# Jenny Beavan

Jenny Beavan OBE, RDI (born 1950) is a British costume designer. In a career spanning over four decades, she is recognized for her prolific work across stage and screen. She has received numerous accolades, including three Academy Awards, four BAFTA Awards, two Emmy Awards, and an Olivier Award. Beavan was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2017.
Beavan came to prominence for her decade-long collaboration with John Bright on creating the costumes for Merchant Ivory Productions. She has received 12 nominations for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design and has won three times for A Room with a View (1985), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), and Cruella (2021). She has also been nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design ten times and had a record four wins for A Room With a View, Gosford Park (2001), Mad Max: Fury Road, and Cruella.
On television, Beavan has been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special five times, winning twice for Emma (1996) and Return to Cranford (2010). She has also received three nominations for the British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Costume Design.
On stage, Beavan created costumes for numerous productions, including those of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the West End, and Broadway. She garnered the Tony Award for Best Costume Design nomination for the 2002 Broadway revival of Noël Coward's Private Lives. She has also received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Costume Design for the 2001 West End revival of Private Lives.

## Early life

Beavan was born in London, England. Her father was a cellist, and her mother a viola player. She has a sister. Beavan credits her parents for instilling a strong work ethic. She attended Putney High School, an independent girls' day school in Putney, London.

## Career

Jenny Beavan is known for her work on Merchant Ivory films. In the 1970s, she worked on set design for London theatrical productions. She joined the field of film costume design after obtaining an unpaid position to design garments for a small Merchant Ivory film, Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures. This began her long relationship with Merchant Ivory productions.
She has frequently worked with costume designer John Bright, who runs the costume-rental house Cosprop, and credits him with educating her as she was starting out her career. She said she was helped by "just listening to him and learning from him, learning the history and the politics of clothing". Since then, the two have collaborated on more than ten films together and have shared six Oscar nominations.
In 2016, Beavan won her 3rd BAFTA and 2nd Academy Award in George Miller's post-apocalyptic action film Mad Max: Fury Road.
Beavan was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to drama production.
In June 2018, Beavan was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by Arts University Bournemouth alongside dancer Darcey Bussell, graphic designer Margaret Calvert, OBE, and director and screenwriter Edgar Wright.
In 2022, Beavan nabbed her 4th BAFTA, as well as her 3rd Academy Award for Craig Gillespie's Disney live-action spin-off of Cruella.

## Personal life

She has one daughter, Caitlin, a theatre producer born in 1985. They worked together on the West End theatre production of Third Finger Left Hand at Trafalgar Studios in 2013.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
| 1979 | The Europeans | James Ivory | Costume assistant only |
| 1980 | Jane Austen in Manhattan | James Ivory | |
| 1984 | The Bostonians | James Ivory | with John Bright |
| 1985 | A Room with a View | James Ivory | with John Bright |
| 1987 | Maurice | James Ivory | with John Bright |
| 1988 | A Summer Story | Piers Haggard | |
| 1988 | The Deceivers | Nicholas Meyer | with John Bright |
| 1990 | Mountains of the Moon | Bob Rafelson | with John Bright |
| 1991 | White Fang | Randal Kleiser | with John Bright |
| 1991 | Impromptu | James Lapine | |
| 1992 | Howards End | James Ivory | with John Bright |
| 1993 | Swing Kids | Thomas Carter | |
| 1993 | The Remains of the Day | James Ivory | with John Bright |
| 1994 | Black Beauty | Caroline Thompson | |
| 1995 | Jefferson in Paris | James Ivory | with John Bright |
| 1995 | Sense and Sensibility | Ang Lee | with John Bright |
| 1996 | Jane Eyre | Franco Zeffirelli | |
| 1997 | Metroland | Philip Saville | |
| 1998 | Ever After | Andy Tennant | aka Ever After: A Cinderella Story |
| 1999 | Tea with Mussolini | Franco Zeffirelli | with Anna Anni and Alberto Spiazzi |
| 1999 | Anna and the King | Andy Tennant | |
| 2001 | Gosford Park | Robert Altman | |
| 2002 | Possession | Neil LaBute | |
| 2003 | Timeline | Richard Donner | |
| 2004 | Alexander | Oliver Stone | |
| 2005 | Casanova | Lasse Hallström | |
| 2006 | The Amazing Grace | Jeta Amata | |
| 2006 | The Black Dahlia | Brian De Palma | |
| 2006 | Amazing Grace | Michael Apted | |
| 2008 | Defiance | Edward Zwick | |
| 2009 | Sherlock Holmes | Guy Ritchie | |
| 2010 | The King's Speech | Tom Hooper | |
| 2011 | Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows | Guy Ritchie | |
| 2012 | Gambit | Michael Hoffman | |
| 2015 | Child 44 | Daniel Espinosa | |
| 2015 | Mad Max: Fury Road | George Miller | |
| 2016 | A United Kingdom | Amma Asante | |
| 2016 | A Cure for Wellness | Gore Verbinski | |
| 2017 | Life | Daniel Espinosa | |
| 2018 | Christopher Robin | Marc Forster | |
| 2018 | The Nutcracker and the Four Realms | Lasse Hallström Joe Johnston | |
| 2019 | Mrs Lowry & Son | Adrian Noble | |
| 2020 | Dolittle | Stephen Gaghan | |
| 2021 | Cruella | Craig Gillespie | |
| 2022 | Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris | Anthony Fabian | |
| 2024 | White Bird | Marc Forster | |
| 2024 | Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | George Miller | |

