From Marie Antoinette wigs to robotic jumpsuits: 'SYTYCD' costume designer picks 4 best looks
The 12th season of So You Think You Can Dance is Marina Toybina's third season as costume designer. While she readied her dancers for the show's finale (tonight!), Marina chatted with Paste BN on the phone about some of her favorite looks of the season:
Top 14 group: Marie Antoinette
These colorful, edgy, Victorian ensembles were inspired by the costumes in Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette. It took two hours for the dancers to get ready for the performance and, in this case, sewn into the costumes.
"The last thing I want is a wardrobe malfunction," said Marina. "Every single dancer got extra broaches, extra beading, extra floral work. I try to make sure everyone is so special."
Hailee and Virgil: Modern robots
The pair was dressed in printed body suits that had lycra the the sides for easy movement. Marina went for a Tron/Terminator look.
"I live at Home Depot when it comes to work, and that's where I saw nightstand lights to put on their hearts," said Marina.
Gaby and Joshua: Geisha/Ninja
A trip to Little Tokyo in L.A. helped Marina finalize her costume plans for this routine.
"If we ever represent a culture, I try to make sure I'm as accurate as I can be. I made sure the kimono was the right size, properly secured and authentic. We tested out the sleeves to make sure we had the proper length," she said.
Top 16 group: High-fashion punk rock
Since Marina used leather and dressed some of the guys in kilts for this look, it took extra effort to make the outfits danceable. Some outfits required detached sleeves, and, again, the dancers had to be fully sewn into their looks.
"My inspiration was the Met Gala," said Marina. "This was a tribute to top designers."
Marina, who recently designed Katy Perry's Super Bowl costumes and Ariana Grande and Fifth Harmony's tour outfits, won't give anything away about the So You Think You Can Dance finale. But the designer will promise this: She'll complete 60 costumes in only 3-4 days, like she does every week. And she'll be a nervous stage mom on performance night, as usual.
After that? She will sleep.