To get some background for our Red Riding Hood Private Sale Event, we had the chance to talk to Catherine Hardwicke, the director of Red Riding Hood (and helm of the original Twilight movie.) She had some great insights about the history of the story and why the characters were costumed the way they were.

SeenOn: This version of Red Riding Hood does not seem like a fairy tale. Where did the idea of a grown-up version of Red Riding Hood originate?

Catherine Hardwicke: Leonardo di Caprio’s company, Appian Way, came up with the idea of a sexy, grown-up Red Riding Hood and hired horrormeister David Leslie Johnson (Orphan) to write the screenplay.   David studied the origins of the fairy tale – going back to its earliest and darkest roots.  In some medieval versions of the tale, the Big Bad Wolf was a WEREWOLF!

SO: There are so many different versions of Red Riding Hood that have been told over the years. How did you settle on the setting for the movie? How true were you to the original story?

CH: Exactly!  There is no “original” story — so we got to be creative! In every story, one constant was always there:  a young girl goes into the dark woods.  So we built a fairy tale forest with giant twisted trunks and lethal spikes.

Red Riding Hood’s house is built out of thick logs and raised up on stilts – for protection against the wolf.  The Grandmother literally lives in a tree house.

SO: The cape is such an integral part of the story. In some scenes, it’s huge and dominating. Can you tell us how it was designed? How many different versions of the cape did you use while filming the movie?

CH: We had two main versions of the cape. The 20 foot long red velvet cape was created for the dream sequences.  A helicopter dropped us off on top of a glacier and when we unfurled the cape, it was this brilliant crimson ribbon slashing across the vast frozen landscape.

The cape was the ultimate challenge for costume designer Cindy Evans.  She literally searched the world for the most brilliant red fabric that would drape beautifully.  Ultimately, she used an Indian silk and had a sewing circle of 14 women stitching elaborate patterns into the cape.

SO: Unlike Twilight, whose fans were very invested in the original source material, it seems you have more room for creative interpretation for a story like Red Riding Hood. What are some examples of your own personal interpretation as director?

CH: For the celebration scene, I was inspired by my experiences at Burning Man – which has its roots in medieval, pagan rituals.  Our Music Supervisor Brian Reitzall (Lost in Translation, Virgin Suicides) hired Swedish band Fever Ray to create a song, then choreographer Sarah Elgart created a dance that felt ancient, but very sexy.   We basically created a medieval RAVE!

SO: The film is quite visually striking. What inspired you to create the visual mood and color palette for the film?

CH: I love Hieronymus Bosch’s paintings form the 1500’s – especially the Garden of Earthly Delights.

SO: Did you have a hand in creating the looks for the characters? What role did you play in costume and production design?

CH: As soon as I read the script, I started collecting cool images: luscious red dresses from Alexander McQueen – gorgeous girls posed in giant bird’s nests in the forest.   Vogue did a whole Red Riding Hood layout with sexy wolfs and hot chicks in the woods.  A wild “steam punk” illustrator, Kit Stolen (look him up online, ladies – he’s tall with long dreads), helped me sketch some hip, deconstructed looking capes   — creating a bad-ass Red Riding Hood.

We also drew lots of rough pencil drawings of the village, which Kit “painted” in Photoshop.

When costume designer Cindy Evans and production designer Tom Sanders were hired, they took all my research and drawings and ran with it.  We all had a great collaboration.

SO: It always seems like costuming for a period piece would be so much fun. What kind of research was done for the trends from this period in time, and what was done to modernize the look for the film?

Costume Designer Cindy Evans and I looked at paintings from the period but we didn’t want to be trapped into specific museum-perfect references.   We wanted the clothes to be functional and sexy.

As Red Riding Hood, Amanda wears a tight, low waisted dress with short sleeves and detachable fingerless arm-warmers.  Her Grandmother, played by 60’s style icon Julie Christy, wears a similar low-waisted dress, fingerless gloves, layers of charms and necklaces, a deconstructed head-wrap, and silver dreadlocks that reach down below her waist.

