become like a big family, working together to make the show the best possible ».

The second season of Euphoria it goes even deeper into the life paths of the protagonists. Which style choices best represented this change?
“What helped me most to set the mood and tone of the characters, in a way that could reflect a deeper look into their psyche, is color. If you notice more carefully in fact, the overall palette of Jules, Rue and Maddy is darker in the second season, to reflect what is happening to them emotionally, while Lexi’s palette is revived: this is because, in some way, she succeeds. finally to come out of its shell, in a certain sense ».

One of his first major works were the costumes for the iconic film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: what did this experience bring to the set of Euphoria?
“In the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind I contributed to the work of the film’s lead costume designer, Melissa Toth, and it was an unforgettable experience. The connection between the two works, I believe, is in the type of project, in which young women of character expose and dissect their fears and what they want, reflecting everything in a personal style ».

The series Euphoria has been renewed for a third season: can you give us an idea of ​​the mood you have in mind for the next costumes?
“Season 3 is said to be a complete departure from what audiences have seen in Season 1 and Season 2. I think that the story may no longer be about high school and, in this sense, even what the protagonists will wear will change radically ».

In the gallery below, some of the most iconic looks of the second season of Euphoria.

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