May Routh

July 12, 1934 - June 1, 2022 Costume designer May Routh, known for The Man Who Fell to Earth and its iconic image of an other-worldly David Bowie, passed away on June 1. Born Ida May Routh in India, she grew up in Jabalpur, then attended school in England. She graduated from St. Martin's School of Art and began her career as a fashion illustrator. During the 1960s, her drawings appeared in Vogue and Elle. She entered the film business as an assistant to Anthony Mendleson on Oh! What a Lovely War in 1969 then worked as an illustrator for Yvonne Blake on The Three Musketeers.

In 1983 May married English production designer Brian Eatwell. Their film collaborations included Being There, My Favorite Year, Splash, and Newsies. She was nominated for Emmy Awards for Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter and John Frankenheimer's Andersonville. In addition to her film work, May taught at Woodbury University and mentored design students. She was an active member of the Costume Designers Guild and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. May is survived by stepdaughters Joanna Eatwell, Stephanie Eatwell Marling, and their children, Otis and Finton Eatwell-Hurst and Otto and Florence Marling.
(Photo © Clare Park)