Looking For Alaska's Costume Designer Told Us All About Those Vintage Tees and Beat-Up Vans

"For the character of Alaska, I really leaned on my friend Marco over at Amarcord Vintage. He has this gorgeous collection of vintage that seemed just perfect for her. I really cast a wide net of shopping on this — many things came from eBay and a ton from thrift stores! I wanted Alaska to have a sophisticated thrift shop appeal compared to the other kids at Culver. She doesn't have much money and has been thrifting all of her clothes since she was a kid. I think she watched Almost Famous, and a switch was thrown. 'Oh, maybe I can do this!' She has her favourite pair of bell-bottoms from Ritual vintage, which she wears most of the season. Alaska has an eye for special pieces, and a fearlessness about standing out. I looked at a lot of images of Debbie Harry, Gloria Steinem, and Stevie Nicks."

"I spent the most time thinking about Denny Love's The Colonel. I wanted to really create depth in that character through the clothing choices and give Denny as much as I could to work with. He is such a complex character! I really agonized over finding just the right patterned shirts to mix with shorts and pants that seemed just off enough. Thrown together in a mishmash but also somewhat casually considered. He has something to prove with very little resources."

The Culver Creek High School sweats are from Soffe.

"Takumi was my real opportunity to let a little light in sartorially. He is very tapped into art and music, and though his family has money, he is still an outsider in his own right. Much like Alaska, he follows the beat of his own drum and stands up for what he believes in passionately. I used a mix of great Japanese designers, both new and old, like Comme Des Garçons and Yohji Yamamoto, infused with some of Vivienne Westwood punk rock sensibilities. Then I'd spice things up with vintage pieces from Billionaire Boys Club and Adidas. I thought it was really important to give him a little texture taste-wise."

"Truthfully, I really loved Dr. Hyde's wardrobe. Together, Ron and I created a very expressive character who dressed practically but artfully. Finding his jewellery, playing with texture and colour, and exploring shapes were all part of finding Dr. Hyde. I adored that character."

Bravado Men's Wu-Tang Clan Distressed Logo T-Shirt ($20)

The varsity jacket isn't available, but apparently it was a favourite look among the cast on set. When I asked Matthew if any actors took home pieces from their wardrobes, he said "They lock the wardrobe down at the end of production. Everything is accounted for and kept under lock and key. I was definitely asked though. Some hot picks were Sara's multi-coloured Louis Vuitton handbag, Takumi's floral pants from Vivienne Westood, Alaska's vintage varsity jacket, and The Colonel's Nikes from episode 1."