Iron Fist Costume Designer Talks About Modernizing Danny Rand's Look

Finding a way to adapt the sometimes outlandish superhero costumes from comic books to the small screen is no easy task, but Netflix appears to have found the right woman for the job. Stephanie Maslansky, who has designed the costumes for Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage, talked to Forbes about the upcoming Iron Fist, saying that the outfits provided some unique challenges.

Iron Fist follows Danny Rand, a billionaire who returns to New York after years stranded at a remote monastery following a plane crash that killed his parents. Upon his return, Danny must use his martial arts skills to fight against the evil forces that have infiltrated his father's company, Rand Enterprises. Maslansky said that, when Danny first shows up in New York, he is supposed to seem almost "otherworldly," more backpacker or homeless man than billionaire. However, as he tries to regain control in his father's corporation, he has to dress the part, meaning that Maslansky was stuck with the difficult task of finding a way for the character to fight in a suit. The designer said that the show accomplished this by using hidden spandex in Danny's clothing, allowing him to perform kicks and punches while still looking business casual. "We're pretty successful at hiding it, as far as I know," Maslansky said.

Although you won't see Danny in his over-the-top costume from the comics, Maslansky said that she does use the source material as an inspiration when designing. "We look at what was done in the past, and we translate those original images, kind of evolve them into looks that are definitely current and modern, but contain a nod to the original source," she said, adding that Iron Fist was "the most unusual-looking character so far." "We're always thinking about our fans, we don't want to disappoint them, and we want them to get a kick out of how we've translated these iconic characters to live-action."

Maslansky also gave a (very brief) tease about her work on the upcoming The Defenders, which will unite all four of Netflix's heroes. "It's been interesting, combining all these different characters and their looks together," she said. "We've kept them all fairly distinctive throughout each series. They each have their own look and style. They all come together for a common cause, but their worlds are very distinctive from one another. And I'm not allowed to say anything more than that."

Iron Fist is due out on March 17. Scott Buck (Dexter) serves as showrunner, while Finn Jones, Tom Pelphrey, Jessica Stroup, Jessica Henwick, Rosario Dawson, Carrie-Anne Moss, and David Wenham star. While we wait for the show to premiere, re-watch the action-packed trailer above and read up on the untold truth of the Defenders.