Behind the Scenes: Disney’s Cruella at Liberty
Get the inside scoop on the all-new live-action feature film, in which Liberty plays a starring role
Read moreDisney’s Cruella at Liberty
Get the inside scoop on the all-new live-action feature film, in which Liberty plays a starring role
Shop Designer VintageStarring Academy Award® winner Emma Stone and two-time Oscar® winner Emma Thompson, Disney’s ‘Cruella’ is the all new live-action feature film about the rebellious early days of one of cinemas most notorious (and notoriously fashionable) villains - the legendary Cruella de Vil. Set in 1970s London against a backdrop of our iconic Tudor store, the film sees a young Cruella (Estella) land her dream job at Liberty - a move that changes the trajectory of her life forever.
While some scenes were filmed at the physical Liberty store, others were shot at Shepperton Studios, where production designer Fiona Crombie and set decorator Alice Felton recreated our stunning emporium, with no detail overlooked. “While it would have been ideal to be able to shoot the entire Liberty sequence on the actual location, the amount of time needed to transform the existing store made it impossible,” says Producer Kristin Burr. “So, for the interior sequences, Crombie had it 3-D scanned so the entire thing could be built on a stage…To be able to tell the story of Liberty as a ‘70s store, we had to make our version. We wanted to immediately have the audience see it and think ‘what an incredible store.’”
I was so thrilled when I found out that we were actually going to shoot in Liberty because it's my favourite department store in the world. Plus, the buyers are so amazing, so you can always find gorgeous things to look at, even if you can't afford to buy them.
Being in Liberty when it was closed and getting to roam around was a bit like being a kid in a candy store. It was wild
The importance of costumes to Cruella cannot be overstated. The filmmakers at Disney worked with two-time Academy Award® winning costume designer Jenny Beavan. 1970s London was a very specific period in which there was a culture clash in society and in the fashion scene between the establishment and movements outside of the establishment and it was important that this came across in the 147 “looks of Cruella”. Three of these costumes are now on display at Liberty. ‘70s fashion and Estella’s love of recycling vintage clothing has also inspired a Designer Vintage edit, which includes key pieces from the likes of: Lanvin, Hartnell, Diorling, Balmain, Jean Varon, Saint Laurent, Jean Muir and Liberty - all available for sale in-store.
Visit the ‘Cruella’ costume exhibition, featuring key looks from the film, and a 1970s Designer Vintage fashion edit - both situated on Womenswear on 1.