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Dressing 500 people for the Super Bowl halftime show? No sweat for B. Åkerlund, writes Mandi Lennard

Title Costume Designer for last Sunday’s extravaganza, B. Åkerlund, who has worked with Madonna since 2006, talks about her fashion masterstroke.

Mandi Lennard: You must be exhausted, how are you feeling?
Bea Åkerlund: It’s a very strange feeling being back at home and things back to normal! After an intense non-stop three months creating and being consumed by a project, and then it’s gone. The feeling is sort of like having a baby or two; that’s the feeling I can relate to.

ML What on earth was your starting point for this mammoth task?
BA My starting point was Madonna and making her vision come to life, then the exploration of the Roman empire as well as the world of Cleopatra.

ML With an artist so energetic, what considerations are there for costumes?
BA We starting designing Madonna’s costumes right at the very beginning of the job, but as time moved on and choreography came into place, we had to redesign and make adjustments to accommodate her very acrobatic movements for the music .

ML Who else did you dress, and how was it co-ordinated to ensure the differing looks were in tune with each other?
BA I dresses and designed the entire show and I guess that was what made it all go together. I’m not going to say it was easy dressing 500 people and 6 pop stars – Madonna, Nicki Minaj and M.I.A, LMFAO (Sky blue and Foo), and Cee Lo – but I do love a challenge!

ML When did you start planning what she would wear?
BA We started somewhere in November, but the final outfits were constructed just a few days before the show .

ML How many fittings did you have beforehand?
BA Probably around 4-5 for Madonna, and for all the special guests, we did one fitting upon their arrival for rehearsals.

ML How big a team did you have, and what was your schedule like in the build up?
BA I had people working on all sides of the world; assistants in Paris, London, Milan, Tokyo, Sweden and New York. Our crew was based in New York and we were probably around 10 people including interns. The schedule was pretty much non-stop and left little time for anything else.

ML What did you do to keep yourself going?
BA Juice… fresh juice.

ML How did you reach a decision on which designers to approach?
BA I had a wish list and then it became actual from there. There were many designers that supported our project and I try to pay them back in every way I can.

ML Who did you settle on in the end?
BA My collaboration with Riccardo Tisci and Givenchy was incredible and they pulled out all the stops for us. Madonna wore: Givenchy Haute Couture, and the hat was by Philip Treacy for Givenchy Haute Couture, the boots Miu Miu, and earrings Bvlgari. Givenchy only did Madonna. Things changed last minute as things do but I had plans B, C and D in check – and that is what it takes to dress the queen for the Super Bowl and in the end, we were both happy with the final look.

ML How long have you worked with Madonna?
BA I have worked with Madonna since 2006, when my first job with her was the ‘Sorry’ video.

ML What’s a treat now you survived the Superbowl?
BA Being with my family and spending time with my kids.

ML What’s next?
BA Not sure. Everything after the Super Bowl will seem too easy and boring. I’m looking for something that I can sink my teeth into. It has to be the right project or I’m not interested .

ML How did you get into the business, do you have a formal fashion background?
BA I’ve been a stylist since I was 17 years old – with a passion for clothes and being at the right place at the right time! Nothing has been handed to me, but hard work does pay off, and if you believe in yourself and work hard, the day will come.

ML What are you wearing this spring – got anything yet?
BA I’ve not left rehearsals or my hotel room in a month, so I have some catching up to do for spring.

ML Are you full-time in LA now?
BA I live between LA and Stockholm. Me and my husband commute between the two. I lived in London for a brief moment when I was costume designing Madonna’s first film Filth & Wisdom.

Photos courtesy B. Åkerlund

http://www.bcompleted.net/

This piece first appeared on The Sunday Times’ Style Blog 8 February 2012:
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/Blogs/Style/

mandix
mandi’s basement