Costume designer Stephanie Collie has died: She worked on Peaky Blinders & Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Stephanie Collie had been given a terminal cancer diagnosis six months before she passed away at the St Christopher’s Hospice in South London.
Although she was best known for being the costume designer on Peaky Blinders and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Stephanie had also created looks for Layer Cake, London Has Fallen and The Hitman’s Bodyguard. Stephanie Collie was born on November 16, 1963 in Warrington, Cheshire.
Stephanie Collie’s maternal grandmother was a seamstress and she was the eldest of four daughters, her Scottish parents were called Peter and Elizabeth Collie. After attending Pates Grammar School for Girls, Stephanie Collie went on to Cheltenham Arts College and then the London College of Fashion.
Stephanie Collie began her career alongside costume designer Susan Coates in the sewing room at the BBC, the pair first met one another at the London College of Fashion. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Following an introduction via Coates to David Parfitt, who founded the Renaissance Theatre Company with Kenneth Branagh, she served as a wardrobe assistant to Branagh on Much Ado About Nothing (1993) and as a costume designer collaborating with Coates on Peter’s Friends (1992), also helmed by Branagh.”
However, it was thanks to the movie Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels that Stephanie Collie got her big career breakthrough. The movie was produced by Matthew Vaughn (married to supermodel Clauda Schiffer) and directed by Guy Ritchie (once married to Madonna).
In 2021 Christopher Laverty discussed Stephanie Collie’s impact on fashion thanks to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels on Clothes On Film, He described her as an ‘unsung hero’ and went on to write:”Now, anyone old enough to remember when Lock, Stock arrived will remember just what an incredible influence its Mod inspired costumes had on the world of fashion. You could not pick up a men’s magazine of the time without seeing some guy in slim trousers and a jersey polo shirt. Stephanie Collie invented this look, thus providing one of the clearest examples of how costume design can transcend a movie and become something more. We would go so far as to say Stephanie Collie helped define an era.”
Casarotto Ramsay & Associates, who represent leading talent for film, tv and theatre, paid tribute to Stephanie on Instagram and wrote: “We are so sad to be sharing news that our dear client Stephanie Collie died of cancer on Saturday. Stephanie was an outstanding Costume Designer who demonstrated her talent in productions such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, The Look of Love, Woman Walks Ahead, Peaky Blinders S1 and most recently in Argylle and My Lady Jane.
“We will miss her immensely. Our love and thoughts are with her family and friends.”
Stephanie Collie’s husband, director of photography Hubert Taczanowski, passed away from cancer at the age of 63 in June of this year.