An Edward Scissorhands (Johnny Depp) costume display from Tim Burton’s beloved dark fantasy film Edward Scissorhands. Created by a visionary inventor (Vincent Price), young Edward Scissorhands was swept from isolation and brought into suburbia where his odd personality and appearance became the talk of the town. The film was a defining moment in director Tim Burton’s career, wowing audiences with it’s powerful imagery. Designed by Tim Burton and costume designer Colleen Atwood, the costume was made by Western Costume. It was previously on display at Stan Winston Studio as part of Stan Winston’s personal collection, and also appeared in the Tim Burton Exhibition at the MoMA in New York between 2009 and 2010. The head was created by Stan Winston Studio based on a Johnny Depp lifecast for display.
The costume is made of leather and vinyl material that is gothic in style, in stark contrast to the supporting cast’s bright 1950’s-inspired costume design. As Edward was an inventor’s work in progress, his suit is intentionally assembled with uneven cuts to the fabric, large visible stitches, rows of safety pins and buckled straps throughout.
Edward’s scissor-hands consist of flexible urethane over black spandex, and have cast resin blades on each finger, with a single urethane blade on the left hand. The gloves include decorative resin pistons that are bolted in place and buckled leather straps at the wrists. Authentic examples of original scissor-hands are exceedingly rare.
Most of the costume consists of original production components, with a few pieces recast by Stan Winston Studio for display purposes, such as the moon-shaped belt buckle. The shirt and pants both feature Western Costume wardrobe labels inside that read “DEPP DOUB”, while the boots feature “Stunt” handwritten inside. The costume is missing a few components, such as original neck collars, its right shoulder and bicep cover, its waist belt and its left hip cover.
The costume features a Johnny Depp lifecast and is mounted to a bespoke foam mannequin with a wooden base. The crotch-piece is notably attached to the costume, albeit backwards. One arm is broken near the shoulder, and while it is still firmly attached the arm now rests crooked. Edward’s costume exhibits wear due to production use and age, with the gloves showing light deterioration to the materials. However, it remains in fine overall condition. Dimensions (displayed): 145 cm x 66 cm x 175 cm (57” x 26” x 69”)
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