The work that goes into creating a movie or TV series is immeasurable and involves countless departments working in unison to achieve the goal of bringing a story to the screen – for the new Netflix series Griselda, that was a particularly challenging process for costume designer Safowa Bright Bitzelberger who had to recreate the fashion of 1970s and 1980s Miami.
Griselda not only features a large main cast that had to be outfitted but also an enormous cast of extras and background actors, particularly during several raucous party scenes that take place throughout the series, which only added to the scale of the task facing the show’s wardrobe department.
What is Griselda about?
Griselda exploded onto Netflix on Thursday, January 25, 2024.
Starring Modern Family’s Sofía Vergara as its titular character, the series is a fictionalized retelling of Griselda Blanco’s life and her part to play in the Miami drug trade throughout the 1970s and 80s.
Despite her initially charming exterior, Blanco possesses a sinister side that helps her navigate between her brutal business life and equally complex family life, earning herself the nickname, ‘the Godmother.’
As well as starring in the six-episode series, Sofía Vergara also serves as a producer, having developed the idea for the true crime drama over the past decade. Joining her in producing duties is co-creator Eric Newman who served as the showrunner on both Narcos and its spin-off, Narcos: Mexico.
Griselda costume designer discusses recreating 70s and 80s Miami fashion
A lot of work went into recreating 1970s and 80s-era Miami, from the production design to the hair, makeup and prosthetics that were used to help transform Sofía Vergara into Griselda Blanco.
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But one of the most crucial elements in helping to bring the colorful period to life on screen was the work of the Griselda wardrobe department, led by costume designer, Safowa Bright Bitzelberger.
The infamous era was hard to resist for Bright Bitzelberger but “despite [the series] taking place during such iconic time periods, it wasn’t about high fashion and glamor,” says the costume designer.
“But instead [it was] about keeping Griselda’s story grounded and not detracting from the scenes with anything that felt over the top,” she adds. “We avoided the temptation to lean into 70s or 80s kitsch. It had to have a foundation in reality, reflecting the oftentimes gritty and dark storyline. It’s not all Miami Vice pastels and white jackets.”
Not only did Safowa Bright Bitzelberger have to source outfits for the show’s main cast but there were hundreds of extras and background actors to clothe as well, meaning she and her team had to scour the country to purchase and rent innumerable pieces of clothing to suit their needs, many of which had to be duplicated if they were to be used in stunt sequences.
“That is always a logistical challenge, especially with period outfits,” she says. “You may find one amazing vintage apparel item, but if it is going to be used in a stunt scene that involves squibbing for fake gunfire, we would sometimes need six to eight of that same top or pair of pants.”
“Since vintage items are usually one of a kind,” the costume designer continues. “We actually had some of the iconic fabric prints from the 70s and 80s reproduced so that we would be able to have the pieces in volume.”
Griselda is available to stream now on Netflix after arriving on January 25, 2024.
