When the costume designer David Crossman, who specializes in military wear, first knew he would be working on “Napoleon” (in theaters Wednesday), Ridley Scott’s epic starring Joaquin Phoenix, he had a “mini panic” about the hats.
It wasn’t that he would have to be recreating Napoleon Bonaparte’s famous headgear, the kind for which collectors pay dearly (one just sold for $2.1 million).
He examined objects from a private collection as well as examples of real Napoleon hats in the Musée de l’Armée in Paris.
Phoenix’s hats may have been built from bark cloth, but they were true to size.
There were three key versions for the character reproduced many times over, Crossman said, as well as a glorious array of hats for various generals, allies, and enemies.
Persons:
David Crossman, Napoleon ”, Ridley Scott’s, Joaquin Phoenix, Napoleon, Crossman, “, ” Crossman, ’ ” Crossman, ”, Phoenix
Locations:
Uganda, l’Armée, Paris