S1 BONUS: Clues in the Costumes w/ Dana Covarrubias

Summary

Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast

S1 BONUS: Clues in the Costumes w/ Dana Covarrubias

Host: Michael Cyril Creighton (Howard), with guest Dana Covarrubias, the costume designer
Date: January 19, 2022

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Episode Overview

This special bonus episode dives deep into the wardrobe and visual storytelling of "Only Murders in the Building" with Dana Covarrubias, costume designer for Seasons 1 and 2. Through anecdotes, behind-the-scenes insights, and thoughtful analysis, Dana and the hosts explore how costumes help craft character, set the tone, and even provide subtle clues in the show’s intricate mystery.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Thematic Color Palettes and Visual Inspirations

• Hardy Boys & Hitchcock’s Rear Window:
  Dana shares that the show’s palette of marigolds, teals, and crimson reds was inspired by classic Hardy Boys covers and the color stories in "Rear Window" (02:29).
  Quote:
  Dana (02:29): “Every cover had a similar color palette of these, like, marigolds and teals and really, like, crimson reds... and then I think at the same time, we were looking at some stills from Rear Window...”

• Creative Happenstance:
  The designers found that certain colors kept recurring during research, leading them to solidify their visual direction based on intuitive alignment rather than forced planning (02:58).

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Deep-Dive on the Trio’s Signature Styles

Charles (Steve Martin)

• Rooted in Simplicity & Repetition:
  The choice for Charles’s wardrobe—lots of blues, sweaters, the same jeans—reflected both the character’s personality and Steve Martin’s own input (04:01).
  Quote:
  Dana (04:01): “He mentioned that he had never worn jeans as a character ever...he wanted to keep it simple. So…simple in this way of, like, it’s a shirt, it’s a sweater, it’s jeans. Like, it’s just kind of…not doing anything too complicated.”

• New York as Inspiration:
  Dana views New York in two palettes—"cobblestone brown and brick" vs. "steely, cold, metal blue." Charles is "more in that [blue] world" (07:24).

• Collaboration with Steve Martin:
  His personal style informed Charles’s onscreen look, but unlike Steve, Charles’s hats are less “cool” and more practical—a “wool, stingy brim fedora” matched to the character (05:47).

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Oliver (Martin Short)

• Dramatic and Theatrical Touches:
  Oliver’s golds, purples, teals, and scarves were influenced by the look of Broadway theaters and the idea that the scarf acts like a personal proscenium (09:55).
  Quote:
  Dana (09:55): “The scarf is kind of like a curtain…looks structurally like, on his body and creates like a proscenium.”

• Obsession with Timothée Chalamet:
  A playful backstory: Oliver wants to dress like Timothée Chalamet, which grounds his flamboyant looks with a pop culture anchor (08:47).

• Designer Wardrobe, Story-Driven:
  Only Oliver gets true designer pieces—Prada, Givenchy—from before he lost his money, making the character’s look aspirational, then slightly out-of-place (11:31).

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Mabel (Selena Gomez)

• Mixed, Realistic Sourcing:
  Mabel’s wardrobe includes new and thrifted items mirroring a stylish artist on a budget, sourced from places like therealreal.com and Brooklyn thrift shops (13:13).
  Quote:
  Maggie (13:39): “Because she’s cool…she doesn’t have a ton of money, but she clearly has expensive taste. And secondhand is the way to go if your taste doesn’t match your paycheck.”

• Intertwined with Selena’s Style:
  Statement gold hoops and relaxed simplicity came from Selena’s real-life sensibility (14:11).

• Symbolic Colors and Heritage:
  Marigold tones—yellows, golds, reds—echo Mexican heritage and represent “creativity, death, rebirth, and resurrection,” matching Mabel’s character arc (14:36).
  Quote:
  Dana (14:36): “Miracles play a huge…symbolic role in Mexican heritage, representing creativity and sort of death and rebirth…that was a symbolic thing we used throughout.”

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Pop Culture Impact and Iconic Looks

• Costume Fandom:
  The costumes’ recognizability has led to fan recreations—babies, dogs, even the designer’s own mother dressed as Mabel (16:13). Dana (16:13): “I’ve always said, like… it’s the biggest compliment if someone wears your costume as a Halloween costume.”

• The Tie Dye Hoodie:
  The now-iconic tie dye hoodie was a writer’s invention; practical concerns (mass-producing multiples, avoiding green for green screen) shaped its final look, avoiding “hippie dippy” vibes in favor of something fashion-forward (17:44; 18:12).

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Costumes as Narrative Clues

• Secretive Production:
  Even designers were kept in the dark about the killer’s identity; multiple versions of key arrest/blood scenes were shot to protect the secret (19:04; 19:33). Dana (19:33): “Even up until Amy Ryan’s fitting, I don’t think I knew that she was the killer.”

• Jan’s Offbeat Wardrobe:
  Subtle cues—alluding to her unhinged character—were woven in through elements like childlike owl earrings and a mix of “sexy and conservative” styles that felt off for an adult (21:24).
  Quote:
  Dana (21:24): “There were little hints that she was insane within her wardrobe. She’s an adult woman…and we always had her wearing these really, sort of, girly, girlish…tiny little…owl earrings.”

