Renée Ehrlich Kalfus

Renée Ehrlich Kalfus is an award-winning costume designer of more than 34 feature films. 

Renée graduated from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University with a degree in fine arts, and her background in painting has influenced her approach as a costume designer.

She began her career styling for television commercials, and later moved into film, working with the director Lasse Hallström on Once Around. Renée went on to collaborate with Hallström on five films, including Chocolat, which earned her BAFTA and Costume Designers Guild award nominations for Best Costume Design.

Her work showcases the diversity of her range, including period films such as Hidden Figures, Snow Falling on Cedars and The Cider House Rules; the gritty dramas of Dead Man Walking, The Taking of Pelham 123, and The Life of David Gale; and glamorous romantic comedies like Friends with Benefits, What Happens in Vegas, and Baby Mama. Renée brought her costume designs to life when she collaborated with Target on a line of kids clothing based on her designs for the remake of Annie. 

Recognizing her achievement throughout her career, New York Women in Film and Television honored Renée at its Designing Women awards in 2014. In 2017, she won the Costume Designers Guild Award for Best Costume Design - Period Film for her wok on the hit movie, Hidden Figures. She is a powerful storyteller, shaping characters through her designs.