Episode 610: "Executive Order" - September 13, 2010

Running in Manolo's!!! Only Brenda Leigh Johnson could run down a parking garage ramp over 20 times and not trip, fall or break a heel. All effortlessly done in a pair of Manolo Blahniks!!! I was so worried that she might slip and fall and of course the blame would be on me and her shoes! But my fears were not realized and she looked fantastic in a pumpkin wool sheath with a tiny buff leather belt just above the waist. The dress was Elli Tahari form the current collection at Bloomingdales. The sleeveless look was a departure for BLJ but still the color was powerful and she needed that power dealing with Tommy Delk showing up and throwing a fly into the ointment of her quest for being Chief of Police.

At the crime scene Brenda showed up in a buff leather Elli Tahari coat dress that I had bought to go over the pumpkin dress but Kyra chose not to wear the coat in the parking garage, however, it was chilly out the night we shot the crime scene. That night was a comedy of errors, jackets didn't fit, actors were cold and needed warming coats, we had to wait for sunset to shoot and then Corey blew out the seat of his suit pants and we held up camera with the grace and approval of our director Michael Robin, as Felicia Molinari, my set costumer dutifully and quickly stitched up Mr. Reynolds pants by hand; before long he was on set and reciting his lines. Kyra never asks for anything, but for this change she asked if she could wear her grey cashmere twin set, because it's oh so soft and by the Pure Collection of course. The night was long, but it's always fun to be on set and have the caterer provide a buffet of culinary delights for us to eat for dinner.

Brenda on Day 2 of the script put on an Irene jacket in dove grey with a color blocked hip detail in a shade of bruised plum. I bought the jacket off of ebay and it came with no skirt. I wanted Maria to make a skirt but couldn't find the right shade of plum, so settled for the dove grey, it was a great way to meet Tommy Delk (Courtney B. Vance) for the first time.

Since this episode would air after Labor Day, just as autumn is beginning to show it's chilly face, my color story was all about those autumnal shades and hues. The final change for Brenda had to be very important, not only for the character but for the tone of the show, I mean, this is when we all find out that she has been passed over for the Chief of Police job. I know if I'm expecting news, I am aware of what I should or shouldn't wear and this choice from head to toe for Brenda was perfect. I had purchased months ago this incredible Irene suit, probably one of the finest examples of Irene's prowess at tailoring and design surely influenced by her years of working side by side the famed MGM costume designer Adrian, whose work was all about geomety and the mitreing of stripes and seams, all a symphony of design details. So I had the suit saved for just the right moment. Check! I had had Maria work for days on cutting down the suit to fit Kyra and make sure all those seams were perfectly mitred. Check! We had the shoes a chocolate suede Prada semi platform. Check! and then when I showed Stacey K. Black the suit, her talented hands went to work creating the most stunning French twist ever seen, and never seen before on BLJ. Check! When Kyra walked on set there was a collective sigh of approval and how great she looked from the crew, everyone from grips to gaffers, p.a.'s to producers, hair, make-up, stand-ins even the talent. It was just such a shame that our beloved BLJ was passed over, but then again the name of the show is The Closer and not The Chief.

So expect more running in Manolo's, more sashaying in Choo's, some prancing in Prada and even a little languishing in Louboutins because after all Brenda Leigh Johnson is and always will be The Closer.