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Challenges and Collaboration in Costume Design

• The Designer as Therapist:
  Fittings can be awkward—actors must trust designers, sometimes stepping far out of their personal style (23:07).
  Dana (23:07): “We’re part designer but also part therapist…sometimes you do some coaxing…tap dancing to try to convince someone that…what you’re asking them to put on makes sense for the character.”

• Layering Character Perspectives:
  Each team member—actors, writers, designers, showrunner—develops a unique view of the character, building complexity through collaboration (24:43; 25:19).

• Working with Production Designer:
  Costumes have to harmonize with set designs; happy accidents (like socks matching a couch) can enhance the visual story (26:41; 27:22).

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Life of a Costume Designer: The Hoard

• The Ever-Growing Wardrobe Kit:
  Dana reveals the practical—and slightly absurd—side of the job: racks and racks of costumes, from police uniforms to aprons to “30 werewolf costumes” (28:59; 29:56).
  Dana (28:59): “I think you start to become…a total hoarder of clothing and special pieces that you find…my kit…has gotta be 40 racks of clothing only…and 30 bins of shoes.”

• Cleaning Out the Kit:
  Designers periodically sell off their collections, only to build up new stashes for the next show (30:44).

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Teasing Season Two

• Bigger Costumes, More Spectacle:
  Dana is “so excited” for fans to see Season 2, promising “really fun costumes” and an amplified aesthetic, but staying purposely vague (31:45). Quote:
  Dana (31:45): “They are just going big with this one…when I read the first couple of scripts, I was like, yes, yes, yes…because just costume-wise, this season is, like, so amazing…so fun.”

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Notable Quotes and Moments

• On Costume Design as Clue-Hiding:
  Dana: “There were little hints that she [Jan] was insane within her wardrobe…just little things like that that are just a little off.” (21:24)
• On Costume Designer’s Hoarding:
  “At this point, my kit… has got to be 40 racks of clothing only and 30 bins of shoes.” (28:59)
• On Working with Oliver/Martin Short:
  “Every time we have a fitting, we have a…philosophical conversation about, like, who this man is.” (08:47)
• On Fan Response:
  “It’s the biggest compliment if someone wears your costume as a Halloween costume.” (16:13)

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Noteworthy Timestamps

• 02:29 – Hardy Boys and Rear Window inspirations
• 04:01 – Charles’s wardrobe development with Steve Martin
• 07:24 – Theoretical color inspirations for New York City
• 09:55 – Oliver’s flamboyant, Broadway-influenced costumes
• 13:13 – Mabel’s wardrobe and sourcing
• 14:36 – Symbolic use of color for Mabel
• 16:13 – Fan costumes and pop culture impact
• 17:44 – Designing the tie dye hoodie
• 19:33 – Production secrecy and hiding the killer’s identity
• 21:24 – Subtle clues in Jan’s wardrobe
• 23:07 – The psychology behind fittings and actor/designer collaboration
• 27:22 – Serendipity in costume/set color matches
• 28:59 – Where the wardrobe goes between jobs; the life of a “costume hoarder”
• 31:45 – Season 2 teaser on extravagant costume design

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Tone and Style

This episode is witty and warm, filled with playful banter, deep creative insight, and the kind of nerdy enthusiasm only true behind-the-scenes stories provide. Dana’s storytelling is candid and humorous, while the hosts keep questions fun and accessible to fans and creatives alike.

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For More

Stay tuned for the upcoming bonus episode featuring the production designer Kurt Beach and set decorator Rich Murray for an inside look at the Arconia’s visual world.

Transcript

[Maggie Bowles]

Straw hat media.

[Dana Covarrubias]

You know, like, off the top of my head, I'm like, oh, I have this, like, men's tie that's like a fish. It's like a salmon, I think, but it's like its head is here and then its tail is here. It just, like, kind of. It's like, just weird. You know, you're just seeing these, like, amazing things, and you're like, I just. I have to have this.

[Unidentified Host/Interviewer]

Has anyone. Have you ever had a character wear that? The fish tie?

[Dana Covarrubias]

No. No, I don't think so. I don't think so. Which is sad. I need to work it in there somewh.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Welcome to this very special bonus episode of Only Murders in the pod, the

[Kevin Lund]

show where we look behind the scenes and mine for clues as we meet the cast and creators of the Hulu original series, Only Murders in the Building. I'm your host, Kevin Lund.

[Elizabeth Keener]

And I'm your other host, Elizabeth Keener. And today on the show, we're doing things a little differently. We have with us in the studio one of our producers, Maggie Bowles, who sat down with the costume designer and how'd it go, Maggie?

