How the Hunger Games Prequel Costumes Connect to Katniss Everdeen
The odds are ever in your favor if you wanted The Hunger Games prequel to connect to the original movie franchise.
Because long before Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute, Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) blazed a fiery trail.
So, how are the two heroines—both from Suzanne Collins' book series—tethered together? The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes costume designer Trish Summerville revealed there are several Katniss Easter eggs hidden in Lucy's clothes, including her main look that features a colorful corset top with a bright ruffly tiered bottom.
"In the books, they reference the rainbow dress from her mother that's been handed down," Trish exclusively told E! News. "I wanted to have a tie in to Katniss Everdeen in the Catching Fire movie that I did of her blue Mockingjay dress—with the corset shape."
She continued, "It worked for Lucy as well because she is this vaudeville performer and it's a classic period piece."
The motifs emblazoned on the corset dress are also riddled with meaning.
"With the flowers being Ballads of Songbirds and Snakes and the relationship Lucy has with snakes," Trish revealed, noting all of Lucy's snake accessories were custom, "we hand-painted snakes on the corset and put in various flowers, including working in the Katniss flowers and the Primrose flowers."
When bringing the fantastical costumes to life, Trish envisioned Lucy's looks to be part of a history Katniss and her sister Primrose would've learned about.
"We tied it back to where we could have these names for Katniss and Primrose," Trish explained, "possibly because there was this girl who survived the Hunger Games and represented flowers on her corset."
And while Trish paid tribute to the original Hunger Games trilogy, the prequel has its own distinct look. After all, the new movie takes place about 65 years before Katniss aimed her spear at President Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland).
"It's a completely different world," the costume designer pointed out. "The districts are more pulled together and wearing their best things because they're representing their community."
Even when the games begin, tributes aren't dressed in a designated uniform.
"We don't change their costumes because they all fight in their own clothing," Trish noted, "so I wanted to make them feel individual. I want the fans and audience to be able to see who is who, and where they come from."
And much like in real life, the prequel proves you can wind the clock back with fashion, recycling pieces to make it new again.
"I wanted to keep things authentic to what the world should be," Trish shared, "but give these indications of where we're eventually going in the other films."
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes premieres Nov. 17. But before it hits the big screen, keep reading to get a sneak peek.
Lionsgate released a first look at the dramatic dystopian movie based on Suzanne Collins' book.
A first look at the nomadic singer Lucy Gray Baird, played by Rachel Zegler in Songbirds & Snakes.
Lucy Gray is assigned Capitol citizen Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) as her mentor in the 10th annual Hunger Games.
Chemistry is catching fire between the young pair.
The nomadic singer appears in the rural district in the prequel film.
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