Pieces of Britney

Photograph by Robert John Kley

From classy (he’s stitched many red-carpet looks) to quirky—he designed Katy Perry’s cupcake bra for her “California Gurls” video and Nicki Minaj’s stuffed-animal dress for “Fireball”—Marco Marco is known for his eye-catching fashions. Britney Spears’ looks in Las Vegas are no exception. From the moment she burst on the scene in a schoolgirl uniform for her “…Baby One More Time” video to her 2000 MTV Video Music Awards performance in a rhinestone-bedazzled nude bodysuit, Britney Spears has been making memorable fashion statements. Her “Britney: Piece of Me” residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino offers more of the same.

The costume journey begins with design. With the help of Marco Marco—one of Hollywood’s hottest young designers—Spears goes back to the closet not only to resurrect some of her favorites, but to bring new looks to the show. Marco Marco, who even gives Spears angel wings, talks about creating her outfits.

Britney Spears has had so many iconic fashion moments in her career. Was it difficult to create something new, yet equally bold?

There are two sides to that. It was hard to think of something fresh for a show that was really supposed to be a journey through those iconic moments. On the other hand,it’s Britney Spears; anything she wears becomes iconic.

How many costumes did you create for the show?

There are seven looks she wears during the show, which can change, because we have multiple versions of each costume with slight variations. I created 40 costumes total—some you may see in the future. Just because she isn’t wearing them right now doesn’t mean they won’t be rotated in at a later date.

You got your start in prop design. Does this give you a leg up over other costume designers?

My designs tend to be sculptural. I don’t always think about fabric like most other designers. I think about clothing the body in alternative ways.