[Maggie Bowles]

Hi. Yeah, it was really great. I think we can all agree that the clothing and the colors and the production design on season one was very memorable. And so as we wait for the new season, I thought it would be cool to talk to a few of the people who made some of those striking visual aspects of the show come to life. So I sat down with Dana Covarrubias. She's the costume designer for seasons one and two. And it was New Year's Day, so everybody was moving a little slower than normal, But Dana was a champ.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Sounds good. Just, you know, being hungover, that's all.

[Unidentified Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, that's the main event today for sure.

[Maggie Bowles]

Yeah.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Yeah. Hello, I am Dana Covarrubias, and I'm the costume designer on Only Murders in the Building.

[Maggie Bowles]

When I hear this music, I'm instantly transported into the opening credits of Only Murders, where we're panning up the side of the arconia, looking into all the windows and seeing first Charles, then Oliver, and then Mabel, all in their signature looks. And as we come back down the building, we see all these bright reds and teals and yellows. So the first thing I wanted to ask Dana was where that all started and where the thematic colors came from. And she said a big inspiration was, I guess, not surprisingly, the Hardy Boys books.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Every cover had a similar color palette of these, like, marigolds and teals and really, like, crimson reds. And I think we were just drawn to that. It was, you know, scripted, obviously, that that's like a huge plot point in season one, those books. And I think we were just looking at the artwork, myself and the production designer, Curt beach, and it just. And then I think at the same time, we were looking at some stills from Rear Window, the Hitchcock film, and noticed that in the windows, like, you know, in some of the still shots, when you're looking through the windows, you know, of people's apartments, there was a similar color palette of yellows and teals and reds. It kind of just kept coming up. Like when we were doing our early research. Sometimes I think when you're starting your creative process, things sort of happen to kind of come together in that way where you just keep seeing the same thing over and over again. And it's like, oh, this is what we should base the color palette on.

[Maggie Bowles]

So when it came to the character's individual style and color palettes, she worked closely with the actors to develop their signature looks. So let's focus on our three main characters, Charles, Oliver and Mabel. Dana said, for Charles, it all started on a pre production zoom call with Steve Martin and showrunner John Hoffman.

[Dana Covarrubias]

I think we were just supposed to be talking about Steve's glasses. I think it was like a meeting. Like, let's just have a meeting. Let's talk about the glasses. Let's figure out the glasses. And then we ended up just talking about his costume a bit. And he mentioned that he had never worn jeans as a character ever. And so he was interested in maybe wearing jeans. And I was like, oh, that's really fascinating because I do think jeans really changed in the last 15, 20 years for men. You know, they used to be so uncomfortable and stiff, and now jeans have so much stretch in them. But I think a lot of men, like, enjoy wearing them more now. But yeah, we decided that's like, that was his idea. You know, he was like, I just think my character should wear jeans. And then, you know, in the script, there's the moment where he's making the omelette and you see him, like, having that sort of repetitive behavior of making the omelette over and over again. And that's sort of what led me to the idea of him being repetitive in his dress. But I think he. He mentioned, you know, just that he wanted to keep it simple. So I think it was sort of like a collaborative and it was like a happy, you know, conclusion that we came to together that it was like, simple in this way of, like, It's a shirt, it's a sweater, it's jeans. Like, it's just kind of, you know, not. Not doing anything too complicated with this character because he's a type of guy that, like, likes that, you know, comfort in the repetition.

[Maggie Bowles]

There was also a lot of inspiration taken from Steve Martin's personal style.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Like, he just hit. He has, like, amazing personal style.

[Maggie Bowles]

In real life, Steve Martin wears a lot of hats, but the hats he wears are a little too cool for someone like Charles Hayden Savage.

[Dana Covarrubias]

We, you know, we wanted. We definitely knew we wanted to have him in a hat, but we had to, like, you know, we did, like, more. And we're a winter show, so we did more of, like, a wool, you know, stingy brim fedora.

[Maggie Bowles]

Another thing was the color blue.

[Dana Covarrubias]

His beautiful blue eyes, and it looks great on him. The blue with Steve was very, you know, he's a really sort of repetitive personality where he finds comfort in things staying the same and there not being too much change in his life. So we wanted to make sure that was reflected in the costumes. And so obviously, we repeat a similar type of outfit for him all the time. I don't think he ever wore different pants like he wears. I think he wears the exact same jeans with almost every outfit. I think maybe he wore a suit at one point, I think, when he was on the date with Jan, but he basically always wears jeans, a sweater, a button down, and even all of his button downs are exactly the same maker. They're the same exact shirt, just in a different pattern or a different color. You know, a blazer, the hat. You know, it's all very formulaic.

[Maggie Bowles]

It's strange that Steve Martin has never worn jeans. Jeans as a character.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Yeah, well, I mean, I know. And then the three amigos, I guess you wore chaps, chinos. Yeah, those slacks. I always love that word.

[Kevin Lund]

Slacks, trousers.

[Maggie Bowles]

Back to Steve. Dana says that she sees two distinct versions of New York.