## Awards and nominations
### Major associations

Academy Awards
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1984 | Best Costume Design | The Bostonians | Nominated |
| 1986 | Best Costume Design | A Room with a View | Won |
| 1987 | Best Costume Design | Maurice | Nominated |
| 1992 | Best Costume Design | Howards End | Nominated |
| 1993 | Best Costume Design | The Remains of the Day | Nominated |
| 1995 | Best Costume Design | Sense and Sensibility | Nominated |
| 1999 | Best Costume Design | Anna and the King | Nominated |
| 2001 | Best Costume Design | Gosford Park | Nominated |
| 2010 | Best Costume Design | The King's Speech | Nominated |
| 2015 | Best Costume Design | Mad Max: Fury Road | Won |
| 2021 | Best Costume Design | Cruella | Won |
| 2022 | Best Costume Design | Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris | Nominated |
BAFTA Awards
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| British Academy Film Awards |||||
| 1984 | Best Costume Design | The Bostonians | Nominated |
| 1986 | Best Costume Design | A Room with a View | Won |
| 1992 | Best Costume Design | Howards End | Nominated |
| 1995 | Best Costume Design | Sense and Sensibility | Nominated |
| 1999 | Best Costume Design | Tea with Mussolini | Nominated |
| 2001 | Best Costume Design | Gosford Park | Won |
| 2010 | Best Costume Design | The King's Speech | Nominated |
| 2015 | Best Costume Design | Mad Max: Fury Road | Won |
| 2021 | Best Costume Design | Cruella | Won |
| 2022 | Best Costume Design | Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris | Nominated |
| British Academy Television Craft Awards |||||
| 2003 | Best Costume Design | The Gathering Storm | Nominated |
| 2008 | Best Costume Design | Cranford | Nominated |
| 2010 | Best Costume Design | Return to Cranford | Nominated |
Emmy Awards
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| Primetime Emmy Awards |||||
| 1986 | Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special | Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy (Episode: "Part 1") | Nominated |
| 1997 | Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special | Emma | Won |
| 2002 | Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special | The Gathering Storm | Nominated |
| 2008 | Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special | Cranford (Episode: "Part 1") | Nominated |
| 2010 | Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special | Return to Cranford (Episode: "Part 2") | Won |
Laurence Olivier Awards
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
| 2002 | Best Costume Design | Private Lives | Won | |
Tony Awards
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
| 2002 | Best Costume Design | Private Lives | Nominated | |

