How Hocus Pocus 2 Revamped the Iconic Look of the Sanderson Sisters 30 Years L

When Salvador Pérez Jr. began designing the costumes for Disney+’s “Hocus Pocus 2,” he was immediately “excited and then instantly terrified” to take on the job.

“It’s a daunting task to come back and revisit these characters,” Pérez explained on Variety’s Artisans series, presented by HBO. “But I think you need to be a little afraid to make magic happen.”

In order to revamp the look of the beloved Sanderson sisters, Pérez consulted with the original “Hocus Pocus” costume designer Mary E. Vogt (also known for her work on “Batman Returns” and “Crazy Rich Asians”) for guidance. “We talked about where she started and how they were made,” he revealed. Wanting to avoid angering any spirits or invoking bad luck, Vogt opted to stay away from any real life symbolism. “One of my costumers happened to be a witch, so she was able to talk to me about the details and their meanings. I want things on the costume that are positive.” He included these elements throughout the costumes and jewelry.

Focusing on the “bits of detail” showcased throughout each character’s costumes was key for Pérez’s designs to emulate the film’s original essence while still fabricating a modern vibe. 

“If you squinted, you would think it was the same costume, but there were more rich details.” For example the jewelry adorned by the actors, Perez wanted to keep the original looks but embed each one with new meaning and symbolism while maintaining their ancient roots. “I wanted to believe that jewelry was made in 1650 in what techniques they used,” he said. “I found a jeweler in San Francisco that handmakes jewelry and we added details to marry Mary’s rings on her corset.”

“When I showed this to the actors, they fell in love with it,” he said. “That was the fun of taking these characters that everyone knows and loves so well and bringing them to life again, 30 years later.”

“Hocus Pocus 2” alludes to the Sanderson sisters legacy throughout the film. Pérez revealed that it was Fletcher’s idea to have “the young witches inspired by the new witches” through the use of color scheme. 

“[The director said] ‘You can very subtly use their colors and use bits of them on the young witches,’” said Pérez. “It was about having that in mind: greens and purples for Whitney, reds and browns for Mary, pinks and purples for Sarah — and it just felt like it was psychic shopping.”

Pérez affirmed that upon stepping into the role, the witching aura of “Hocus Pocus” overtook his creative process, as if “there was a psychic costume designer on my shoulder guiding me through this whole movie.” Watch the full conversation about all the work Pérez poured into revamping these iconic witches from the tips of their twisted (hand-made) witchy shoes to their flowing capes.

Plus Pérez shares his tips for how to recreate the Sanderson sisters costume for your future Halloweens.

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