[Dana Covarrubias]

I think of New York City as being like. You can either see it through the lens of, like, it's this beautiful sort of like cobblestone road, like brown, brick, red, brown, like that kind of world, or it's this, like, steely, cold, metal blue kind of world. And for me, it was like Steve felt more in that world, but it's a little bit of a mix. It's like, I think New York City is so interesting in that way, and this is such a New York show. So I think you kind of found that in his character, the combination of sort of the brick and the blue we do a lot of browns for him as well. Sorry, this is all very theoretical, like, crazy designer brain.

[Elizabeth Keener]

I just want to say, you know, we talked about that with a couple of other people. The two types of New York, right. Where there's the Philharmonic, you'll run into somebody who's that, and then you'll run into someone on the street that is just like, hey, what's up? Right. You know, and that's. It's very interesting, the dichotomy side by side. Yeah. And how she, as a costumer thinks of it in her brain, you know, it's very interesting.

[Maggie Bowles]

Totally.

[Kevin Lund]

And it sounds like Dana had a lot of detailed and in depth discussions about who Charles is and why he wears the things he does.

[Maggie Bowles]

Yeah, definitely. And it's interesting you say that because Dana said that was especially true for Martin Short when it came to Oliver's character.

[Dana Covarrubias]

I mean, every time we have a fitting, we have a, you know, 30 minute, like, philosophical conversation about, like, who this man is. Like, who is Oliver? Like, does this make sense? Like, in this specific moment? And really up until we shoot a scene, you know, when I go to. Every time an actor's wearing a new costume, I go to their dressing room myself and, like, make sure that they're good with everything. And a lot of times in that moment, you know, 10 minutes before we're about to shoot a scene, he'll be like, you know, I really don't think, like, Oliver would put a blazer on for this because he's running. He's just very. He's like. He's very thoughtful about all of it. And together we came up with the idea that, like, he's obsessed with Timothee Chalamet and that he wanted to, like, dress like Timothy Chalamet. Like, Oliver is, like, obsessed with Timothy.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Is that a Spider Universe? Is that Spider Man Universe?

[Kevin Lund]

I think we should all dress a little bit like Timothy Chalamet.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Timothy Chalamet. I'll dress like him. Does he wear jeans?

[Kevin Lund]

He does wear jeans. I read that.

[Elizabeth Keener]

You read that somewhere.

[Kevin Lund]

I made that up.

[Elizabeth Keener]

News flash. I was like.

[Kevin Lund]

But it's probably true.

[Elizabeth Keener]

You don't read. Continue.

[Dana Covarrubias]

The whole thing with this character is that he's this, you know, theater director. And it's very, like, sort of dramatic, over the top personality. And for some reason, like, purples and golds and teals, like, just, to me felt like, theatrical. And I found this other image when I was doing my research of a beautiful Broadway theater. And the curtain was sort of like a really deep red Velvet. And the seats, I think, were gold, and there was some purple in there somewhere. And that image to me was like, oh, this is Marty. Like, this is his. This is Oliver. You know, we had this whole, like, we had a long talk about, you know, whether he should always have a scarf on, because it kind of came. Became his, like, signature thing. He always has this, like, scarf draped. And that kind of idea came from, you know, the whole thing of him being, you know, theater director. And, like, to me, the scarf is kind of like a curtain. You know, it's kind of like a theater curtain. And that's why it looks structurally like, on his body and creates like a proscenium, which I think is really fun. But at the same time, it's not realistic that a person would always wear the, you know, wear a scarf all the time. So we just had a conversation about that. We're like, let's make sure it's real. You know, I feel like he always. He's, like, really wonderful because he always keeps me in check because, you know, as a designer, you get so excited about just the look of a thing, and you can get really distracted because you just want to make it look amazing. But then having someone, like, reel you back in and be like, let's talk about the reality of this.

[Maggie Bowles]

Speaking of grounding the characters in reality, Oliver was the only one who got to wear any true designer wardrobe. He had some early 2000s Prada and Givenchy that he would have bought before he lost all his money.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Yeah, I think she hit it out of the park with Oliver. I mean, all of them. But he was.

[Maggie Bowles]

He was. It was.

[Elizabeth Keener]

He was grounded and real, but so theatrical. And it really. You sense that he would wear that

[Kevin Lund]

stuff, because I remember in the pilot, he was wearing a kind of a purple.

[Elizabeth Keener]

The purple.

[Kevin Lund]

It seemed like a regal kind of thing.

[Elizabeth Keener]

And it made him feel that way because he probably wasn't that way for a long time. The character, because he lost so much, and it really made him feel powerful or whatever.

[Kevin Lund]

Still, like a costume for him.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Yeah.

[Maggie Bowles]

So she. She did a great job.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Really great job, all of them. But that was fantastic.

[Maggie Bowles]

Yeah. Are you ready to talk about Mabel now?

[Elizabeth Keener]

Yes. I know her as Blaine. Yes.

[Maggie Bowles]

So for Mabel, her clothing was a mix of new and secondhand, and it came from places like therealreal.com and other stories are Aritzia and also a handful of Brooklyn thrift shops. Do you know why?

[Kevin Lund]

No.

[Elizabeth Keener]

No. Are you going to tell us?

