In the wonderful but wacky way of the internet, I struck up an acquaintance with costume designers Melanie Tallon and Lucy Tanival. They are working on some of the costumes for the upcoming film The Silver Chair.
They were able to share a bit of concept art and their thoughts on the piece with us, so what follows is their own words.
The Experiment House uniforms are probably the last thing you’d think about while imagining the costumes for the upcoming film. The Silver Chair film brings to mind the gorgeous green gown worn by the Lady of the Green Kirtle, the lovely yet comfortable clothes donned by Jill and Eustace upon their arrival to Narnia, but never the dull, uncomfortable and surely boring uniforms of the horrid Experiment House where Pole and Scrubb attend school. This is why, when we were asked to submit our ideas and thoughts for the uniforms, we were delighted. We wanted to turn something mundane into something that would add depth to the characters, in particular, Jill.
The Experiment House uniforms would be the typical British boarding school uniforms of that period—scratchy skirts, shorts, slacks, blouses and blazers, with the occasional sweater or two—nothing unexpected. We wanted to give Jill a bit of flair…not to be the most fashion-forward of the school, but to have a special style in her own way. Perhaps the reason she is picked on by the bullies of the school is not only because of her rather strange last name, but also because of her unusual way of dressing?
We were inspired by modern films, typical schoolgirls of today, and TV shows like Gossip Girl. Today’s schoolgirl who is inflicted with a strict dress code or school uniform wants to be as unique as possible. Jill is of course her own person—she doesn’t like being told what to do, or how to do it. And what better way to get this message across in the film then by her outfits?
Her red/grey uniform is accessorized with colored knee-highs, bright tennis shoes, and a beret. She changes up her blazer by belting it, and has a unique cross-body bag. We feel that this costume helps bring out Jill’s best qualities to the audience, and will make them even more eager to sympathize with her. We’re very excited to see the finished product in the opening of The Silver Chair film!
So are we! I'm sure the Tallon and Tanival duo have something spectacular up their sleeves for the rest of the film!
We have hands that fashion and heads that know,
But our hearts we lost - how long ago! -- G. K. Chesterton
Topic starter
Posted : April 1, 2010 4:42 am
Ooh, how exciting! I how they've "moderenizing" her a bit, this will probably help the audiences relate to her better. Anyway, the uniforms were probably pretty "stuffy" looking anyway without jazzing them up a bit!
"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." Marilyn Monroe
Posted : April 1, 2010 5:08 am
That is so APRIL FOOLS!!! Hot pink?!?!?! c'mon!
I saw the movie....and was disappointed
Posted : April 1, 2010 5:37 am
Oh, you might be surprised at the intensity of the dyes used in the 40's. I was a little surprised myself, but a little research convinced me that it's a good choice.
And images like this have faded with age...
We have hands that fashion and heads that know,
But our hearts we lost - how long ago! -- G. K. Chesterton
Topic starter
Posted : April 1, 2010 5:44 am
Very hip and modern
avy by narniagirl90
Posted : April 1, 2010 5:57 am
I'd love for this to be true, (that we've had our first report for SC) but I seriously suspect this is an "I slap floor" kind of thing. Bright colors aside, I would laugh my head off if Jill actually wore Converses! 
Waaayyy too modern. And they were inspired by Gossip Girl?!
"In the end, there is something to which we say: 'This I must do.'"
- Gordon T. Smith
avi by Flambeau
Posted : April 1, 2010 11:40 am
i kinda like some of the ideas but not put that way. btw i know this is april fools 
Posted : April 2, 2010 6:44 am
wow. that is so awesome!
lol
NW sister - wild rose ~ NW big sis - ramagut
Born in the water
Take quick to the trees
I want all that You are
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EADBC57vKfQ
Posted : April 2, 2010 8:00 am
That uniform actually looks cool to me. too bad it's not true 
Long Live King Caspian & Queen Liliandil Forever!
Jill+Tirian! Let there be Jilrian!
Posted : April 2, 2010 12:15 pm
^^ yes! I feel the same way! it looks grand!
great joke though!
NW sister - wild rose ~ NW big sis - ramagut
Born in the water
Take quick to the trees
I want all that You are
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EADBC57vKfQ
Posted : April 2, 2010 1:10 pm
I do like the idea of giving Jill her own personal style, evidenced by adding a few special items of her own to the school uniform. Personally, I'd like her to have a sort of "Gypsy/Eastern European" feel - a colorful silk scarf, maybe a bangle bracelet? Nothing really weird, though.
I don't think the Experiment House uniform would really be too strict, though. Considering the type of school it is ("Modern Progressive"), maybe there shouldn't even be a uniform. But Jill could still be made to stand out quite a lot from her school-mates.
"In the end, there is something to which we say: 'This I must do.'"
- Gordon T. Smith
avi by Flambeau
Posted : April 11, 2010 11:12 am