Behind the seams of frighteningly good fashion in local horror flick 'Rage'

'Rage' was the most fun I've had working on a movie because I could go wild with the fashion and beauty looks, admits stylist Mari Conradie

13 May 2020 - 08:42 By Thango Ntwasa
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Nicole Fortuin as Tamsyn in 'Rage'.
Nicole Fortuin as Tamsyn in 'Rage'.
Image: Showmax

The frightening plot isn’t the only part of Showmax’s first original horror movie, Rage, that’ll give you chills. The film’s fabulous fashion will too — in a good way.

The movie centres around a group of teenagers who head off to a small coastal town to celebrate their newfound freedom after finishing matric. After witnessing a strange ritual, their dream vacay turns into a terrifying nightmare.

WATCH | The trailer for 'Rage'

So how do you dress a teenager who is going on the holiday from hell? We asked makeup artist and stylist Mari Conradie, the mastermind behind the film’s costumes and beauty looks.

How would you best describe the fashion in Rage?

It was inspired by the HBO series Euphoria. It’s got this colourful, next-generation type of style.

Tell us more about putting together outfits for the female teens in the film.

It was quite challenging because obviously you want to dress someone as they would dress themselves for matric rage, but you also had to keep in mind that [horrific things may happen to them on their holiday].

So I consulted with the actors and made their looks as natural as possible, without having to dress them in the typical jeans and T-shirts. Each character ended up having a very specific style.

And the male teens' looks?

I liked the fact that I could go colourful with their looks, because normally you kind of keep men’s wardrobes toned down. I just went all out and paired stripes with stripes and yellows with yellows.

Sihle Mnqwazana as Neo in 'Rage'.
Sihle Mnqwazana as Neo in 'Rage'.
Image: Sihle Mnqwazana

I also experimented with bucket hats, which are on trend at the moment. I even put one of the actors in a sequined bucket hat for a club scene and his look turned out so well that even he loved it.

What tips would you give for people who want to replicate the fashion and make-up seen in the film?

The fashion is very bold, so choose one item that is really bold and dress around it.

Also experiment with makeup. Rage was the most fun I’ve had [working on] a movie because we could go wild and put sequins on the eyes and glitter everywhere, so definitely step out of your comfort zone.


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