[Maggie Bowles]

I'll tell you after the break.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Welcome back. We're here with one of our producers, Maggie Bowles. Yay, Maggie. Who talked to Dana Covarrubius, the costume Designer for seasons 1 and 2 of only murders in the Building. Before the break, we learned about the inspiration and collaboration in developing the looks of Charles and Oliver. And now we're talking Mabel.

[Maggie Bowles]

Yes. So, like I was saying before the break, Mabel's wardrobe was made of a mix of new and thrifted stuff from places like the Real Real and Other Stories, Aritzia, and a handful of Brooklyn thrift shops. And that's because it's where Dana thinks Mabel would actually shop.

[Kevin Lund]

And maybe this is a stupid question.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Yes.

[Kevin Lund]

But are those stores? And assuming they are, why would she shop there?

[Maggie Bowles]

Because she's cool. You know, because she's an artist. She doesn't have a ton of money, but she clearly has expensive taste. And secondhand is the way to go if your taste doesn't match your paycheck.

[Elizabeth Keener]

So do you think this is how we're talking Mabel style? But do you think that has anything to do with Selena's style in the sense of. Did she talk to Dana and figure out together what to.

[Maggie Bowles]

Yeah.

[Elizabeth Keener]

What to use?

[Maggie Bowles]

I. I asked Dana that. So let's hear what she had to say about it.

[Dana Covarrubias]

She just, like, has, again, amazing personal style. So we definitely stole a lot of things from her personal style. I mean, she just looks amazing and everything.

[Maggie Bowles]

She.

[Dana Covarrubias]

You know, I think the first time we fit her, she was wearing these giant, beautiful gold hoops. And that was something I definitely took and. And used for maple and all that

[Maggie Bowles]

aside, let' to Mabel's colors. Dana had seen photos of Selena Gomez in a magazine where she was wearing a yellow top.

[Dana Covarrubias]

And I was like, oh, my God, she looks stunning in yellow. We decided kind of early on that we wanted to somehow work in her Mexican heritage and that, you know, miracles play a huge. Have a huge symbolic role in Mexican heritage, representing creativity and sort of death and rebirth and resurrection, I guess. And so her character, Selena's character, Mabel, has this horrible thing that's happened in her past, and she's just struggling to get past it, struggling to figure it out so that she can move forward so that she can be reborn. So that was sort of a symbolic thing we used throughout the season. So we kind of stuck to marigold colors for her with yellows and golds and reds and just anything sort of in that. In that. Yeah. She's just so laid back and so willing to, like, try anything. And it's. It's such a wonderful creative attitude. To have, you know, it just feels very, like, laid back and easygoing, and she just like. Like, I don't think there's ever been anything that she's like, no, I won't try that on. Like, she's just so, so sweet. And. And, you know, I think she really loves getting into the wardrobe because I think it really helps her become Mabel. I think that especially, like, the boots and the coats and all of that, it's like, definitely the character, you know.

[Unidentified Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, Mabel definitely has a very iconic look. I mean, they all kind of have very iconic looks. Did you see. Did you see any Halloween costumes of them this year?

[Dana Covarrubias]

So many.

[Unidentified Host/Interviewer]

That.

[Dana Covarrubias]

That's. Yeah, so many. It was so amazing. People were sending me DMs on Instagram just with photos of, like, babies dressed up like Mabel and, like, dogs. Like, I saw a dog costume where it was dressed up like Mabel. My mother and, like, her friends all dressed up like. Like Mabel. And Oliver Charles is awesome.

[Maggie Bowles]

Yeah.

[Dana Covarrubias]

So such a. I mean, it's. I've always said, like, since the beginning of my career, that it's like the biggest compliment if someone wears your costume as a Halloween costume. You know, it's like a huge compliment to a costume designer.

[Maggie Bowles]

Did you guys see Only Murders costumes in your Halloween festivities last year?

[Elizabeth Keener]

I passed out three candies and then passed out yourself.

[Kevin Lund]

I did see online two people who were dressed up like Charles, and I like to think that one of them was Jane lynch dressed up as Charles.

[Elizabeth Keener]

That's funny. Oh, good one.

[Maggie Bowles]

We saw one. Our friend Alex went as tie dye guy. It was pretty easy costume to throw together last minute. Yeah, maybe even a little too easy.

[Elizabeth Keener]

I think so.

[Kevin Lund]

Did it have blood on it?

[Elizabeth Keener]

Oh, that would have been extra. No, as. As the kids say, extra.

[Maggie Bowles]

So speaking of the tie dye sweatshirt, I asked Dana how that came about, and she said it was something the writers came up with. But what Dana did have to decide was what the tie Dye hoodie would look like.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Yeah, it came down weird enough. It came down to how many we could find and making sure it couldn't have green in it because we knew we were going to have to use green screen at some point. But at first we were thinking, like, you know, maybe we can make it, and then we can kind of make it more saturated and we can make it, like, whatever colors we want.

