Patricia Field Reflects on Costume Design, Happiness and ‘Happy Clothes’
Patricia Field’s legendary costume design career is coming to the screen — though this time, focused on Field herself. The designer is the subject of a new documentary by director Michael Selditch, “Happy Clothes,” which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival last week.
Selditch had originally interviewed Field in 2019 for a CNN documentary series “American Style” — and, upon pitching a solo documentary to her, Field turned it down. However, Field agreed to star in a documentary on her present career — which includes costuming Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” and Starz’ “Run the World” — in 2021, while reflecting on transformation from the past.
“I said, ‘Anybody can make a doc about you and get people to talk about how great your work is and throw in archival footage — but that wasn’t really the doc that I was interested in making,” Selditch said at a private preview panel during the Festival. “I wanted to watch Pat work…We all watch ‘Sex in the City’ and see a fabulous outfit, but do we ever really get a chance to see, ‘How do you get there?'”
Within the film, Field certainly takes viewers into the depths of her creative process — also elaborated by interviews with Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Lily Collins and more.
One scene features Field dressing “Run the World” actress Bresha Webb in her studio, trying on shoes before opting for a pair of lace-up over-the-knee boots. Another includes the designer speaking with Cattrall — best known for portraying Samantha Jones on “Sex and the City,” and whom Field has costumed for a cameo in Max’s “And Just Like That…” season 2 — on their first time meeting while shopping for the show’s first season.
“It is really important to get to know who you are working with. They’re real people, as people, and they portray characters. It becomes a combination of the two parts,” Field said on her process when costuming the actors she works with.
Field’s had a definitively iconic design career, with her outfits from projects including “Sex and the City,” “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Ugly Betty,” “The Other Woman” and “Younger” becoming inspirations for generations of fashion lovers. When reminiscing and speaking on finding authenticity in her field, the designer shared that finding one’s chosen career is a personal journey.
“You have to know what you’re good at. It doesn’t mean that you have to be Einstein at it…you have to know what you enjoy doing,” Field said. “Your love for something will always be with you, and it will always give positive results. I think that’s the most important thing: not to get too analytical, just listen to your heart.”
That optimism is also how Field is approaching the film’s release as she continues her work dressing stylish characters onscreen.
“I just say, I hope they enjoy it,” Field said. “I don’t want to disappoint anybody. So please — enjoy it.”