Best Costume Design: Ranking Every Nominee of the 98th Academy Awards
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
Welcome to another year of the Academy Awards Project here on Films Fatale! We rank all of the nominees in each category every day.
All dressed up and nowhere to go? Surely not on Oscars night! While the red carpet reporters are focused on how stars are dressed in a different way, Academy Awards nuts like myself prioritize the Best Costume Design category and trying to figure out who could or should win this category (then again, why not enjoy the fashion on the night of as well?). This used to be a bit of a stuffy category — one heavily dominated by costume dramas (hence the name). However, things have changed over the years, and you won't really find that kind of a film nominated here this year (no, not even Hedda). In fact, we have one nominee that is a major head-scratcher that might leave you wondering what can even be nominated for such a category. Which film is the best dressed from 2025, and who are they wearing? Here are your nominees for Best Costume Design, ranked from worst to best.
5. Avatar: Fire and Ash-Deborah L. Scott
Let me start with the positives. Sure, I never considered that CGI-heavy films still need a designer at the helm to dictate how, say, costumes should look. Avatar: Fire and Ash does indeed have interesting garments that the various species of Na'vi wear (and, I suppose, the high-tech wear that the humans sport in order to survive). Now, let's get to the elephant in the room: most of these outfits are computer generated. I am open to the concept of such a film being nominated here, but when it is a film like Fire and Ash that is so reliant on computer-based imagery, the guidelines of the category become a bit murky (I remember the discourse surrounding when Avatar won Best Cinematography when the category was once based on the photographic capturing of shots [as opposed to digitally composed images]). The other two films in the Avatar series were not nominated for this award in the past; I suppose Fire and Ash have more of an emphasis on what the Na'vi are wearing (especially to differentiate one tribe from another). This is a bit of a weird one that I am not fully against, but it does prove to be difficult to rank Fire and Ash above any of the other nominees because those costumes were actually made (for the most part).
4. Marty Supreme-Miyako Bellizzi
I think the fashion in Marty Supreme is quite great (those branded tracksuits were flying off the shelves, for crying out loud), but — while I appreciate the film being recognized here — I also find that it cannot compete with the other three higher nominees. Still, each outfit donned by each character perfectly exemplifies their personality, history, and nature. What can also be damning in films like these (where the objective isn't so much about having the most elaborate outfits) is convincing the audience that these are wardrobes that have been worn before and lived in. Marty Supreme is convincing in this way; sure, everyone comes off as an eccentric character in their own way, but they at least look like they have always been that way, given what they wear (as opposed to someone who is clearly playing a part with set clothes). You can also see Marty’s various levels of success (or the lack thereof) based on what he is wearing. The costume department did such a good job, that I was tricked into not thinking that was costume jewelry (just like Marty); jokes aside, Marty Supreme is above standard with its costume work, but I don't see how it can compete with some other candidates.
3. Sinners-Ruth E. Carter
Ruth E. Carter is in the building with a record-setting Oscar nomination (she is the most nominated Black woman in Academy history with five nominations)! One of the best costume designers working today, Carter was a shoe-in for her work on Sinners. While typically known for her stylish choices, her work on Sinners is far more realistic as she takes us back in time with some believable, lived-in outfits. The little differences in what each person dons takes this illusion all the way, as it becomes apparent that these are not stock uniforms for a film set: these are the chosen outfits by our characters. I must say that, all things considered, our characters — no matter their history or circumstances — all look sharp in this film. I feel like the outfits in the two higher-ranked films have a bit more personality to them, but I think that Sinners easily deserves the nod here.
2. Hamnet-Malgosia Turzanska
While not a costume drama, Hamnet's entry here is as close as we got to a traditional period piece nomination this year (thankfully, it was not a cliched pick). What separates Hamnet from the films of the aforementioned drama (regarding their wardrobe, anyway) is how anthropologically specific these clothes feel: meticulous and detailed as opposed to showy. Chloé Zhao's film has a focus on feeling like a time capsule as opposed to a romanticized depiction of history, and a major reason why this works is because of how believable the clothes in this film are. These outfits might not be as showy as they are full of life: they are exquisitely designed to the point of making the characters feel like the ghosts of the past — or like a historical exhibit that came to life.
1. Frankenstein-Kate Hawley
Frankenstein accomplishes what both Sinners and Hamnet achieve (I consider the top three films here neck-and-neck, for the most part). A majority of the clothes feel lived in, full of character, and highly detailed. What separates Frankenstein from the pack are the instances when the film decides to go all-out with its costumes. We have lavish dresses whose veils float in the wind like apparitions, wardrobe with colour that leaps off the screen like the reflection on a peacock's feathers, the creature's rags that feel like they have been worn for years (with all the dirt that has accumulated on them), and much more. There are clearly some great candidates this year for Best Costume Design, but Frankenstein kind of ran away with this award, don't you think?
Who I Want To Win: I would be happy with Frankenstein, Hamnet, or Sinners winning this award.
Who I Think Will Win: I feel like it isn't a contest in this category, and that Frankenstein will be acknowledged as the best dressed film of 2025.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.