Jane’s role was to find the look that would make the promo concepts work and also make the stars of these shows relaxed. While these programs were based around home improvement, the style of each host varied as widely as the properties that they work with. Jane approached each person with the challenge to make them feel at ease and special simultaneously. In scripted productions, Jane is creating characters. For the HGTV promos, she considers herself more of a stylist as she bridges the gap between what the producers want and what the talent feels comfortable with. HGTV’s “Flip or Flop” depicts husband and wife team Tarek and Christina as they purchase dilapidated properties, renovate them, and then flip them for resale. The couple goes for a “rock” type look. Having recently experiencing a substantial weight loss, Tarek went from his usual shorts and flip flops to stylish boots, jackets, and a wide range of jeans (with Jane’s assistance) resulting in more of a rock-star than rock-fan look. Even so, the couple was willing to go against type for a timeless look which Jane created. Johnston relates, “A promo I did for Flip or Flop necessitated my making a beautiful red 50s gown. The brief was a 50s dress in red. I tried to source an original dress but they were too worn. I then pulled a selection of vintage dresses that I thought could be beautiful on Christina to use as a base shape. After a fitting, I chose a dress that I had made up in an exact shade of red. In the stills we shot, Christina was on a ladder with a loaded paint brush dripping red paint all over Tarek’s slim black suit! It was a very graphic image and made for a great shot. It was definitely not Christina’s normal ‘rock chick’ style but she saw why it worked and got on board. It always makes me happy when I can show someone how amazing they can look in a way that they never imagined.”
Discussing a couple of contrasting style hosts, Johnston explains, “Chip and Joanna Gaines (of Fixer Upper) help homebuyers in Texas transform the worst property into the best one with their expertise and design sense. They’re both pretty low fuss and I usually dress them in a style that they would normally wear. The same idea but on the other end of the spectrum is Jessie and Tina, the stars of the new reality TV show "Vintage Flip." Tina and Jessie’s looks were in the classic world, and I really just enhanced what they normally wear.
Truly exhibiting the eclectic nature of HGTV and their hosts are the “Property Brothers.” One of HGTV’s most popular shows, “Property Brothers” is a production in which contractor Jonathan Scott and real estate expert Drew Scott combine their skills to help families find and buy a house to transform into their dream home. Drew locates three homes from which to choose (all in need of a serious renovation) while his brother Jonathan's incredible design plans reveal the hidden potential of each. Viewers of the show are familiar with the comedy and the conflict between the siblings. Jane confirms, “Both twins are 6’4 with great physiques, so dressing them is fun as long as I can get the correct lengths for them. They’ll pretty well try anything! But having said that, they also have their own looks. Jonathan is the contractor so his is more of a work look, while Drew is the realtor so he tends to wear more tailored clothing and ties. We have shot promos for them with various themes. In Vegas, it was showgirls and Elvis (Jonathan was a showgirl and Drew the Elvis), in New Orleans it was them dancing with a brass band, and in Miami they were throwing a party on the beach. We’ve done Christmas sweater themes, Holiday segments and Valentine’s Day. They are always fun to work with and have such an amazing attitude.”
Mother and daughter duo Karen E Laine and Mina Starsiak bring new life to Indianapolis properties on “Good Bones.” Genetics made certain that the two ladies shared quite a resemblance so Johnston worked to make a difference more noticeable…but not too drastic. Describing her minimal approach, she states, “We needed to create suitable work looks for both mother and daughter that worked together but that also differentiated their personalities. As they had a similar style to each other, their base look was similar but one wore a denim jacket and the other a sleeveless vest in green. As subtle as the difference was, it gave them both individual looks that still worked within their style.”
Heather Jagels, Vice President of Creative Services for HGTV and DIY Network professes, “I worked very closely with Jane and I was very impressed with her approach to these multiple promos for HGTV. I wasn’t at all surprised though because Jane has been designing costumes for distinguished productions for over three decades and has maintained acclaim throughout the entire time. Her television and film work is truly impressive with companies like Marvista Entertainment, New Town Films, and so many others. Her AFI Award for “Best Costume Design” vetted her as one of Australia’s most decorated costume designers.” Ask Jane Johnston about the accolades and awards and she’ll direct you back to the work. She states, “I really love doing my job. It makes me happy when I know that the talent love what they are wearing and they feel confident in their clothing. It’s hard to fake that stuff, so it’s important for me to get that right. I also love it when I know I’ve done a good job for HGTV. There’s a saying in this business that you’re only as good as your last job so it’s important to be on one’s A game on every job. That’s just part of being freelance. HGTV is loyal and I always hope to do the best by them so we can continue our professional (and enjoyable) working relationship.”