### Miscellaneous awards

List of Jenny Beavan other awards and nominations :
| Award | Year | Category | Title | Result |
| AACTA Awards | 2015 | Best Costume Design | Mad Max: Fury Road | Nominated |
| AACTA Awards | 2024 | Best Costume Design | Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | Won |
| Africa Movie Academy Awards | 2006 | Best Costume Design | The Amazing Grace | Nominated |
| American Cinematheque's Tribute to the Crafts | 2021 | Feature Film – Costume Designer | Cruella | Won |
| Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards | 2021 | Best Costume Design | Cruella | Won |
| Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards | 2022 | Best Costume Design | Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris | Nominated |
| Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards | 2024 | Best Costume Design | Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | Nominated |
| British Independent Film Awards | 2022 | Best Costume Design | Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris | Won |
| Camerimage | 2023 | Costume Designer with Unique Visual Sensitivity | — | Honored |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | 2021 | Best Costume Design | Cruella | Nominated |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | 2024 | Best Costume Design | Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | Won |
| Ciak d'oro | 1999 | Best Costume Design | Tea with Mussolini | Nominated |
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | 2008 | Outstanding Made for Television Movie or Miniseries | Cranford | Nominated |
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | 2009 | Excellence in Period Film | Sherlock Holmes | Nominated |
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | 2010 | Excellence in Period Film | The King's Speech | Won |
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | 2015 | Excellence in Fantasy Film | Mad Max: Fury Road | Won |
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | 2018 | Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film | The Nutcracker and the Four Realms | Nominated |
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | 2020 | Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film | Dolittle | Nominated |
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | 2021 | Excellence in Period Film | Cruella | Won |
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | 2022 | Excellence in Period Film | Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris | Nominated |
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | 2024 | Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film | Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | Nominated |
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | 2024 | Career Achievement Award | — | Honored |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | 2010 | Best Costume Design | The King's Speech | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | 2015 | Best Costume Design | Mad Max: Fury Road | Won |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | 2021 | Best Costume Design | Cruella | Won |
| David di Donatello Awards | 1996 | Best Costumes | Jane Eyre | Won |
| Drama Desk Awards | 2002 | Outstanding Costume Design | Private Lives | Nominated |
| Empire Awards | 2015 | Best Costume Design | Mad Max: Fury Road | Won |
| Evening Standard British Film Awards | 2010 | Technical Achievement Award (costume design) | The King's Speech | Nominated |
| London Film Critics' Circle Awards | 2021 | Technical Achievement Award (costumes) | Cruella | Nominated |
| Online Film Critics Society Awards | 2021 | Best Costume Design | Cruella | Nominated |
| Online Film Critics Society Awards | 2024 | Best Costume Design | Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | Nominated |
| Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards | 2004 | Best Costume Design – Drama | Byron | Won |
| San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | 2021 | Best Costume Design | Cruella | Won |
| San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | 2022 | Best Costume Design | Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris | Runner-up |
| Satellite Awards | 1998 | Best Costume Design | Ever After | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | 1999 | Best Costume Design | Anna and the King | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | 2006 | Best Costume Design | The Black Dahlia | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | 2007 | Best Costume Design | Amazing Grace | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | 2010 | Best Costume Design | The King's Speech | Nominated |
| Saturn Awards | 1998 | Best Costume Design | Ever After | Won |
| Saturn Awards | 2009 | Best Costume Design | Sherlock Holmes | Nominated |
| Saturn Awards | 2011 | Best Costume Design | Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows | Nominated |
| Saturn Awards | 2021/22 | Best Costume Design | Cruella | Nominated |
| Seattle Film Critics Society Awards | 2015 | Best Costume Design | Mad Max: Fury Road | Won |
| Seattle Film Critics Society Awards | 2021 | Best Costume Design | Cruella | Nominated |
| Seattle Film Critics Society Awards | 2024 | Best Costume Design | Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | Nominated |
| St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards | 2021 | Best Costume Design | Cruella | Won |
| St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards | 2022 | Best Costume Design | Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris | Nominated |

### Honorary degrees

Name of school, year given, and name of degree :
| School | Year | Degree | Ref. |
| University of Huddersfield | 2024 | Doctor of the University (Hon DUniv) | |

## Other honours

* Beavan was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to drama production.
* Beavan was made a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI) by the Royal Society of Arts in 2022.