How 180LA Turned the Script of 'Marie Antoinette' Into a Ballroom Gown

Ad agency 180LA and renowned multimedia artist Jum Nakao have transformed the script of Sofia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette” into a paper dress and headpiece fashioned after the iconic blue ballroom gown worn by Kirsten Dunst and created by Oscar-winning costume designer Milena Canonero.

The “Words Into Characters” dress installation promotes “Hollywood Costumes,” an exhibit from 180LA’s client, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Hollywood Costumes has traveled around the world showcasing over 150 costumes from film history. The exhibit makes it’s Los Angeles debut October 2nd at the Wilshire May Company Building. 

“We’ve never done an out-of-home ad quite like this before,” says William Gelner, chief creative officer of 180LA. “We wanted to capture the spirit of costume design but in a totally unique way. To be able to walk up and actually see the script turned into a character makes the art of costume design really tangible for people.” 

The web film of the same name, “Words Into Characters,” shows the time-lapse creation process with artist Jum Nakao. Nakao, a Brazilian artist, designer and fashion director, takes the script and blends sophisticated architectural design with unique, handcrafted artistry to create a modern interpretation of the French queen. The artistry in Jum’s piece pays homage to what Oscar-winning Canonero accomplished with the film, designing over sixty “candy-like” gowns for Dunst alone. 

The untraditional out-of-home installation travels around Los Angeles leading into the exhibit’s opening October 2nd. The dress debuts in The Grove and makes various stops around Los Angeles until March..