Aahana Swrup
Directed by Numa Perrier, ‘The Perfect Find’ is a Netflix romantic comedy film featuring a secret romance in the high fashion world. The film follows Jenna Jones (Gabrielle Union) on her quest to make a return to the fashion industry following a devastating breakup that led to a halted career. Jenna scores a job at her old rival, Darcy Hill’s brand, Darzine, for her comeback. However, when Jenna falls for Darcy’s charming son, Eric, despite her best efforts, it threatens to ruin her second chance at success.
Featuring Gina Torres as an ambitious fashion mogul, Darcy Hill, the film utilizes her character to build tension and conflict within Eric and Jenna’s growing relationship. Nevertheless, the narrative presents a rich, nuanced take on her character, refusing to cast her as a classic rom-com antagonist. Due to her position as an influential personality in the fashion industry, viewers might wonder if she has any connection to a real-life fashion mogul.
Darcy Hill is Not Based on a Real Fashion Mogul
Since the film is based on Tia Williams’s eponymous 2016 novel, Torres’s rendition of the character takes inspiration from her bookish counterpart, Darcy Vale. Darcy’s character, introduced in the film as a successful fashion icon, plays an instrumental role in Jenna’s progression in the plot. Through Darcy’s complex character, the narrative gets to delve into the story of a single working mother and explore a mother-son dynamic that may be relatable to many viewers.
In an interview with Cherry Picks, Actress Torres discussed her ‘The Perfect Find’ character and how Darcy’s character taught her the importance of sacrifice as a working mother. “Mothering is signing up for a series of well-managed and sometimes unexpected sacrifices. Especially when pursuing a career. I know that sounds so tragic, but it doesn’t have to be and often isn’t.” As such, on a more personal note, Darcy’s character depicts a relatable storyline about a working mother that effortlessly reflects real life.
Nevertheless, even though Darcy’s role as a mother hugely informs her narrative, her larger-than-life involvement in the fashion industry sets her apart. For many, her character may be reminiscent of Meryl Streep’s iconic role as Miranda Priestly in 2006’s ‘The Devil Wears Prada.’ Due to the same, Head Costume Designer Amit Gajwani, well aware of the potential parallels to be drawn between Darcy and Miranda, intentionally incorporated a wardrobe for Torres’s character that would bring something new to the table.
“I wanted to give it more of a European feel,” Gajwani said about Darcy’s costumes in conversation with InStyle. “We collaborated a lot with designers from Africa. I think that also separated us. We had probably four or five designers make custom pieces.” Likewise, to maintain a distinct style for Darcy’s character, among others, Gajwani avoided taking inspiration from other fashion movies and created an aesthetic that was true to himself.
“With Gina [Torres’s character], she’s the editor of the magazine. She runs the magazine. With her, I wanted to push a little more. She knew that the hottest pieces in fashion are what she was going to wear. That’s the image that I had for her,” said Gajwani, expanding upon his approach.
As such, even though filmmakers didn’t base Darcy on any real-life fashion icon, they recognized the importance of fashion for her character, making it an integral part of who she is. Nevertheless, she’s an original fictional character created by the filmmaker’s collaborative effort and Williams’s source material. Ultimately Darcy Hill is a work of fiction brought to life by Gina Torres and costume designer Amit Gajwani.
Read More: Is Netflix’s The Perfect Find Based on a True Story?
