Saving Mr. Banks: Inspiration from vintage Disney

A young P.L. Travers and her father in Australia

Acclaimed costume designer Daniel Orlandi notes that a particular challenge for the costume department was remaining authentic to the times depicted in Disney's Saving Mr. Banks. "The big challenges were we had two different periods: 1906, her [Travers'] childhood in Australia and then we went right into the 1960s," he said.

Daniel Orlandi's sketch for Walt Disney's suit

Orlandi also discussed the importance of creating outfits that were signifcant and true to the fashion trends of those periods. "[Hanks] wanted to be Walt Disney, so whatever was right for Walt Disney, that's what he wanted," he said. "It was always a grey suit, which was sort of the custom of the time anyway for a head of a company; a business grey suit is what they wore. It's a serious colour."

Tom Hanks as Walt Disney

Focusing on fine details: According to Orlandi, the little insignia on [Disney's] tie is the Smoke Tree Ranch symbol. "He had a house in Palm Springs at Smoke Tree Ranch, which is still there and it was Walt's getaway from the city," he said.

Daniel Orlandi's sketch for P.L. Travers' classic outfit

Orlandi is quick to point out that P.L. Travers is not Mary Poppins. "We wouldn't want her to look like Mary Poppins. We wanted her to be as authentic as possible, but we wanted to show the contrast between [her], Disney, the Sherman brothers and Don DaGradi," he said."They're all expecting this little old lady like Mary Poppins to arrive and that's not what they get."

Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers

Orlandi discussed the transformation from Emma Thompson to to P.L. Travers. "P.L Travers was a woman who needed the money to continue her lifestyle and that's why she came to California," he said. "Emma Thompson is quite a bit more attractive than the real P.L. Travers, so we gave her a sturdier shoe [to help get into character]. We covered her arms to be more modest. We paid attention to the little details."

Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson as Walt Disney and P.L. Travers

Orlandi spoke of the joy he experienced while creating costumes for everyone from the actors to the extras in Saving Mr. Banks: "I have to say just doing the fittings with Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks and Colin Farrell were so much fun. We made all of our principle clothes and all of a sudden the actors felt, "Oh yes! This is my character." It's that great 'aha' moment and that's a great joy."