Michael O'Connor (costume designer)

Michael O'Connor (born 27 October 1965) is a British costume designer. He has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design three times, winning for The Duchess (2008).

Michael O'Connor
Born	(1965-10-27) 27 October 1965 (age 59) London, England
Years active	1993–present

Life and career

O'Connor was born in London, England. He began his training as a dresser at the Old Vic and then spent six years in a costume house before deciding to go freelance.^[1]

In the 1990s, O'Connor went into the film industry. His early works as a wardrobe supervisor was on such films as The House of the Spirits (1993) and Emma (1996). Then he was elevated to an assistant costume designer and worked in this role on several notable films, these include Oscar and Lucinda (1997), Topsy-Turvy (1999), and Quills (2000). In addition, he was an associate costume designer on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002).

After working as costume designer on several minor British films, he came to prominence with his work on Tom Brown's Schooldays, a TV movie for ITV. He then worked on his most high-profile film up until then, the film version of Giles Foden's bestselling novel, The Last King of Scotland. He then worked on Brick Lane as well as Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.

He came to the attention of the film industry in 2009, when he received the Academy Award for Best Costume Design,^[2] the BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design^[3] as well as the Satellite Award for Best Costume Design^[4] for The Duchess.

In 2014, he started working on costumes for Tulip Fever.^[5]

In 2021, he was nominated for another BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design for his work on Ammonite.^[6]

Filmography

Year	Title
2001	The Mystic Masseur
2005	Nomad: The Warrior
2006	The Last King of Scotland
2007	Brick Lane
2008	Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
	The Duchess
2011	The Eagle
	Jane Eyre
2012	Dredd
2013	The Invisible Woman
2015	Suite Française
	Muhammad: The Messenger of God
2017	Tulip Fever
2018	A Private War
	All Is True
2019	Fanny Lye Deliver'd
2020	Ammonite
2021	The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
2022	Emily
	Out of Darkness
2023	Firebrand
	Lee

Awards and nominations

Major associations

Academy Awards

Year	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
2008	Best Costume Design	The Duchess	Won	[7]
2011		Jane Eyre	Nominated	[8]
2013		The Invisible Woman	Nominated	[9]

BAFTA Awards

Year	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
British Academy Film Awards
2008	Best Costume Design	The Duchess	Won	[10]
2011		Jane Eyre	Nominated	[11]
2013		The Invisible Woman	Nominated	[12]
2020		Ammonite	Nominated	[13]

Miscellaneous awards

List of Michael O'Connor other awards and nominations

Award	Year	Category	Title	Result	Ref.
Apolo Awards	2021	Best Costume Design	Ammonite	Nominated	[14]
British Independent Film Awards	2008	Best Technical Achievement	The Duchess (wardrobe)	Nominated	[15]
	2020	Best Costume Design	Ammonite	Nominated	[16]
	2021		The Electrical Life of Louis Wain	Nominated	[17]
	2024		Firebrand	Won	[18]
Capri Hollywood International Film Festival	2008	Capri Umberto Tirelli Award	The Duchess	Won[a]	[19]
Costume Designers Guild Awards	2008	Excellence in Period Film		Won	[20]
	2011		Jane Eyre	Nominated	[21]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards	2011	Best Costume Design		Nominated	[22]
European Film Awards	2021	Best Costume Designer	Ammonite	Won	[23]
Evening Standard British Film Awards	2011	Technical Achievement	Jane Eyre (costume design)	Nominated	[24]
Satellite Awards	2008	Best Costume Design	The Duchess	Won	[25]
	2011		Jane Eyre	Nominated	[26]
	2013		The Invisible Woman	Won	[27]

Notes

1. Tied with Daniela Ciancio for Il divo