In the highly anticipated action-adventure film ‘The Bluff,’ Jamaican-Canadian costume designer Antoinette Messam emerges as the creative force behind the production’s distinctive visual identity. Directed by Frank E Flowers and produced by AGBO’s Russo brothers, the Amazon MGM Studios feature stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Ercell ‘Bloody Mary’ Bodden—a former pirate forced to confront her violent past when her notorious captain (Karl Urban) threatens her newfound family life in the Cayman Islands.
Messam’s costume design philosophy centered on tactical functionality, blending period authenticity with practical movement requirements. Her creative collaboration with director Flowers began in June 2023, with both sharing Caribbean heritage—Flowers from the Cayman Islands and Messam from Jamaica—which informed their shared visual language. The design approach deliberately contrasted the organic textures and muted colors of the islanders’ homespun fabrics against the durable, globally-sourced materials of the pirates’ attire, featuring denim and leather to convey toughness.
The designer’s most celebrated creation—a custom cuirass (armor) worn by Chopra Jonas’s character—became such an artistic statement that the lead actress wore it to the film’s world premiere. Created by Australian artisans over three months, the piece exemplified Messam’s commitment to craftsmanship and narrative-driven design. Her team of approximately 40 skilled craftspeople executed her vision, with leather specialists Meg Ashforth and Lolly Ruby Redpath bringing the armor to life and art finishers adding weathered detailing.
Set against the dramatic backdrop of Cayman Brac’s Skull Cave, ‘The Bluff’ represents a convergence of action cinema and high fashion, with Messam’s costumes receiving acclaim from cast, crew, and global audiences alike. The film premiered on Amazon Prime Video on February 25, 2026, marking another milestone in Messam’s ascending career following her previous work on ‘The Harder They Fall’ and ‘Lift.’