Drawing on the classic American Housewife aesthetic, Iris’ outfits align with retro ideals of femininity from 50's and 60's fashion. With inspiration from icons of the decades, Audrey Hepburn and Bridget Bardot were the main influences on Companion’s fashion mood board. From headbands and ballet flats to A-lines and pastels, Companion perfectly encapsulates the essence of the monumental era. These looks set up connotations of romance, which is later brutally subverted in the film.
Her model leans into the 'good girl' stereotype of standards for women.
Iris is intended to be the personification of the male gaze. Her outfits illustrate toxic masculine ideas of how Josh believes a woman should present as he has full control over Iris' canvas. Her model leans into the ‘good girl’ stereotype of standards for women: sweet, innocent and delicate.
Despite playing into archetypes that may be considered outdated by today's standards, with the rise of TikTok trends like the ‘trad-wife', pink bows and gingham boy shorts, Iris’ style isn’t necessarily a blast from the past. Companion walks the line between nostalgia and modernism, portraying the idea that fashion is cyclical and highlighting how the film's envisioned future is rooted in a bygone ideology that continues to resurface.
According to Vanessa Porter, the film's costume designer, most pieces in Companion were sourced from Brooks Brothers and Caio Lucia to replicate the 'French girl' style. Many of Iris’ outfits feature matching details, often monochrome, which create a sense of artificiality and blur the lines of reality in the film, hinting at her absence of autonomy— a concept which is reinforced by her heart-shaped necklace, compensating for her lack thereof.
Matte foundations were used to give her face an unattainably perfect, doll-like appearance.
For those, like me, who were fixated on Sophie Thatcher’s flawless lip combo the entire runtime, Sasha Grossman, the makeup designer, revealed it was the ILIA Tint Hydrating Lip Balm in shades ‘Runaway’ and ‘Hold me’ blended, which can be found in Sephora. Matte foundations were used to give her face an unattainably perfect, doll-like appearance, subtly alluding that something wasn't quite right, like how her makeup remained intact even while showering.
As the film draws to a close, Iris demonstrates her newfound self-control by making her first independent clothing choice as we see her dressed in black skinny jeans and a leather jacket as she rides off into freedom.
Companion masterfully incorporates fashion into the storytelling of the movie to underscore its feminist themes. Not only does it provide a lookbook of adorable outfits, but it also exhibits political commentary on women's rights.