How a Broadway Costume Designer Adds Contemporary Fashion Flair to 16th Century Romance
Tony-nominated costume designer Enver Chakartash talks their refined take on wardrobe for the titular characters in "Romeo + Juliet," including pieces from Ludovic de Saint Sernin, Alexander McQueen, and more.
Forget Elizabethan garb and enter Shakespeare's 16th century world through a filter that feels distinct—garbs that are tailored, bold, and yearning for youth.
Director Sam Gold’s Romeo + Juliet joins a long line of prior adaptations of the tragic romance. The director, who is known for revitalizing Shakespeare in 21st-century contexts, ushers in an edgy, albeit stripped-down take on this ill-fated tale between star-crossed lovers. Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler front the show, clad in pieces you may find in your closet. This latest version, thus, offers an intriguing sartorial take on the protagonists, clueing in any viewer into how to add contemporary flair to what's centuries-old.
Tony-nominated costume designer Enver Chakartash was tasked with crafting the production’s visually captivating and youthful aesthetic through its wardrobe. “When we started speaking about the show, Sam had shown me a lot of mood boards that he made that had a lot of references from different music videos, like FKA Twigs' and Troy Sivan’s music videos,” Chakartash tells L’OFFICIEL of the production with Jack Antonoff-made music. Gold’s vision served as the backbone in Chakartash’s character portrayals.
For Chakartash, it became about wielding the clothing as a narrative tool: “I kind of approached it like costuming the performers as the characters, versus transforming them. It was more, ‘How do we make the performer and the characters meet’ because they were playing more than one role. So, it felt important for you to be able to see the actor.”
Zegler’s prances around the stage as Juliet in a quintessentially Gen-Z way, but her outfits lean edgier, which reflects Juliet’s rebellion against her family. Romeo’s parents are notably absent in this adaptation, making the Capulets the central force of conflict that Juliet’s fashion subtly defies. Sporting platform Doc Martens and Urban Outfitters micro shorts, Juliet’s look is a non-verbal rejection of her parents' insistence on control. “Once she meets Romeo, she shows a lot more skin. There are many scenes where we see Juliet in her bedroom—I wanted her to wear something that a real teenage girl would choose," Chakartash says.
Juliet’s costumes throughout the show capture a delicate maneuver between adolescence and adulthood, blending youthful pieces with more sophisticated ones. For much of the first act, she wears a pink-patterned training bra under a low-cut halter top, subtly reminding the audience that, despite facing life-or-death, she is still just a girl at heart.
Connor, as Chakartash recalls, perceived Romeo to be wise beyond his years. In Act I, he wears a black mesh tank top by Ludovic de Saint Sernin displaying a branch embroidered with blossoming flowers that are rather droopy. Chakartash envisioned crafting another version of the top, their favorite look, now adorned with flowers on the cusp of full bloom to mirror his developing feelings for Juliet. “I designed the embroidery and we appliqued it onto some tank tops and it’s just so beautiful and so simple," Chakartash adds.
“It feels so evocative of something kind of cosmic,” the costume designer continued, referring to the multicolored garden unveiled as Romeo falls in love. “Once the garden opened up, it felt important to introduce color and costume in a new way. And then once it closes, again we’re in this dark space. When we enter the second half of the show, we introduced a lot more black and we also introduced a lot more primary colors. It’s the first time we’ve really introduced primary colors in the play, so there’s kind of a more harsh sensibility to the clothes.”
The clothes excel at forging a sense of environment both spatially and emotionally, on a stage that would otherwise be synthetic and cold. Chakartash selected a white-and-gray Alexander McQueen blazer for Romeo and Juliet's marriage scene: “You get the sense that it feels magical and romantic. The costumes really help emote that." As their story unravels, the clothing continues succeeding at evoking space even when bodies are not present and intertwines with the underlying themes at play.
Supporting characters in the show too navigate a seismic shift in identity, while challenging conventionality. Chakartash drew inspiration from Dilara Findikoglu for Tommy Dorfman’s portrayal of The Nurse, aiming to emphasize her nurturing yet deeply personal role in Juliet’s life. “There’s a whole speech in the play where The Nurse talks about how her child dies, and then she used her milk to nurse Juliet. This relates to Dilara Findikoglu and Tommy as a person,” Chakartash explains. Dorfman’s boob-forward wardrobe is symbolic of The Nurse’s maternal role and the underlying vulnerability over the loss of her own child.
In the same vein, Gabby Beans’ portrayal of Mercutio as an outsider with bursts of self-expression, draws heavy influence from Rick Owens and Alexander McQueen. This sense of otherness is further underscored by Mercutio’s intricate braided hairstyle, which Chakartash notes adds depth to Beans’ character. “The wig speaks volumes about the character’s creativity, while also serving The Friar’s role with its braid patterns,” they explained. These braids connect Beans’ characters, facilitating a fluid exploration of identity, with the hairstyle embodying this duality. Vanity evolves into a powerful storytelling device, weaving personal history with modern style to deepen each role.
A sharp departure from an archetypal production? Yes. But that’s the root of the titillation amongst younger theater-goers now, and that’s not lost on Chakartash. “The costumes are for the audience—they’re for the young audience specifically. It’s always nice to see a show and think, 'Oh, these costumes are for me,’ or ‘The way this looks is for me.’ Some of the choices are over the heads of some of the people or some people wouldn’t necessarily understand them. But the target audience (which is young people) I think really finds the looks inspiring.”
Romeo + Juliet is now playing at the Circle in the Square Theatre in New York City, with tickets available until February 16, 2025.
