Kate Hawley wins Best Costume Design for ‘Frankenstein’ at Oscars 2026

Hawley received the award from former Vogue editor Anna Wintour and actor Anne Hathaway, thanking the Academy and her creative team while describing costume designers as “artisans, alchemists and dream weavers.”

The film, directed by Guillermo del Toro and inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (published in 1818), features richly layered costumes that blend Victorian aesthetics with gothic fantasy. Hawley’s designs employ colour symbolism and intricate textures to reinforce the narrative’s themes of life, death and obsession.

New Zealand costume designer Kate Hawley won the Best Costume Design award at the Academy Awards (Oscars) for the film Frankenstein.
Her elaborate, colour-driven costumes blend gothic aesthetics with Victorian influences, using symbolism and layered textures to enhance the film’s narrative and character development inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic novel.

Throughout the film, colour motifs, particularly shades of red, play a central storytelling role, symbolising the memory of Victor Frankenstein’s mother and recurring emotional themes. Victor’s wardrobe combines Romantic-era silhouettes with flamboyant touches inspired by figures such as David Bowie and Mick Jagger, reflecting the character’s rebellious personality.

Hawley also created intricate costumes for Elizabeth, portrayed by Mia Goth, incorporating botanical and insect-inspired patterns and jewellery elements that highlight the character’s connection to nature. The garments were built with multiple layers and textures to create a painterly, atmospheric visual style aligned with the film’s gothic tone.

The Oscar marks Hawley’s first Academy Award and follows earlier recognition for Frankenstein at the Costume Designers Guild Awards, where the film also won in the period film category.

With its dramatic silhouettes, symbolic colour palette and meticulous craftsmanship, the film’s costume design has been widely praised for helping shape the visual identity of del Toro’s ambitious adaptation of the classic tale.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (CG)