Winnipeg costume designer gives Santa Claus a new twist in Hollywood

A Winnipeg costume designer's work is turning heads in Hollywood, with her Manitoba-made creations hitting the big screen.

Action comedy 'Violent Night', which opened in theatres on Dec. 2, stars Stranger Things actor David Harbour as he dons the classing red and white costume in the latest portrayal of Jolly Ol' Saint Nick.

Winnipeg costume designer Laura DeLuca was among the creative minds that helped bring of Harbour's unorthodox version of Santa Claus to life.

"He’s definitely an actor who knows exactly what he wants and being very confident with the vision, and I think being able to work together on that vision was what created this Santa Claus," DeLuca told CTV News.

"His jacket is actually leather – you’d never think Santa would have a leather coat."

As the film's costume designer, DeLuca was tasked with creating the Santa costume.

"It was like, 'How do you create something that already exists, but make it your own?'" she said. "So that was kind of a really cool challenge for me."

A challenge that DeLuca looked for inspiration on right here in Manitoba, where the movie was shot earlier this year. She sourced several costume elements, including the fabric, fur and leather, from local makers.

"We wanted to give the opportunity to local people to showcase their work and artistry and it paid off tremendously," she said.

DeLuca grew up with aspirations of being a fashion designer. An internship with Film Training Manitoba 12 years ago propelled her into the industry.

“As soon as I stepped onto set, it was like, 'I love this world,'" she said. "It was such an interesting experience for me."

DeLuca's career has since taken off in the more than a decade since. It has sent her to the red carpet, and her creations to display cases at Universal Studios.

"Honestly, when I saw it, I was like I can’t believe it," she said. "It was pretty wild especially for someone from Winnipeg."

She hopes the success of films like 'Violent Night', which has earned $45 million at the box office so far, will bring more Hollywood productions to Manitoba.

"We offer such a diverse community of filmmakers and creatives that everybody who leaves after doing a show here is amazed by the talent and have experiences that they’ll never forget."