By Ingrid Schmidt
“Maria,” starring Angelina Jolie, debuts on Netflix on December 11.
So many of this season’s elegant fashion signatures—drapey capes, dreamy gowns, dramatic hats—strike a note in sync with the midcentury style of late Greek-American opera star Maria Callas. Portrayed by Angelina Jolie in Pablo Larraín’s highly anticipated biopic Maria, (out December 11 on Netflix,) Callas was hailed as “La Divina” or “the divine” for her bel canto soprano star power. Yet the phrase could just as easily refer to her glamorous style: It is said that Yves Saint Laurent, a friend and frequent fashion collaborator, dubbed Callas the “diva of divas.” “Obviously, Maria Callas is a fashion icon,” says Hollywood stylist and costume designer Jen Rade. “From the late 1940s to the ‘70s, she epitomized Old Hollywood glamour with her jewelry, hats, gloves, and the way she put things together. Everything she wore was a look. Maria made statements that were also timeless, because the pieces were very classic. Something about her persona was larger than life. She died young, which always makes a person more iconic, as it leaves more to our imagination. Every place was a stage to her. Life was part of the performance, and that translated into her clothes.” Here, Rade, who has worked with Jolie for more than 20 years, weighs in on how some of the film’s looks, created by costume designer Massimo Cantini Parrini, translate from the silver screen to your winter wardrobe.
CAPE CRUSADE
Ethereal gowns and cape looks were worn on repeat by Callas to capture her statement drama, on stage and off. Image Courtesy of Netflix.
“There are so many beautiful, lightweight, feminine, delicate cape styles; they are such a huge trend now. Whether you do this look as a cute capelet top to wear day to day or you’re the person who can pull off a floor-length cape, there’s something for everyone. You could wear this gorgeous Valentino cape, for example, as is with trousers and a black tank; over a long slip dress as a full-on gown; or I would pair it with jeans, boots, and a tank, and it would be your one key piece. Gloves—a big accessory this season—are another Maria signature.”
IT’S A WRAP
Styles with scarf-like wrap details were a go-to in Callas’s wardrobe, as seen here on Jolie in Maria.
“This look in the film is very similar to a red dress that Maria wore at her debut in 1958 at the Paris Opéra [now called the Palais Garnier]. Erdem’s Fall/ Winter 24 collection was solely inspired by Maria and the red dress is a combination of the movie character and the real Maria; the performer and the person. It’s about the color, the wrap coverage of the shoulder, the big bow, the draping on the front. Even the red crystals are reminiscent of her love of jewelry and gemstones.”
TIMELESS TEXTURE
Maria captures Callas’s final days in the late ‘70s, when her casual looks were classic, but with a cool boho spin.
“Take a textural cardigan and belt it; dress it up, dress it down. I love the elbow-sleeve cardigan over the fisherman/ bubble knit at Chanel. Most people wouldn’t think to layer a textured knit over a textured knit. The sweater is a true fisherman cream, while the cardigan is a winter white: You absolutely can mix ivory, cream, and white. I always have a stash of double-faced French velvet ribbon, about an inch wide in varied colors, in my kit to use as belts. Clip it with a bar hook or tie it on to proportionally make the waist look smaller and legs longer.”
