Wicked has soared past the box office across the globe, and with the production’s grand scale, it isn’t a surprise that the cream of the crop was involved in the film—especially with its iconic costume design. In fact, among the talented creators behind Wicked’s hats is none other than a celebrated Filipino milliner by the name of Harvy Santos.
Filipino Milliner Harvy Santos on Creating the Hats Featured in “Wicked”
When it comes to tales about witches, no accessory may be as quintessential as the headgear placed atop its magical wearer. In the canon of the Broadway musical adaptation and the imagined prequel to The Wizard of Oz, the Good Witch of the North Glinda Upland (Ariana Grande) hands the now-iconic hat to her green-skinned foe-turned-friend Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo). Several characters across the land of Oz are also often spotted with their accessories perched on their heads, each flaunting the world's unique whimsy.
Among the creators of the film's many hats is the now-United Kingdom-based Filipino milliner, Harvy Santos. The multi-awarded milliner, who is originally from the Philippines, has had his creations worn by the likes of Lady Gaga, with the Wicked film the latest notch on his list of accomplishments.
In a video for Universal Pictures’ Make It Universal, Harvy traces his “fascination for costume” when he was six years old, recalling his past in ballet. According to his website, the milliner was previously a professional ballet dancer for the Hong Kong Ballet. “All of the money that I got from dancing, every payday, I would buy myself books on garment construction and costume design,” he said.
Harvy went on to study millinery at Kensington and Chelsea College in the United Kingdom where he is currently based. The career path would grant him accolades and features across international publications, as well as his exhibitions in Europe visited by Queen Elizabeth II during London Fashion Week.
“Millinery is like sculpture, you started playing with materials, you started playing with cardboard, to experiment with shapes,” Harvy said in the video feature. “Up until this point, it’s still fascinating, it’s still challenging, and I quite like those challenges because I get to be inventive and creative with it.”
According to Harvy, his role as a Wicked milliner was something to be “proud” of. “Knowing the fact that you’re contributing to an epic film—that’s very exhilarating,” he said.
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