Gene Wilder Willy Wonka Research Thread

I don't have anything to add beyond the fact that I would love to see folks dressed as this version of Willy Wonka. I loved that movie as a kid, and still do.
 
I thought I would interject that His vest is made from a metallic floral Brocade, when I did this costume a while back I used a tiny floral broadcloth that I pinstriped with metallic gold thread that achieved the look almost perfectly. As far as the Hat goes, I wouldn't go with a wool top hat personally, just because all the ones on the market are those obnoxious coachmen hats that haven't got the correct brim. I suggest e-mailing the proprieter at www.tophatlady.com, as she provided mine and it was screen accurate to a T.
 
I clicked that link of yours Chadrificus, and it came up with a website suggestion page, rather than an actual website.

As for the vest, I'm googling "metallic floral brocade" as I type this.
 
That's a great idea!
I'm going to have to watch the film again in order to get a better idea of the vest, as the reference pictures I have are low quality.
 
I'm sure you've seen these, but high rez reference from google image search:

Willy wonka image by Blu-news2 on Photobucket


Oh....so this is what the Everlasting Gobstopper really looks like....

WillyWonka2.jpg



...well that certainly explains the surrealistic underpinnings of the movie.


There's no earthly way of knowing
Which direction they are going!
There's no knowing where they're rowing,
Or which way they river's flowing!
 
Thanks very much for that reference photo!
Has anyone ever seen this costume done?
I think I saw someone at Comic-Con a few years ago, but I didn't pay attention to how accurate he was. I look up "Willy Wonka" on Cosplay.com and the only thing that comes up of course is Depp's version.
 
I'm sure this isn't going to be much help to you but I wanted to share just the same. I made the Gene Wilder Wonka costume for my daughter for Halloween in 2008. She was 3 1/2 at the time and it was her first choice.

mk_wonka01.jpg
 
Yes, very hard to research the Wilder Wonka because the Depp Wonka always coming up.

There is the Simplicity pattern for the Depp Wonka costume.
View C
Simplicity 4083
I've not studied this in detail, but the lines look pretty similar to the Wilder Wonka coat.

The trim around the lapels and collar is the very common, very inexpensive, garden varitey Gimp Braid trim......available nearly everywhere in nearly every color imaginable...

Likewise the bow tie, very plain. Might even find a lady's scarf already made up in the kind and color materials needed

For the vest fabric, check in the more highfalutin fabric shops, high fashion fabrics or bridal shops might find something similar. It looks rather exquisite, not sure you'd find something like that at a regular fabric store.

Velvet is a pain in the arse to work with, but there is much you can do to reduce the headaches. It's nice to have a pin board to press it on, but if you can't get that, use a big high pile terry towel. and only press from the back and only touch it barely, and if at all possible, just shoot it with some steam from the iron and smooth it with your hands.

Since it's to be made into a coat, and probably needs interlining anyway, I'd consider some press-on interfacing---but again, you have to be very careful not to crush the pile when applying it. But if you can get it on there, it stiffens the velvet, it keeps it from sliding all over the bloody place and you can see your markings better on it....

Anything you do will leave a mark in the pile on the front side of velvet, so don't pin or mark anywhere except inside the seam allowances--and make big wide 1 inch seam allowances to give you much room to do so.

Oh, and don't forget the pile. Velvet has a definite pile that it looks dark one direction, lighter the other direction. You want the rich dark look against the pile to be the 'top', and you want everything cut in the same direction--the tops of every pattern piece facing the same direction, the top against the pile.

Shylaah
 
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I found a better hat to use. It's called the Coachman SteamPUNK Victorian Top Hat. I'm not sure if it's made of the same materials though. It's price is usually around $25.
coachmanbrown.jpg

You can get a custom fitted Coat at cosplaysky.com for $90.00.
I intend to do this costume next year. I want to go all out, so is there anywhere I can get the brocade vest custom made? Could I have some reference to the cane? What I know about the cane is:
1. It has a white knob handle(I'm not sure if it's called a knob handle)
2. It has a white jewel embedded on the handle.
 
That hat looks to be made from the same material as those Elope pirate hats, and the brim looks like it has a wire in it, so eventually that wire (if I'm correct of course) will eat through that fabric, and you'll be left with a ridiculous hat.

That link to the coat isn't bad, despite the trim being wrong, I haven't really looked at my reference photos.
You could get the vest made from a local tailor? Or someone on the board could do it, but I'm just assuming you'd have to find the fabric yourself, and the materials, and send it to them; unless they have it all on hand (why would they though? haha)

I'm now a poor College student, so while I want this costume to be great, I also have to think about money.

Correction:
That coat linked isn't very accurate. The trim is wrong of course, there's no seam in the middle where the waist is on that coat, while there is on Gene's, and it also looks to be too short (my opinion).

I'm glad someone else is doing this costume, maybe it'll make this thread longer.

Shylaah, thanks for all of that content! I remember all of the research and work you put into the Jack coats back on KTTC (I haven't visited that place in ages!) but it sure was impressive, so thanks for that little bit.
 
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Shylaah, thanks for all of that content! I remember all of the research and work you put into the Jack coats back on KTTC (I haven't visited that place in ages!) but it sure was impressive, so thanks for that little bit.

Thanks, Clayster! I remember you too. Yeah I've pretty much left the Locker and Jack behind, but them were some good ole days, yes?!!!

I found this review of the Wilder Wonka on blu-ray, it has a clip of the Welcome scene, a pretty good look at the costume and some close ups of the coat.

A good still from that same page, an overall look at how the costume, well, looks :)

I thought this lamp was rather interesting. It reminded me how when you start researching a costume that certain images become iconic, appearing over and over and over!!!

Shylaah


http://www.highdefdiscnews.com/?p=27729
 
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A great website that has all the info on both Wonka Costumes (Gene Wilder and Jonny Depp) - it shows the costumes and has resources for each item to put together you own. The penny whistle, the hat, the bow tie, the jacket, as well as all completed costumes :

Willy Wonka Costumes

There is another with equal details on the oompa loompa costume :

Oompa Loompa Costume
 
I thought I would interject that His vest is made from a metallic floral Brocade, when I did this costume a while back I used a tiny floral broadcloth that I pinstriped with metallic gold thread that achieved the look almost perfectly. As far as the Hat goes, I wouldn't go with a wool top hat personally, just because all the ones on the market are those obnoxious coachmen hats that haven't got the correct brim. I suggest e-mailing the proprieter at www.tophatlady.com, as she provided mine and it was screen accurate to a T.

I realize it has been over 2 years since you made your post, but I have a question. How, exactly, does one pinstripe an existing cloth? I tried searching the internet but only came up with tutorials to paint on pinstripes. Can you direct me to the sewing method? Thanks!
 
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