Costume Design by: Raymond Hughes
The opening and ending sequences of
Return to Oz were set in the early 1900s; a pinstriped dress with velvet trim was made for Fairuza Balk to wear as the young Dorothy Gale. According to
the Recycled Movie Costumes blog, this costume would end up reused in 2019's
Anne With An E.
While it can be assumed that the bulk of the 1900s' casts costumes were wardrobe stock from costume houses such as Angels and Bermans & Nathans, almost certainly Jean Marsh's high-shouldered black dress as Nurse Wilson was custom-made for her. With its dark colour and sharp cut, it already gives a sense of Wilson's callous nature - slightly evoking the 1939' Wizard of Oz's Wicked Witch of the West.
The first costumes seen in the fantasy world of Oz are the garish tailcoats and ghoulish masks of the Wheelers. Each Wheeler costume was unique, coated in patchwork fabrics and tubing, giving them a contemporary punk, even futuristic fashion sensibility. Each performer wore wheeled limb-extensions, which I feel must have been a collaboration between the costume and special effects departments.
Hughes' most ambitious design had to have been the first dress worn by Princess Mombi, played in the film by multiple actresses (thanks to the character's ability to swap heads), but primarily by Jean Marsh. Judging by Hughes' original costume sketches, the inspiration may have came from Gustav Klimt's artwork.
The dress itself is coated in golden lining in asymmetrical patternss, and worn with a large cape also with patterned lining; the look is complated with a collar of metallic pieces evoking feathers, with another trailing cloak.
Marsh also wears a puffy-sleeved pink nightgown with patterning on the collar, which is sometimes worn with a burgundy cloak with golden lining, evoking the cape on her first dress.
Another dress was designed and made an elaborate dress for Emma Ridley as Princess Ozma. Ozma's dress has a green and white colourscheme, evoking the Emerald City and giving her an ethereal quality. In a similar manner to Mombi's dress, Ozma's has a collar of metallic segments.
Judging by this promotional photo however, it seems another dress was made for Ridley, this one of a golden colour scheme. Sadly I cannot find any other images of this dress at all; was this a rejected design, or for a cut sequences?
Hughes followed the original Oz books' illustrations when it came to the Scarecrow, with a buttoned tunic and plaid pants; the costumes were made to look patchwork, as after all it's a scarecrow. The second image comes from
the Hollywood Movie Costumes & Props blog.
Many other costumes were made for the film's parade sequence towards the end, many of the costumes made to represent assorted characters of the Oz books - it would take a bit too long to name them all, but Scraps the Patchwork Girl and Polychrome, Daughter of the Rainbow especially are highlights.
Several fantastical Emerald City uniforms, in shades of green or red, were also made by Hughes' costume department. Again, the first three images come from
the Hollywood Movie Costumes & Props blog.
