Marion Cotillard, Donna Karan, Bruce Weber, and More Attend Paramount Pictures and the Cinema Society’s Special Screening of Allied at iPic Theater

NOVEMBER 16, 2016 12:17 PM
by ADIL HABIB

The new iPic Theater in Manhattan’s Financial District played host Tuesday night to Paramount Pictures and the Cinema Society’s special screening of Robert Zemeckis’s latest film, Allied. Starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, the WWII-era period thriller follows the romance of a French Resistance fighter (Cotillard) and intelligence officer (Pitt) who fall in love during an assassination mission in North Africa.

For Zemeckis, the movie is a love story he hopes audience members can relate to. While the wartime setting certainly raises the stakes, he explained, “The story has universal themes, and I think that is what ultimately rises to the top in this film.” While its stunning visuals and nail-biting suspense kept guests on the edges of their plush reclining seats, it was costumes by Joanna Johnston that stole the show. Those brushed up on their noir film history will see traces of Bette Davis in Now, Voyager, and Lauren Bacall and Barbara Stanwyck in Cotillard’s ’40s-era silk evening ensembles, trousers, and blouses cut perfectly for target practice and espionage. “This is a love story that could be sitting in any time period, so I designed the clothes so they were appealing to today’s eye as well,” Johnston explained on the red carpet. She was quick to add: “But the ’40s are generally a good look for today.”

For Cotillard—who stunned in a Rochas jacket and skirt and Gianvito Rossi heels—costume is crucial for getting into the role. “The costume is one of the layers of the skin of the character,” she explained minutes before the screening. The actress is careful to distinguish between costume and fashion; the former is about creating a world on-screen, while the latter is far more personal. “It’s a way to stay the unique you that we all are and to express ourselves with freedom,” she said.

After the screening, guests made their way to the Tuck Room upstairs to sip on Chandon and snack on lobster rolls and sliders. Those in attendance included Donna Karan, Valentino Garavani, Bruce Weber, Fern Mallis, Candy Pratts Price, actor Sebastian Stan, and models Anna-Christina Schwartz—in Alexander Wang boots and an Adrienne Landau fur—and Alexandra Agoston—in a vintage Yves Saint Laurent jumpsuit and Gucci shoes. What did they think of the film? “Brilliant. Heart-throbbing. Exquisite. Finally a movie that really takes to your heart,” exclaimed Karan. The room, buzzing with post-screening chatter, couldn’t seem to agree more.

not mine.credit and source: VOGUE