Asia-Pacific NewsweekDetached, the fashion of this movie is not entirely possible. “It’s a movie about girls with dad’s credit cards who can shop on runway shows and designer clothes,” May said. Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs and Alexander McQueen were on the mood board, while Alaïa (“A a-what-a?”) and Calvin Klein were named in the script. But in reality, the film’s $25 million budget — $60 million still at the bottom of the budget movie in 2025 — does not allow the rodeo driving wardrobe that the characters could have. “I went to see the designer’s work, but then I had to get the thrift store stuff and change everything,” May said. “No one had mixed something like this before. High and low didn’t exist. I think that’s the reason for this eternity.”
PH: Elliot Marks /©Paramon Pictures / Courtesy: Everett Collection
Ultimately, May’s roots were realizing that the movie was about teenagers. Sure, they are shopping with adult cash, but they are still figuring it out. (Brands like Trina Turk, Miss 60 and Betsey Johnson helped inject young people.) “This is a 16-year-old girl. They are not supermodels walking around. They are innocent,” May said. “I think that’s why the movies are loved because they feel real.”
