Leaked photos of some of the new characters on the season 5 of the hit TV series "Game of Thrones" have circulated online, and the costumes are getting criticisms.
One of the main concerns of "Game of Thrones" fans is the nipples on the breastplates of the Sand Snakes, the infamous bastard daughters of Prince Oberyn. View the images of the Sand Snakes' costume here and here.
So what exactly happened? Why did they use such costumes?
In an exclusive interview with The Cut, Michele Clapton, the show's costume designer, revealed that the "nipple armor" was not intentional and was a mistake.
"You've picked a bone of contention!...it certainly wasn't my intention...I'm not terribly keen on it...I don't see the necessity for it. You don't do it on men...Yeah, okay, that. But I wouldn't do it on men, and I don't really like the concept of it on women. Of course you have to have the woman's shape. That's fine. But [nipples on armor] is almost from a man's point of view, and there's something slightly cheesy about it," she was quoted as saying in the report.
She said that it was a mistake and a result of "structured molds used to make the armor." Because of this, they decided to "sand it off to an extent." She also said that the costume was rushed and that she did not notice it until the shoot.
That time, she said, the "nipple armor" was not that very noticeable but due to the lighting in the set, it became more visible on the pictures.
"I had the same thought as you. I was surprised when I saw the picture. But I didn't notice them when I was there. And sometimes you can't go back and change things," she was again quoted as saying.
She also said that even those who belong to the armory team did not notice it at first. They even encouraged her not to change it as it just looks fine. "But it was a bad move!" she gushed.
The Sand Snakes will also have a look closely similar to Oberyn's "beaten-leather look," the designer said. She said that this is to show that they have some sort of "sense of family" but she assured that each will get an individual look and own weapon. She even compared them to "a little pack of animals."
As far as costumes are concerned, the designer also revealed that Arya, being played by Maisie Williams, will also get a transformation in season 5. The new makeover excites Maisie, the designer said.
"She finally got a few frocks! She was like, 'Yeah! Yeah! I can't believe it!' in the dressing room..." she was quoted as saying. When asked if Arya's usual road-worn attire will soon be back, Clapton responded, "She'll never go back to it...She was like, 'I want to set fire to it! I want to throw it in the water!'"
"Game of Thrones" is based on George R.R. Martin's book series "A Song of Ice and Fire." It returns to HBO in Spring 2015.
Meet the new cast members here: