Phantom Thread: Inside the House of Woodcock’s Real-Life Fashion Show

While making Paul Thomas Anderson’s period drama Phantom Thread,Daniel Day-Lewistook his role as fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock so seriously that he consulted closely with costume designer Mark Bridges on the fabrics, colors, and silhouettes for the House of Woodcock’s spring collection. Given the meta-method nature of this line-blurring collaboration, it made sense that the House of Woodcock get its own actual fashion show in Los Angeles Wednesday evening.

During a cocktail party hosted by Anderson, Vanity Fair, and Focus Features, 50s-styled models circled the perimeter of the Chateau Marmont garden in House of Woodcock designs, posing periodically inside lit window boxes as Jonny Greenwood’s haunting Phantom Thread score swelled around them. Though Day-Lewis himself was absent—he had flown back to England following the Golden Globes—his alter-ego’s presence was deeply felt.

“I’m tempted to call this event chic,” said a nearby partygoer, referencing the detested adjective that sends the designer into hissy-fit hysterics, “but Reynolds Woodcock would never allow it.”

Vicky Krieps, the breakout actress who stars as Woodcock’s muse, Alma, looked on as the couture designs were admired by such guests as the Darkest Hour director Joe Wright, Baby Driver director Edgar Wright, Lily James, the Haim sisters, Rodarte’s Kate and Laura Mulleavy, and regular Anderson collaborator John C. Reilly—who wore a three-piece houndstooth suit of which Woodcock would approve. Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino excitedly declared Phantom Thread his favorite film of the year. And Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson got into the spirit of the evening, snapping videos of the throwback fashion procession on his cell phone.

Inside the Chateau Marmont, Anderson and Krieps posed for a second-long video inside the GIF photo booth. Afterward, Anderson marveled over the vintage wallpaper used as the photo-booth backdrop. Knowing how much the exact wallpaper had cost his production, he deadpanned, “Someone should tear that off and take it at the end of the night.”

With two days left before the Oscar-nomination voting window ends, Krieps—a Hollywood newcomer—was overheard discussing the recent onslaught of awards-season publicity. When a fellow guest remarked that the nonstop junket interviews were a form of speed-dating, Krieps laughed. “That’s so true,” she said. “And I am not very good at it!”

Krieps said that her father, who lives in Europe, had not yet seen the film but is so proud of her involvement that he has been poring over Phantom Thread coverage and even analyzing box-office numbers. While making the film, Krieps revealed that Anderson even stuck her father and brother into a scene the day that they visited the London set. Alas, their scene was cut.

Asked who broke that news to Krieps’s family members, Anderson pointed to his star and said, “That was her job. I don’t know them that well.”

Get Vanity Fair’s HWD NewsletterSign up for essential industry and award news from Hollywood.Julie MillerJulie Miller is a Senior Hollywood writer for Vanity Fair’s website.