After receiving critical acclaim for her works in "Mad Men", "Deadwood" and "Why Women Kill", costume designer Janie Bryant lends her creativity to watch brand Hamilton in order to reimagine its signature timepieces in a special capsule collection.

"In film, we use fashion to establish a narrative's setting and a character's personality, all before the dialogue even begins," Bryant said. "This capsule brings that dynamic expression off-screen with timepieces that reimagine the relationship between past, present and future."

Bryant is known as an authenticity virtuoso. From the tailored early-60s Don Draper's suits to the conservative frumpy outfits, she has eyes for the teeny tiny details that many might overlook, even down to the timepieces worn by the cast — making her an unquestionably suitable choice for the collaboration.

"In both, I'm essentially tailoring time," said the designer about the intersection between costume and watch design.

Today and Tomorrow
The Los Angeles designer delivered the brand's origin story around a contemporary character with a dash of Hollywood glamour. The Intra-Matic Automatic chronograph was treated with a softer look, while the American Classic Ardmore's art deco style becomes more elevated with neutral colors and a silver-white opaline dial.

Meanwhile, the American Classic Lady Hamilton Vintage comes with a black, Sunray-brushed dial which contrasts with the brilliance of the diamonds in the dial. The combination perpetuates a very modern and glamorous look to the piece.

Each piece within the capsule collection will be made available in two different versions. All the Intra-Matic Automatic Chronograph, Ardmore Quartz, and Lady Hamilton Vintage Quartz arrive in "Today" and "Tomorrow" versions, a sentiment by Hamilton that says "one for today and one for tomorrow".

The "Today" items boast soft textures and vibrant shades of pink, purple and white accented with diamonds, light yellow gold PVD, and powdery rose leather material. The designs are then polished with subtle elements like rounded shapes and muted tones.

On the other hand, the "Tomorrow" line takes the bolder route with its metallic leather straps, smooth textures, and cool tones. Straight lines and a neutral color palette of gold, silver and black, were added to provide balance.

On top of delivering the present century's cutting edge of fashion aesthetics, the collection also perfectly encapsulates the style of their classic versions.

The Hamilton x Janie Bryant Capsule Collection is available via Hamilton's website and authorized dealers for US$595 - $2,295 (Rp 8,544,900 - Rp32,958,800)

 

 

 

 

 

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A lasting affair
Costume design is crucial in bringing a character to life and setting the mood of a film, whether it's sci-fi, historical or contemporary, and Hamilton watches have been a staple in this industry.

Founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1892, Hamilton was a major supplier to the U.S. military and its allies with field watches and marine chronometers during WWII. Its U.S. operations eventually came to a halt in 1969, and the company moved production to Switzerland, rebranding itself as a Swiss brand and subsidiary of the Swatch Group while retaining its American roots.

The brand's longstanding affair with the cinema dates all the way back to 1932 when the brand's timepieces appeared in the iconic movie Shanghai Express. This initial encounter with the silver screen lends some level of authenticity to the characters portrayed on screen. It also plays well at being a source of inspiration to Hamilton.

Hamilton watches have appeared in more than 500 films. Its futuristic timepieces were featured in Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey", its iconic Ventura was seen worn by Elvis Presley in "Blue Hawaii", and the latest was the Khaki Navy BeLOWZERO for Christopher Nolan's sci-fi thriller "Tenet". Most recently, its Khaki Field watch was spotted on the wrist of a character in the Ubisoft adventure game Far Cry 6.