Fairy Tale Magic - Jafar and Iago
Costumes and photography: Rachael Alcon
Jafar and Iago
“In the palace, right here, lived a wicked wazir, the advisor to Sultan Hamed.
And this part-time magician, this amateur seer, wished his boss, the good sultan, dead.
He was charming and slick, but unspeakably sick, this despicable parasite.
What a villain, boo hiss! Further proof, dears, that this is another Arabian night...”
Our Fairy Tale Magic series continues with fashion inspired by Aladdin’s evil villain, Jafar. Jafar is a wicked sorcerer who is always accompanied by his sidekick, Iago, a devious pet parrot. Our talented costume designer, Rachael Alcon, wanted to honor the fantasy and magic of these nefarious characters.
She took liberty to create magnificent garments using jewel-toned fabrics that tell the story of this evil vizier and his short-tempered accomplice in crime. It was really a mammoth effort and a wonderful challenge, to source patterns and fabrics that properly depict these colorful characters.
For Iago’s scene-stealing costume, Rachael started with the Augusta pattern made from multiple layers and colors of chiffon. She added a feathered detail along the bottom edge of each layer and increased the length of each tier by one size for added interest and dimension.
She also constructed a 3-layer capelet using the Rivendell pattern. She cut the multi-colored tiers in medium, large and extra large lengths and gave each layer of chiffon the same feathering treatment as the skirt. Rachael handcrafted the beak and eyes and stitched up a pair of New Haven leggings, in mustard yellow to represent bird legs. With loops sewn onto the edges, Iago can easily spread her wings and fly. This spirited, larger than life look was perfectly in-sync with Iago’s character.
Rachael paid tribute to Iago’s partner in crime, Jafar, in an eye popping, three-piece costume using a full collection of LLK patterns.
Jafar is a vision of vengeance in his costume that was fashioned from the Oakland pants and paired with a majestic Hudson robe extended to ankle length and finished with bishop sleeves. Like the entire costume, Jafar’s Rivendell cape is made in a red and black coloration which speaks to his nefarious ambitions.
With a 3D printed scepter and scarab, the official Royal Vizier is brought to life, complete with a bejeweled headdress fashioned from the Crown pattern (reshaped to be taller).
Rachael’s son looks quite formidable with his cloak billowing and scepter snarling making the villain even more threatening. In this costume, the fancy attire removes any spell of tedium.
If you feel drawn toward the dark side of costuming, you too can try rocking Jafar's classic, red-and-black costume with the iconic long tunic, cape, and gold trimmed headpiece using patterns from Little Lizard King.
Jafar & Iago’s parts may have come to an end, but the level of craftsmanship & mastermind behind Rachael’s costuming is unforgettable.
These bad guys never looked so good!
