Frozen Fashion? |

In a previous post last November we looked at the costumes of some of the characters in animation films being inspired by real fashion creations comparing the Tooth Fairy in Rise of the Guardians with Thierry Mugler's "Chimera" dress.

Yet it looks like Mugler's theatrical designs may be a reccurrent obsession of other animation films. In Disney's winter film Frozen, Elsa, the young queen of the fictional kingdom of Arendelle who has magical icy powers, calls to mind Mugler's heroines.

Her costume echoes Mugler's "Ice Queen" gown in ice-blue satin and tulle with diamanté embroidery (Autumn/Winter 1981-82 collection), his asymmetric strapless gown with embroidered crystals in shades of torquoise (Autumn/Winter 1992-93 Haute Couture collection) and assorted looks from the publicity images for Mugler's Angel campaign (even though in this case the emphasis was more on stars and constellations, but there is also a constant reference in the ads to crystals and ice).

Disney probably borrowed also from Haute Couture designs: Elie Saab's Spring/Summer 2012 Couture collection featured for example quite a few icy blue gowns that may have been the starting points for some parts of Elsa's attire (appliqued Spring blossoms were obviously substituted with snowflake motifs).

Elsa's costume also borrows here and there from famous costume designs including Milo Anderson's costume for Marian in Michael Curtiz and William Keighley's The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).

There are detailed information on the Internet about the costume of Elsa's sister, Anna, in Frozen that is inspired by the Norwegian Bunad attire with some Hollywood glamour thrown in, but the only thing they say about Elsa is the fact that her costume moves from the shape of a snowflake. Could these be the real fashion inspirations behind Elsa's costume?