[Maggie Bowles]

But then

[Dana Covarrubias]

we knew at some point that we were going to have to have many, many, many, many multiples of it, like at least 50 or, you know, something like that. And that's really impossible. To replicate tie dye in that way, you know, like, to make sure that it's all the same. Because it's just the process of making tie dye is, you know, it's going to be different. You know, a lot of tie dye just comes across to hippie, dippy, you know, like Woodstock 60s. And we wanted it to be cool, and we wanted it to feel like fashion nova or like, you know, something that, like, the character Oscar would think was cool.

[Elizabeth Keener]

So do you think that the cast got for their rap party? They all got the hoodie.

[Kevin Lund]

A hoodie.

[Maggie Bowles]

A hoodie from one of the 50 hoodies that they had.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Yeah.

[Maggie Bowles]

I'm really hoping that they just used, like, Tim Kono sex toy chest.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Oh, yeah.

[Maggie Bowles]

It's a treasure trove.

[Kevin Lund]

I wonder how many of those they have.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Yeah, you're smart. They had 50.

[Kevin Lund]

But now that we're talking about Tim Konoha, now that we know who killed him, did Dana mention any clues in the costuming that would have tipped us off that Jan was the murderer?

[Elizabeth Keener]

Oh, yeah, That's a good question. And, yeah. Should we be looking for clues in the clothing in season two?

[Maggie Bowles]

I don't know about season two, but I did ask her about season one, and she said John Hoffman and the creative team were super secretive about the ending of season one.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Even I think, up until Amy Ryan's fitting, I don't think I knew that she was the killer. So, yeah, I think he really kept it secret. And even, like, on our, you know, schedule. Like, on our schedules or in certain scripts, like, it would be, like, concealed. Like, you wouldn't, like, even know. I think when we shot, you know, that. That sort of, like, opening scene of the pilot, and then they come back to it in the 10th episode where Mabel's covered in blood and she's over the body. Like, we shot it with, like, three different bodies. Two or three. I can't remember it was two or three, because they. I don't. I don't know if it was because they weren't sure who it was gonna be or if they didn't want us to know. I don't.

[Maggie Bowles]

I don't.

[Dana Covarrubias]

I really don't know. But they're really. They really want to keep the secret very secret. So I think at some point, I did have to go to John Hoffman and say, like, I. I need to know. Like, I do need to know, you know, because it does inform how, you know, how they'll dress potentially.

[Kevin Lund]

Wow. It's crazy to me how long they were able to hide the identity of the killer from the key members of the team for so long.

[Unidentified Host/Interviewer]

I know.

[Maggie Bowles]

And. And when we were talking to Hulu during season one, they told us they shot the arrest scene in the final episode with three different people being arrested.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Oh, so good. Well, some of it was for paparazzi and some of it for those loose lipped grips or us, for sure. Us.

[Maggie Bowles]

Ryan looks very offended by this dig at grips. So no grips were harmed in this.

[Elizabeth Keener]

No grips were harmed.

[Maggie Bowles]

But for Jan. Dana said there weren't exactly Easter eggs to look for, but there were little clues in her wardrobe that told us that she wasn't quite right.

[Dana Covarrubias]

There were little hints that she was insane within her wardrobe. Just, you know, she's an adult woman and we always had her wearing these like really sort of girly, girlish, tiny, little. I think they were owls. Owl earrings. They were just very like, silly and like way too, you know, young. And it's just. Just little things like that that are like, just a little off, you know, and you're like, why? That's weird. It's a weird choice. And then I think all the placebo blouses, you know, are like a little. It's like conservative. But then, you know, she had a really interesting combination of like sexy and conservative. Like. Yeah, I don't know. I think, I think that. That we just knew we wanted her to be a little off and I think that we tried to do that, but like in a kind of elegant way play.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Oh, lest we forget the. The sexy shirt. Yeah. She loved her merchandise.

[Kevin Lund]

I think that's the first time we saw her.

[Elizabeth Keener]

It was wearing it. Yeah. And she had her bassoon and everything.

[Maggie Bowles]

Yeah. It should have been a major red flag.

[Kevin Lund]

That was a flag.

[Maggie Bowles]

I didn't ask Dana about that T shirt and I regret it. We forgot about it. But I wonder. I mean, and with exception of that shirt, the sexy bassoon shirt, most of the clothing we see on Only Murders is pretty cool stuff to wear. Not anything you'd have to do much coaxing or convinc of an actor to give a chance. But I was wondering about other shows. You know, what if your character's personality is really far off from your own. Like Julia Robertson, Pretty Woman, or I don't know, something like that.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Yeah, it's.

[Maggie Bowles]

I mean, it's.

