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Ann Somers Major poses with one of her clothing creations worn by Mitchel Musso, who plays “Oliver” on Hannah Montana.
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When I watch Hannah Montana, I’m not sure whose clothes I like better, Miley’s or Hannah’s. I like Miley’s effortless style with her soft tee-shirts (like her Amy Tangerine “Love Birds” tee) and jeans. But, I also like the cool boots, leggings, and hot pink jackets that she wears as Hannah Montana! Boy, Miley really does get the best of both worlds—when it comes to style!
So, I was super excited to chat with Ann Somers Major. She is the costume designer who CREATED the look and style of Miley Stewart and Hannah Montana—as well as the rest of the HM cast! That means she was the one who got to decide what kinds of clothes each character would wear. How cool is that?
Ann has DEFINITELY inspired my clothing choices through the style-licious outfits on Hannah Montana. Read on to find out HER inspiration when creating Hannah’s rockin’ costumes!
Katani Summers: How did you get such an amazing job—to create the look of America’s biggest pop star?
Ann Somers Major: I had worked for one of the producers before, on a TV series called State of Grace, about two 12-year-old girls in 1964. The costumes on that were very different than on Hannah Montana, but he knew I could do tween clothes.
KS: What was your inspiration for creating Hannah Montana’s look?
ASM: I did a lot of research, looking at photos of various rock and pop stars and then experimented with what kind of look worked on Miley’s figure. I didn’t want to make her look too mature; I visualized her as a strong, independent young woman. I decided to make her more rock-n-roll, with a touch of glitz, and to have her wear boots as Hannah as a nod to her Tennessee background.
KS: Did Miley Cyrus and her personal style play a role in how you visualized Hannah?
ASM: Costume design is always a collaboration between the designer, the actor, and the role. Miley liked the idea of some sparkle, so I added a touch to all her Hannah costumes. Miley is slender with long legs, so she looked great in short bolero style jackets and long lean jeans.
KS: Hannah Montana’s clothes are SO chic. How would you describe Hannah’s style?
ASM: Colorful rock-n-roll with a touch of glitz. One of the challenges in designing the TV show is keeping in mind the sets and all the other actors that Miley will be performing with. It’s important to keep a balance of color (so that you don’t see two or three actors wearing the same color together, or wearing the same color the wall is painted).
Hannah’s costumes had to be totally different from Miley’s, so originally I visualized Miley wearing a much softer color palette and silhouette, more skirts and soft pants, while Hannah’s look was a bit sharper and bolder.
KS: I can’t decide whether I like Miley’s style or Hannah’s style better! How did you actually GET the clothes Miley wears on the show?
ASM: Most of them were purchased in boutiques and then altered and embellished. I was responsible for coming up with 50-75 costumes (for the entire TV show) every week, on a tight budget, so we didn’t have the luxury of time and money to have a lot of her costumes made to order.
KS: WOW! That’s a lot of costumes! Do most items get bought and tailored specifically for Miley?
ASM: Absolutely! Every character in the TV show has a very unique look and a separate closet, to give them each a distinct visual personality.
KS: You actually created Hannah’s look, so tell us about one of your favorite outfits!
ASM: It’s hard to choose! I loved an outfit she wore for a photo shoot in the TV show: a charcoal grey velvet tailcoat embellished with Swarovski crystals, with a white tank (with a design in silver studs on it) and slightly ripped jeans with fake fur trimmed boots.
KS: My dream is to become a fashion designer, but being a costume designers sounds like it’s right up my alley. What inspired you to become a costume designer?
ASM: I loved looking at the costumes in movies and plays, and I loved art, color and texture. Some of my favorite subjects were English (I still love to read!), history, and psychology- all of which are important for costume design.
KS: I know I’m only 12, but what about college? Where did you study and what were some of your earliest experiences in the fashion industry?
ASM: I studied costume design at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and also took courses at Otis Art Institute. I was lucky enough to assist some excellent costume designers when I started out and to work on a variety of period projects as well as contemporary ones.
KS: How does one of your costume creations go from an idea in your head to a reality?
ASM: It’s a very collaborative process. I start getting ideas when I read a script, then I have the first of many discussions with the director and producer. Research is necessary on any project whether it’s period or modern day—for instance, the way people dress today in a small town in Alaska is very different than the way people dress in the inner city of Los Angeles.
Then, I meet with the actor to hear how he or she visualizes his or her character, and to show my ideas. Once I’ve pulled together a lot of clothes, we have a long preliminary costume fitting. The character really evolves and comes to life through the fitting, and things change—often something everyone thought was a good idea just doesn’t work.
KS: Wow—it sounds amazing to be a part of something so creative and FUN! What kind of advice would you give to our girls like me who are interested in your field?
ASM: Study hard, because it’s important to have a wide body of knowledge—every project is different! Pay attention to all kinds of art, because costume design is not necessarily about fashion.
KS: Anyone who created Hannah’s trendy look MUST have fabulous style! Could you share any fashion tips with us?
ASM: Don’t pay too much attention to trends and what the “experts” say. People who have a truly unique style trust their instincts. My rule is to only buy something if I’m madly in love with it. That way, it makes happy when I wear it!
KS: That is soooo true, Ann. Thanks for chatting with Kgirl!
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