For more than six months, the Design Museum in London has been home to the biggest celebration of Wes Anderson yet. Through more than 700 objects pulled from the director’s personal archive, visitors get a glimpse into the mind behind his perfectly crafted worlds. Storyboards, handwritten notebooks, miniature sets, iconic costumes and original props trace his journey from the early days to films like The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fantastic Mr. Fox and Asteroid City. Basically, a walk through the universe of a filmmaker whose obsession with detail has become instantly recognisable.
One of the exhibition’s standout pieces is the original Mr. Fox puppet, dressed in his signature corduroy suit. It’s genuinely hard to believe that such a tiny figure became one of Anderson’s most iconic characters. Looking at it up close, you start to understand the level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into every single frame of his films. And that little fox is just a little part of the legacy Anderson has built around his name.
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It’s a name that’s not unfamiliar to anyone, right? I mean, for movie fanatics, Wes Anderson is engraved into their brains like the name of their own mother. But even if Letterboxd isn’t your favourite after work activity, his name simply can’t be unknown. At the very latest in 2023, when the world collectively decided it was time to post Wes Anderson inspired TikTok videos to Obituary by Alexandre Desplat, we were all sold. Listen to that song. Trust me, it feels like you’ve gone back in time.
The Texan, who’s almost only ever seen in custom-made suits, has contributed to the film world in so many ways that it’s difficult to even comprehend. If one had to put a label on the kind of movies he makes, it would probably land somewhere between magical realism and formalism. But honestly, Anderson is enough of his own genre explanation.
His unique humour has been captivating audiences for decades through his portrayal of flawed characters and innovative filmmaking techniques. The personalities he creates often seem like they’ve jumped straight out of a storybook, yet they’re all inspired by real people. And while Anderson’s distinctive humour has become a defining part of his films, he still manages to explore bigger themes like the meaning of life, sadness and death. All with a little ironic twist, of course.
He’s a perfectionist. That’s for sure. His sets feel like theatre stages. Every frame is carefully constructed, packed with tiny details and easter eggs that only the biggest Anderson fans will spot. He’s a master of his craft, truly. Almost every scene could work as a still image. Through his work, he creates fairy tales for adults. And that’s genuinely something not every filmmaker can say about themselves.
After walking through the exhibition, all of that becomes even more obvious. Every prop, sketch and miniature reflect the same obsessive attention to detail that has made Anderson’s films so distinctive.
The exhibition remains open until August 16 and is definitely worth a visit!
All Photography by Luke Hayes.