10 Things You Didnt Know About The Costumes In Coming To America

10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Costumes In Coming To America

Coming to America is full of great characters, all brought to life through the amazing costume design of John Landis’ wife, Deborah Nadoolman Landis.

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Though not an initial hit upon its release in 1988, Coming to America has become a cult classic in the decades since, in no small part due to its kaleidoscopic costumes. The story of Prince Akeem (played by Eddie Murphy) journeying to America to find his future bride became an urban fairytale, magically brought to life through the stunning pageantry of his wardrobe and the unique outfits of every character he encounters on his quest.

Both the extravagant ensembles of the people of Zamunda and the contemporary clothing of the inhabitants of Queens, New York, aid in telling the story, which has remained timeless to this day. With a much-anticipated sequel set to premiere in 2022, new interest has been reignited for the iconic costumes from the film.

10 They Were Designed By The Director’s Wife

John Landis directed the original Coming to America in 1988, and his wife, Deborah Nadoolman Landis, was responsible for designing the costumes for the film, an effort that garnered her an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design the following year. Her other iconic costumes can be seen in Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Blue Brothers, and An American Werewolf in London, to name a few.

To create the particular aesthetic of the fictional African country of Zamunda, Landis studied a variety of African tribes and cultures and selected a pastiche of elements she thought would best represent it, before adding her own twist.

9 They Were Intended To Be A Combination Of High Fashion And Daily Wear

According to the AFI Catalog of Feature Film, Deborah Nadoolman Landis designed well over 500 costumes for the film and was said to be most inspired by the “New Look” aesthetic of the early 50s made popular by fashion designer Christian Dior. She felt that Dior was what the royal family of Zamunda would wear.

She combined the New Look with ready wear styles worn every day from Kenya, East Africa, Zambia, Senegal, and the Gambia. In a video interview for the New York Daily News, she explained that she paired the outfits with bold, statement pieces that reflected items found in Ghana and Nigeria (designed by costume jeweler Ezmaralda Gordon).

8 They Were Under Intense Scrutiny

In the same 2018 video interview for the NY Daily News, Deborah Landis said that Coming to America was one of her most challenging films to design costumes for because she was “designing while white” and placed under intense scrutiny. It was something that never left her mind during the entire production process, and she aimed to make clothing that wouldn’t degrade people of color.

Inspired by her profound love of African culture, she did her best to showcase its wide variety and pageantry in a way that celebrated it. In the same interview, she stated she’s since gotten praise from her good friend Ruth Carter, who designed the costumes for Black Panther.

7 They Were Meant To Invoke A Fairytale View Of Africa

In the late 80s, Africa was in a period of tumult. Scriptwriter David Sheffield told Good Morning America that the film needed to “avoid any of the real-life horrors of Africa at that time, and the systemic problems that continue today. We wanted to show this storybook perfect world.”

Deborah Landis’s job then was to create a picture-perfect elegance that made the actors carry themselves a little differently, in costumes that showcased the greatness of the continent and not just the turmoil that was being seen in the news at the time. It helped the film become one of the most revered romantic comedies of its decade.

6 Every Character Had a Distinct Look For Their Wardrobe

From the McDowell family to the royal family, every character in Coming to America has a distinct look. In the same interview with the NY Daily News from 2018, Deborah Landis said she used the actors themselves to inform how they would dress, and after meeting James Earl Jones (who plays Akeem’s father, King Jaffe Joffer), she just knew that no one else could walk into a barbershop in Queens wearing a full lion’s head.

Not only was King Joffer meant to display his affluence by wearing the sumptuous pelt, he was also meant to “bring Africa to New York,” which Landis said was evident in the small details, like the zircon in its eyes that proclaimed his “ownership” of the minerals mined from his country.

5 Some Of The Costumes Were Played For Laughs

When designing the red and black plaid outfits for the workers at McDowell’s chain of restaurants, Deborah Landis wanted to incorporate her sly sense of humor. In the same 2018 interview for NY Daily News, she mentioned asking star Eddie Murphy if it would be funny to have two African men (himself and Arsenio Hall as Semmi) in a Scottish tartan pattern, complete with tam o’shanter hats.

Murphy approved the choice, and the famous McDowell’s outfits became not only as iconic as Akeem and Semmi’s more bombastic wardrobe choices, but part of the funniest scenes in the film.

4 Beyonce Rented One Of The Original Costumes And Didn’t Return It

Singer and fashion icon Beyonce once rented one of the outfits from the engagement gala thrown for Prince Akeem in the beginning of the film to use in her “Lemonade” video. According to Landis via the New York Daily News, she never returned the dress and turban and ended up having to pay the costume house for loss and damages.

Beyonce, her husband, and their daughter all dressed up as characters from Coming to America for Halloween in 2018. She celebrated the holiday as Prince Akeem’s mother, the Queen of Zamunda, but it’s unclear if that outfit was the same one she kept for her collection.

3 Some Of Them Were An Homage To “Thriller”

John Landis had directed the famous music video for Michael Jackson’s breakout hit “Thriller” in 1983, and his wife Deborah Landis created Michael Jackson’s iconic red leather jacket. The red and black motif of the music video would end up placed throughout Coming to America, a process she describes during a YouTube interview with the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles.

The restaurant uniforms at McDowell’s are red and black, and the uniforms that Akeem and Semmi wear at Cleo McDowell’s party are versions of the same. Even Lisa’s shirt, dress, and matching earrings at the party reflect the theme.

2 The Pink Wedding Dress Wasn’t Intentional

As beautiful as Lisa McDowell’s wedding gown is in the final scene of the film, the pink hue wasn’t an intentional design choice, according to an interview Landis did with Complex in 2015. It was made out of nylon tulle, a relatively inexpensive fabric compared to the other costumes of the wedding attendees, but her crown was made with real turquoise, pearls, hematites, coral, and citrines, on sterling-silver plated with 14k gold.

Originally ivory and yellow hues were used but Landis felt that the colors made actress Shari Headley look “like a marshmallow.” A blue gown was considered too “somber.” The blush pink dress that was finally chosen was a happy accident that has since become one of the most beloved wedding dresses in cinema history.

1 The Costumes Will Be Made By Ruth E. Carter In The Sequel

Ruth E. Carter, who won the Academy Award for Best Costumes for the blockbuster Black Panther, confirmed via Essence that she will be recreating the opulent, exotic, and eye-catching wardrobe of Zamunda’s royal family to life in Coming To America 2.

Carter became a sensation after her design team was responsible for creating the look, feel, and color palette of Wakanda, the fictional country that much of Black Panther takes place in. She plans to maintain the same aesthetic from the first Coming to America film, but modernize it for a new generation.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/things-about-wardrobe-costumes-coming-to-america/

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