Transforming Timothée Chalamet: The Costume Design Mastery Behind Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown
Arianne Phillips, the seasoned costume designer for *A Complete Unknown*, has truly mastered the visual language of legend. Shot in 1965 with an ambitiously wide scope, spanning across the years from 1961, the film covers the meteoric rise of musician Bob Dylan, from his arrival in New York at age 19 to his stardom by 24. Director James Mangold's film re-creates pivotal moments in Dylan's life, asking Phillips to immerse herself in his world—and wardrobe. Phillips, a veteran of other period pieces like *Walk the Line* and *Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood*, dedicated years to getting every detail of Dylan’s style right. For her, creating a wardrobe for this artist wasn’t simply about reproducing fashion from another time but interpreting it. “I became fluent in Bob,” she said, as Dylan’s clothing choices reveal his evolving personas and worldviews during the early, transformative years of his career.
The film showcases some of the most iconic moments in Dylan’s career, including his 1963 photoshoot for the cover of *Freewheelin’*, the 1964 tour with Joan Baez, and his electrifying (and divisive) appearance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. With the sheer volume of visual references available, replicating his stage clothes—such as the leather jacket and red shirt from Newport or the green-and-white polka-dot blouse—was relatively straightforward. However, Phillips had to use her imagination when designing Dylan’s offstage wardrobe. Without access to Dylan’s personal pictures or wardrobe, Phillips drew from biographies, including Suze Rotolo’s memoir *A Freewheelin’ Time*, to understand how Dylan would dress for private moments like roaming through Manhattan, visiting the studio, or riding his Triumph Tiger 100 motorcycle.
As Rotolo, Dylan’s ex-girlfriend, explained, it’s the story of a young person experimenting with freedom and personal style. One consistent thread in Dylan’s evolving look was denim. Phillips collaborated with Levi Strauss & Co. to source vintage Levi’s 501 jeans from the early 1960s, including the 1963 pair seen on the *Freewheelin’* album cover. As Dylan’s style shifted toward the mod influences of Carnaby Street in 1965, he began wearing sleeker Super Slim jeans. Phillips worked closely with Levi’s to recreate these rare designs for the film. Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of Dylan required over 65 costume changes, reflecting the musician’s style evolution. Phillips noted that the production schedule was complicated, with scenes from different years being shot on the same day, making costumes essential for grounding the actors and aligning them with the film's timeline.
While Dylan offered feedback on the script, he didn’t provide personal wardrobe items for the production. Phillips was unruffled by this and stated, “I wouldn’t expect Dylan to have clothing that lasted 60 years. If he did, it should be in a museum, not a movie.” Although Dylan was not directly involved in the project, he recently discussed it, saying he felt comfortable with Chalamet portraying him. Phillips echoed this sentiment, noting Chalamet’s dedication to the character, which included intense music rehearsals and vocal coaching. The bond between the actor and costume designer was crucial, as Phillips worked closely with Chalamet to find a visual take on Dylan.
This collaboration brought Dylan’s formative years vividly to life, showing Phillips’ remarkable ability to convert clothing into a powerful storytelling tool. Her work on *A Complete Unknown* is an outstanding example of how costume design can transform a film, making a legendary figure's style and persona an integral part of the narrative.
