Michele Clapton has been designing costumes for Game of Thrones since it premiered in 2011. The veteran designer has been nominated for an Emmy each year she’s been a part of the show, and In 2012, Clapton won for her work in episode 208, “The Prince of Winterfell.” She brought home the Emmy gold again In 2014 for episode 402, “The Lion and the Rose,” and then again in 2016 for her work in the season 6 finale, “The Winds of Winter.”
This year, Clapton was once again nominated for an Emmy Award, in the Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes category, for her work in the penultimate episode of season 7, “Beyond the Wall.” I guess the members of the Television Academy really like wildling furs. Anyway, the Emmy Awards show has been split into two nights: the Creative Arts Emmys, which airs tonight on FXX, and the Primetime Emmy Awards show which will air on September 17 on NBC.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter’s fashion site Pret-a-Reporter, Clapton thinks the split into two separate nights is a good thing, “because it gives more people an opportunity to be celebrated.” However, she does feel that costume design and makeup should be part of the primetime show.
“Crews like hair and makeup and costumes work with the actors and it annoys me that we’re not at the same event as them,” she said. “I don’t want the to get to be too big, but I think costume and makeup are between the two worlds and I think we should be linked in with the actors.”
At an event before tonight’s awards show, Clapton was asked which Game of Thrones costume was her favorite. As it just so happens, her answer was Daenerys Targaryen’s white fur outfit from the episode she is nominated for — “Beyond the Wall.” As far as what type of costume fans can expect to see Dany in, in season 8, Clapton’s got a tease for that:
"When we see her now, she’s starting to wear the colors of her brother. What does that say about her?"
Depending on which brother Clapton is referring to, that could either be a very bad thing (Viserys), or a really awkward yet noble thing (Rhaegar, Jon’s father). It is important to note that Pret-a-Reporter says it’s Viserys, though it’s unclear if that is, indeed, what Clapton meant. Regardless, it seems as if Viserys was wearing his older brother’s hand-me-downs in season 1, so perhaps it doesn’t really matter.
What can we glean from this little tease about Dany’s outfits in season 8? Likely that she’ll be wearing some version of the black and red of House Targaryen, with the three-headed dragon sigil of her House, emblazoned on the front.
We wish Michele Clapton the best of luck tonight, at the Creative Arts Emmys on FXX. Here’s to hoping she’ll be the first to bring home the gold, out of Game of Thrones‘ 22 nominations.
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