‘Diana’ Costume Designer William Ivey Long Lends a 2020 Touch to Princess Diana

“I could retire on this if I sold it,” says William Ivey Long, plucking one of the many books blanketing his work table in the middle of his TriBeCa design studio in Manhattan. He flips open the prized possession: a catalogue for the sale of Princess Diana’s dresses in New York, two weeks before she died. The book recently proved useful as a reference when designing the costumes for “Diana,” a new musical about her life making its way to Broadway after an opening run last year at the La Jolla Playhouse in California. The show marks Long’s 76th Broadway production, and it is the only job he campaigned to get. “I don’t usually throw myself at the feet of the director,” Long says, dressed in his standard tailored attire of khakis and a jacket. “I read in the newspaper — someone announced they were doing a Princess Diana musical, and I just went crazy because I’m a huge fan boy.” He called the show’s director, Christopher Ashley of “Come From Away” fame, and asked him to stop by the studio when he was in town. They’d already worked together on six shows, and Long is one of the most in-demand theater costumers.

Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

from WWDWWD https://ift.tt/2woi68Y