Exclusive interview: Costume Designer Ileane Meltzer Talks Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie, the Franchise’s Iconic Fashion, and More

Ileane Meltzer is a world-renowned costume designer who has worked on projects including Stark Raving Mad, In Plain Sight, The Last Ship, and Snapshots. But she’s best known for her iconic work in shaping the fashion of Monk.

This December, she returned to the franchise for Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie. The feel-good, nostalgic film finds Monk stepping out of retirement as his stepdaughter’s wedding turns tragic when her fiancé dies in a bungee jumping accident.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Ileane about Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie, her creative process, reuniting with Tony Shalhoub, and more.

PC: You were so instrumental in creating the signature looks for Monk. What was it like getting to revisit this beloved franchise more than a decade later and build on that legacy that you helped create? What was it like receiving that phone call?
Ileane: It was extraordinarily exciting. I’m very friendly with Tony [Shalhoub]. His wife, Brooke Adams, is my best friend and has been for a very long time.

I’ll share this story with you. I was visiting them in their summer home. Tony said to me, “What do you think about doing another Monk?” I said, “Absolutely.” I was so excited. He said, “I don’t know if I’m interested in revisiting the character.” I was like, “But you have to!”

We ended up going to this agricultural fair where their summer home is. We went there, and there were these two teenagers, who were about fifteen years old. I saw them staring at Tony with starry eyes. I said, “Tony, those two kids are watching you.” He went over and said hello. They told him that Monk is their favorite show. The show was before their time, but they watched the whole series through reruns and streaming. I looked at Tony and I said, “Well, there is your answer.” It feels wonderful to be a part of these beloved characters and bring joy through them.

PC: The story picks up post-pandemic, which only heightens Monk’s OCD, and there’s a substantial jump from when we last saw these characters. How were you able to incorporate all those different elements into your creative decisions?
Ileane: That was an interesting process. I went back and forth with many different looks for Monk and seeing how I could update him. First, I thought I’d put him in some corduroy pants and maybe relax him a bit. Then I realized we were in COVID. So how much did he really change?

By the time the series has ended, we had relaxed him a lot. He was walking on the beach without his typical clothing. I always thought if I did another Monk, how would we build on that? Would we bring him into the 20th and 21st centuries? But because of COVID, we thought, “We can’t. I don’t think Monk would have changed.”

Therefore, I replicated all of his clothing. We did all brand new shirts and jackets. They were all made to order. What we did is we relaxed the clothes a bit, which I’m not sure if people noticed, but we tried to make them less pristine so that he looked like he was a bit tired in them.

With Jason and Traylor, it was a similar process. I didn’t want to veer off with them either. Traylor became a real estate agent, so her character would be very similar. We dressed her in all the same colors as she wore many years ago. I didn’t want to make a big transition with her either.

The biggest transition I made was with Stottlemeyer because he ended up in Gucci, designer clothing. I’m not sure if it translated on screen, but we wanted to make sure he felt upgraded. He’s “farting through silk,” as he says in the movie. We had him in suede loafers.

With Disher, we took him out of his suits. We wanted to relax him. He came for a wedding. None of them were supposed to be there for more than an overnight, two at best. So I wanted to make sure they were recognizable and familiar like you were watching this twenty years ago.

PC: Costume designers play such a big role in helping these actors transform into their characters where they’re no longer seeing Tony on screen, but we see Monk. What was it like getting to work with him again? How did that trust that you have between each other allow him to step back into his shoes?
Ileane: I am very lucky that Tony trusts me. He trusts me a lot. But nothing is made without Tony’s approval. There’s always a back and forth of what Tony feels comfortable in and what the character would feel comfortable in. Tony has so much say about his character. We have so much trust that I get a lot of latitude in this arena, which is really, really nice. For me, I want to bring to his game, my game.

PC: When you first start molding this character, it was really important for you that the clothing reflected the everyday man. Is there more or less creative freedom when that canvas is so grounded in reality?
Ileane: That’s an interesting question. I feel like I had a lot of freedom within this structure, to be honest with you. That’s what makes me happy. I know I had that freedom within the guidelines. Not every show runs like this, but because we had worked together for so long with the network, they trusted us. I’ve worked on other shows where actors can’t go on unless everything has been approved by network approval. I’ve been on shows where casting was finished the night before and I had to dress them in the morning, so they were ready to work, and the network said, “I’m not letting them on unless I see what they’re wearing.” Those times are very difficult.

But I didn’t have to worry about that on this project. Randy [Zisk], our director, knows me very well. I know what he likes and what he dislikes. That very much comes into the picture as well because this is a very close-knit group.

It’s Tony, Randy, and Andy [Breckman], our writer. Those three are making decisions together, as well as David Hoberman [executive producer]. Everyone was in sync. When I showed one of them something, I showed all of them.

You still need to get those approvals, but there was an unspoken communication when you’ve worked together for this long.

About the Pop Culturalist Contributor, Emma
Emma is a writer who recently moved to Austin, TX from Boston and is loving the city’s vibrant culture. She studied film and television in college and she’s particularly passionate about documentaries, reality TV, and comedy.

Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie is now streaming on Peacock.