[Dana Covarrubias]

It's like the hardest part of the job probably is like, you know, we always say, like, we're part designer but. But also part therapist. Like, you know, and. And it's hard. It's like you really have to, you know, you Meet, you know, like, you know, a big celebrity. You just met them usually when they're at the fitting, and then, you know, moments later, you have to be like, okay, now please take all your clothes off, and, you know, allow me to, you know, put you in these other clothes. It's like. And most people, you know, like, don't want to try things on. You know, it's not comfort, you know, like, lots of people don't like to do it. It's, you know, I don't like to go to stores and have to, like, be in the dressing room and try things on. And, like, you have to, like, get it off. And, like, sometimes you get stuck, and it's, like, it's not. It's not fun. So I don't blame them when they don't like it. But, yeah, I mean, it's. Sometimes you do some coaxing, you know, sometimes you do a little tap dancing to try to, like, convince someone that, you know, what you're asking them to put on makes sense for the character. Sometimes you have to do a bit of, like, reminding that, you know, this is for the character. This obviously isn't something you would wear as a person, you know, which helps sometimes, but. But no, I would say, like, most people are willing to go for it, you know, because they know they are playing a character. And then. And then also, I'm very open to, you know, you know, someone's like, I really don't think this is right, or, I don't want to try this on. Then I'm always like, okay, we have this other option. You know, that's why you always have several racks of options, just in case someone's not feeling it.

[Maggie Bowles]

I found this part really interesting because it sounds almost like everyone involved in a project is trying to get to know these characters in a different way, and they're all trying to figure out these subtle details that create the magic that makes a character feel real. So, like, the actor knows the character in one way, and then the costume designer knows the character in a slightly different way, and maybe the writers know them a little differently. The showrunner. And so a lot of what they have to do when they're collaborating with each other is find the places where they agree and, you know, explain the places where they don't agree.

[Elizabeth Keener]

It's kind of like layering. I mean, it starts on the page, and then when people read it, something jumps out at them. And whatever their take on as their. As their job, so whatever that job might be when it comes to do, you know, Whether the actor or the, the designer or whatever it is, they layer that character. And that's what makes them so fascinating to us because we see the layers in there. It's not just kind of a one dimensional character where you go, you just, you see them and sometimes that makes you really. You know, some characters are so lovable, or sometimes they're looney tunies like Jan and you still love them, you know, but it's all that layering, including the clothing and everything else.

[Kevin Lund]

It's really interesting, the collaboration that goes into it because the costume designer has to do their job and the actor has to wear the clothes. They have to be comfortable. They're going to be in it all day.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Yeah.

[Maggie Bowles]

Along with collaborating with the actors, there's even more collaboration and communication that goes on with the production designer who's deciding on the entire esthetic language of the show.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Kurt beach, the production designer of season one, was just so incredibly talented, as I'm sure you can see, with the design of each of their apartments. It's so beautiful.

[Maggie Bowles]

Really good news. We're gonna do another bonus episode where we talk to Kurt beach and also the set decorator, Rich Murray. So stay tuned for that one with the apartments.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Like, you know, I think I get to walk around and see the apartments like, before we do any shooting. So I usually do that. I usually do like a little tour of the stage and make sure I know what, you know, the main color theme is in each room and sort of imagine the characters standing in those rooms. But it's hard to keep it all in your head, of course. And then, yeah, with our show, it's, you know, it's also like each episode is like one day or two days. So they're gonna be in 30 different, you know, sets basically in this one look. So you kind of have to make sure it's just gonna work everywhere. And sometimes they're like really happy accidents.

[Unidentified Host/Interviewer]

There's

[Dana Covarrubias]

a moment that's actually in this season, so I don't know how much I can talk about it, but there's a moment that I just loved. And it was a total happy accident where Mabel, we had, gave her these socks and she's on her couch and. And there was just. I saw the socks on the couch and I was like, oh, my God, they're the exact same color, but I love it. Like, they're exactly same like, you know, burnt, like orange and marigold and brown, I think, or burgundy or something. And it's like the exact same pattern as a couch. And it looks Looks so cool. So sometimes it's like, sometimes it does match too much, but it's kind of good, you know, looks really good.

[Kevin Lund]

I was hoping she would give us some inside details about season two. What else did she have to say?

[Maggie Bowles]

I promise I'll tell you everything she told me about season two, which wasn't very much. But I did have one more question for her. I was curious where all the clothes go after the show wraps. So I asked how much your, this

[Unidentified Host/Interviewer]

job kind of like comes out into your personal life. Like do you have like rooms with racks full of clothes at home or like a storage unit with. Because actually my, my best friend is a costume designer too. She just had her first ACD job recent this year.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Congrats.

[Unidentified Host/Interviewer]

She's just, she wants to move into a two bedroom apartment because she has so much stuff.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Yes, yes.

[Unidentified Host/Interviewer]

And she's like, I can write off the second room and just use it as basically a giant walk in closet. So I'm curious if that's like that for you too.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Yes, absolutely. I think you start to become like a just total hoarder of clothing and special pieces that you find when you're in a thrift shop and you're just like, I need this. Yeah, you find these things and you collect them and it becomes part of your kit. You know, we all have a kit and the kit has, you know, clothing obviously, but then it also has wardrobe supplies, steamers, hangers, racks, you know, like all that kind of stuff. And you know, I think the longer you work in this industry, the more you just hoard, the more you, you get more and more stuff. And at this point, my kit, oh man, it's gotta be 40 racks of clothing only.