Shiloh Fernandez, who plays Peter, wears black leather shirt, cape, and tight leggings.  All the stitching is asymmetrical – it’s as if he skinned the deer and made the clothes himself.   He wears tight knee-high black boots that are wrapped with leather straps.   All his necklaces are functional – they can be used to sharpen his axe blade or cut a length of rope. Plus, he looks hot.

Thank you so much, Catherine!

We know you all will be keeping a keen eye on the fashion tonight at the Academy Awards. Why not take it one step further and have your eye on Oscar fashion all year round? Black Swan has had fashion insiders buzzing for its stunning visual beauty and storytelling through design. Now Amy’s original costume sketches from the film are available only to SeenOn’s private sale members. These gorgeous original works of art, which are 9×12 and drawn on painter’s paper,  are one-of-a-kind pieces of Oscar history – yours for the taking, only on SeenOn. Start shopping here.

Today, we’re inviting you to take part in our newest offering, The LA Experience. We’ve personally scouted out the things stars love most: the chicest spas, most fabulous boutiques and the trendiest restaurants. But you won’t need to stand in line or be a celebrity to get in.

Each week, you’ll have access to both live deals that happen in and around LA, and also online deals that bring LA to you, no matter where you live. Each offering will be in two tiers – one, a unique, celeb-worthy experience that’s limited to only a few people (think private consultations with celebrity makeup artists to a seat at the personal table of a celebrity chef); the second, a more accessible deal from the same place that’s still equally LA. We’ll have a new experience available each week and you’ll hear about it in your regular email.

We’re looking forward to sharing one-of-a-kind celeb-worthy experiences with you that only happen in LA. And only on SeenOn. Click here to see our kickoff offer, Red Carpet Ready Skincare from the hottest medi-spa in Beverly Hills. Also, be sure to join us today at 12 pm PT/3 pm ET for a live Facebook Chat, where I’ll answer all your questions about the LA Experience. Just go to SeenOn’s Facebook page and start asking away!

Happy experiencing!

Erika Stanley
LA Experience Scout

1) How did you get into designing?

My mother and father were both in fashion.  My mom owned a boutique and my father, a senior VP at Sasson jeans, during their heyday in the 80″s…. Being around the industry captivated my imagination. It was a very natural progression for me to finally launch my own company in 2007.

2) I love the functionality of the interchangeable hardware. How did you develop the idea?

One night I was dressing to go out and I did not like how the hardware on my bag looked with the jewelry I had chosen.  I was standing in front of the mirror and said to my husband, ” I wonder why there is not a bag on the market where you can select the color or texture of hardware you prefer and maybe even be able to switch it out, when you get bored?”

He suggested that I do it.  When I raised concerns about the investment required, he assured me by saying, “What better investment could I make than in my wife.”

I will never forget that!  I immediately started.

3) Your bags have been seen in magazines and on the arms of celebs.  What was that first moment that really blew your mind and you thought your line was going to make it?

When I saw photos of Kate Bosworth walking around with my Entrechat Bag in Australia.

She has such a cool style about her.  She never seems  to be afraid of taking a risk or wearing something that is original.  I knew that I was onto something if someone with her sense of fashion had chosen my brand.

4) Tell us about your first bag featured on Gossip Girl? How did that happen and how did being featured on such a style-driven show affect your line?

Eric Daman is an amazing stylist.  He knows how to mix styles in an unpredictable way that is always interesting.  A couple of years ago, I had invited him to a fundraising event that I was involved with.  We hit it off!  Shortly afterwards he began to use our bags on the show.    He has been a great supporter in growing my brand.  I am truly grateful that there are people like Eric out there, fostering new talent.

5) Who else have we seen your bags on and who would you love to see carrying one?

Most of my favorites have already carried a Michelle Vale including  Sarah Jessica Parker, Cameron Diaz, Kate Beckinsale, Blake Lively, and Kate Bosworth.

I Would love for Jennifer Aniston to have one of our bags.  The Michelle Vale client is a woman who is confident in jeans and a T-shirt, but loves to put on a cocktail dress every once and awhile.  She is effortlessly chic…and always has on one statement piece that is not loud, but is special enough to create a memorable impression.