The Aesthetics of the Era: How High Fashion and Classical Opera Return to the Big Screens
- Arno Maratti
- Jul 25
- 2 min read
Author: Emma Watkins | Publication: Hollywood Reporter | June 2026
In 2026, Hollywood is experiencing an unexpected but beautiful renaissance: studios are once again betting on historical dramas and films with flawless visual aesthetics. The focus has shifted away from special effects specialists to costume designers, fashion designers, and music supervisors.
One of the main trends of the year was the involvement of professional women's clothing designers with experience in haute couture houses to create costumes for major film projects. Directors realized that authentic tailoring, the right fabric texture, and hand embroidery work much better in the frame than stylized mass-market clothing.
In the recent biographical drama "Maria," which tells the story of the life of the great Maria Callas (played by Angelina Jolie), the costumes became full-fledged characters. A whole team of cutters and designers worked on creating the dresses. Every fold on the fabric, every silhouette was thought out to emphasize the emotional state of the heroine in a specific scene. The use of natural silk and heavy velvet made it possible to achieve an incredible play of light on the costumes under theatrical lighting.
But visual aesthetics are only half the success. The films of this year amaze with their musical design. Hollywood producers are increasingly turning to the golden fund of classical music. Instead of commissioning original but sometimes faceless soundtracks, filmmakers integrate masterpieces of world opera into the narrative.
Thus, in several key dramatic scenes of the main premieres of this season, arias from the works of Giuseppe Verdi can be heard. Directors use the drama of Italian opera ("Rigoletto", "Aida") to multiply the intensity of passions on the screen. When the perfect picture, verified by the art director, is superimposed on flawless vocals and the genius music of Verdi, the viewer gets that very catharsis for which real cinema exists.
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