Forbidden Fruits Brings Mallcore Fashion Back to Life

The costume designer behind the new campy thriller reveals how she brought the witchy mall aesthetic to the screen.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 11:23pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Costume designer Sarah Millman discusses how she worked closely with the young stars of the new horror-comedy Forbidden Fruits to create the film's signature mall-goth aesthetic, including sourcing denim from American Eagle and incorporating fan-favorite fashion moments that have already inspired real-life cosplay.

Why it matters

Forbidden Fruits is a fresh take on the teen horror genre that taps into current trends around Y2K and 90s nostalgia, showcasing how a film's costume design can become a key part of its cultural impact and fan engagement.

The details

Millman collaborated extensively with the film's stars - including Lili Reinhart, Victoria Pedretti, Alexandra Shipp, and Lola Tung - to bring their characters' distinct mall-inspired looks to life, from Pedretti's signature fringe cowboy boots to Reinhart's witchy corset tops. The costumes have already inspired real-life cosplay, with fans showing up to premieres in recreated outfits. Millman also worked with American Eagle to source the abundant denim needed for the film's horror-tinged mall setting, where the young coven of witches cast spells and potentially commit murder.

  • The film Forbidden Fruits made its debut at the SXSW Film & TV Festival earlier this month.
  • The film had its opening night in Manhattan last weekend.

The players

Sarah Millman

The costume designer for the film Forbidden Fruits, who worked closely with the young stars to create the movie's distinct mall-goth aesthetic.

Lili Reinhart

One of the lead actresses in Forbidden Fruits, who collaborated with Millman on creating her character's look, including a Pinterest board that 'manifested' the character.

Victoria Pedretti

One of the lead actresses in Forbidden Fruits, who contributed a key fashion piece - a scrunchie - that became part of her character's look.

American Eagle

The teen mall brand that stocked Forbidden Fruits with abundant denim for the film's horror-tinged mall setting.

Emma Chamberlain

The actress making her movie debut in Forbidden Fruits, who provided Millman with a lookbook to help define her character's style.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We had a cosplayer show up. She copied [the look from] the trailer, but even before the movie came out, she was on it so fast.”

— Sarah Millman, Costume Designer

“On projects, producers will always say, 'We want this to be a Halloween costume.' The truth is, you never know if that will actually happen. But I did sense, from the beginning of [Forbidden Fruits], that this was something different.”

— Sarah Millman, Costume Designer

“These are wildly stylish young women, and there can be an assumption—I'm just going to say it—that working in Canada means you don't have internet access, or something. But none of them came in with that energy at all. They were so open.”

— Sarah Millman, Costume Designer

“Shooting this film in an abandoned mall overnight was creepy as hell. I found myself, like, running to get back to wardrobe because I was like, 'This is too eerie.' Then one of the girls said it was a blood moon. That was the night we actually shot the first scene where they cast spells.”

— Sarah Millman, Costume Designer

The takeaway

Forbidden Fruits taps into current nostalgia for 90s and Y2K fashion, showcasing how a film's costume design can become a key part of its cultural impact and fan engagement. The collaborative process between the costume designer and young stars resulted in a distinct mall-goth aesthetic that has already inspired real-life cosplay, demonstrating the power of fashion in bringing a movie's world to life.