[Elizabeth Keener]

40 racks, huh?

[Maggie Bowles]

40 racks? Yes. And 30 bins of shoes.

[Kevin Lund]

Wow.

[Maggie Bowles]

But it's not all everyday like cool, fun clothes like you see on only murders. She says she's got a rack of NYPD police uniforms, a rack of EMT

[Dana Covarrubias]

uniforms, three racks of waiter, waiter, you know, server costumes, like black ties and black aprons and green aprons and you know, different kinds of aprons and like striped apron. You know, it's just you end up developing this, you know, massive kit. So yeah, I bring it with me from job to job. But then there is the in between, you know, of course it's freelance work. So in between the jobs you're like, where do I put all of this? And usually I have to get a storage space and, and it's annoying, but you got to do it because I just, I can't let go of it. So there's too many good things in there. And it's really so, so, so helpful when you're on a job to have all those options.

[Elizabeth Keener]

So it's not just your friend Maggie who's hoarding all that stuff?

[Maggie Bowles]

No.

[Unidentified Host/Interviewer]

Okay.

[Maggie Bowles]

Definitely not. She's not alone.

[Elizabeth Keener]

No.

[Kevin Lund]

It's a big club.

[Elizabeth Keener]

It's a big club.

[Dana Covarrubias]

No, no, no. It's every, I think it's every designer.

[Kevin Lund]

Well.

[Dana Covarrubias]

And, you know, I think we go through phases where you're like, I don't really need this. And you sell it. You can like sell it off sometimes. And I've done that probably two times where I've completely sold my entire kit. Just been like, I don't, I don't need this. And then, and then you end up getting it back and having, you know, it's always useful.

[Kevin Lund]

I feel like if you sell your kit, you're making some really big life changes.

[Maggie Bowles]

Yeah, it's like, like, it's like spring cleaning on steroids. Doesn't mean like I'm done doing teen shows. I'm selling off all my high school basketball uniforms.

[Elizabeth Keener]

You know, two things I don't do anymore. Spring cleaning and steroids.

[Kevin Lund]

It's like, what am I gonna do with 30 werewolf costumes? Maybe I can trim that down to 10.

[Maggie Bowles]

You never know though. You never know.

[Kevin Lund]

And these knights in shining armor. Variable.

[Maggie Bowles]

So season two, I did ask her if there is anything she could tell us. And when we talked on New Year's, they had already had about eight weeks of prep and shot the first two episodes before they broke for the holidays.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Yeah, I don't, I, I'm not sure what I can say, but I, I can just say that I'm, I'm so excited for people to see it because I think, you know, I think the first season was obviously such a hit and had such great viewership and like the fans have been so excited and I think that they are just going big with this one, you know, Like, I think they're like, go big or go home. And when I read the first couple scripts, I was like, yes, yes, yes. Because just costume wise, this season is like so amazing. It's just so fun. Like the writers and John or showrunner just like wrote all these amazing scripts that are just beautiful and just allow for really fun costumes. Just put it that way.

[Maggie Bowles]

Awesome. So pretty vague, but I don't know, maybe there's a clue in there.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Pretty vague, Maggie. I mean, give us nothing every time.

[Kevin Lund]

That is a tight lipped group.

[Maggie Bowles]

Yeah, yeah.

[Elizabeth Keener]

That there ain't no grip grief, no fun costumes.

[Maggie Bowles]

She's like, there's going to be some really exciting costumes.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Well, she said they're going big.

[Unidentified Host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Kevin Lund]

Circus big talk.

[Elizabeth Keener]

The big top.

[Kevin Lund]

Yay.

[Maggie Bowles]

I think that's exactly what she was trying to communicate.

[Elizabeth Keener]

We know. You know what we picked up on that, that I hope. I hope our listeners are listening.

[Kevin Lund]

I would hope so.

[Unidentified Host/Interviewer]

Well, thank you so much for taking the time on New Year's Day, TikTok.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Thank you guys. I'm so sorry again for the pushing and the being like.

[Unidentified Host/Interviewer]

I'm so glad we could make it work. Happy New Year.

[Dana Covarrubias]

Happy New Year to you.

[Kevin Lund]

Thanks for listening to this very special bonus episode of Only Murders in the Pod. Please keep sending your thoughts and theories to [e-mail] as we continue waiting for season two. We'll be releasing more bonus content, including our interview with Season one production designer Curt beach and set decorator for seasons one and two, Rich Murray. Take a minute to subscribe, rate, follow and review if you like the show.

[Elizabeth Keener]

Only Murders in the Pod is a production of Straw Hut Media, hosted by Elizabeth Keener Me and Kevin Lon Me produced by Ryan Tillotson, Maggie Bowles and Williams Durling. Associate producer is Stephen Markley. Original music by Kyle Merritt. Only Murders in the Building original score music by Siddhartha Khosla and big, big thanks to John Hoffman, Ari Abishey and the entire Hulu team.

[Kevin Lund]

SA.