Kate Hawley


Kate Hawley is a New Zealand costume designer and set designer. Her film credits include Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak, Suicide Squad, and Frankenstein.
On stage, Hawley created the sets and costumes for various productions at the Royal New Zealand Ballet, the New Zealand Festival, and the New Zealand Opera Company.

Biography

Hawley grew up in Wellington, New Zealand. She attended Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, where she was creating costumes, props and scenery for local and school productions. She enrolled at the Wellington School of Design at Wellington Polytechnic, graduating in 1992 with a Diploma in Visual Communication Design. In 1996, she received a scholarship to study at the Motley Theatre Design Course in London.
Hawley began her career in stage productions, and later moved into film industry. She has taught at Toi Whakaari The New Zealand Drama School.
Hawley's theatre and opera credits as costume or set designer include productions of The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead for Auckland Theatre Company in 2006; Lucia di Lammermoor for New Zealand Opera in 2007; The Trial of the Cannibal Dog for the New Zealand International Arts Festival in 2008, and Hansel and Gretel for Royal New Zealand Ballet in 2019. In reviewing Lucia di Lammermoor, Pepe Becker wrote:
The all-female leaders of the creative team are to be congratulated for their outstanding and ingenious direction. Venturing away from the traditional sort of production one expects for a Donizetti work proves to be a good move.

In film, Hawley has worked as a crew member for Peter Jackson on The Lovely Bones and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and with Guillermo Del Toro as the costume designer on Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak and Frankenstein. Her other film credits include creating the costumes for Edge of Tomorrow, Suicide Squad, and Mortal Engines.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

;Major associations
Academy Awards
YearCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2026Best Costume DesignFrankenstein

BAFTA Awards
Emmy Awards
;Miscellaneous awards
AwardYearCategoryTitleResultRef.
Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards2025Best Costume DesignFrankensteinWon
Astra TV and Creative Arts Awards2023Best Fantasy or Science Fiction CostumesThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of PowerNomitated
Capri Hollywood International Film Festival2026Best Costume DesignFrankensteinWon
Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards1993Costume Designer of the YearWon
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards2025Best Costume DesignFrankensteinWon
Costume Designers Guild Awards2016Excellence in Period FilmCrimson PeakNomitated
Costume Designers Guild Awards2023Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy TelevisionThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Nomitated
Costume Designers Guild Awards2026Excellence in Period FilmFrankenstein
Critics' Choice Movie Awards2026Best Costume DesignFrankensteinWon
Empire Awards2016Best Costume DesignCrimson PeakNomitated
The Fashion Awards2025Costume Designer of the YearFrankensteinWon
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards2025Best Costume DesignFrankensteinWon
Middleburg Film Festival2025Special Achievement in Costume Design AwardFrankensteinWon
Online Film Critics Society Awards2026Best Costume DesignFrankensteinNomitated
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards2025Best Costume DesignFrankenstein
Santa Barbara International Film Festival2026Variety Artisans AwardFrankensteinWon
Satellite Awards2026Best Costume DesignFrankenstein
Saturn Awards2016Best Costume DesignCrimson PeakNomitated
Saturn Awards2026Best Costume DesignFrankenstein
Seattle Film Critics Society Awards2025Best Costume DesignFrankensteinWon
St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards2025Best Costume DesignFrankensteinWon