Hannah Montana’s Iconic Closet Isn’t As Expensive As You Think

Hannah Montana costume designer Dahlia Foroutan has something in common with Miley Cyrus, which she didn’t even realize until two decades later, when watching the Disney Channel show’s 20th anniversary special.

“Miley said something about herself, which is ‘I didn't even really want it that badly,’ and that’s why she was so comfortable in the audition,” she tells Bustle over Zoom. “That’s something I’ve always said about that show, and that's why I was so comfortable in the interview. I just went because I couldn't say no to an interview. I wouldn't be that cocky about my career.”

Foroutan joined the series after its first season in 2007 because Disney wanted to elevate Cyrus’ wardrobe. “I put together a presentation of how I would bump up the show a bit: make Miley the girl next door, but a little more fashionable than how it started, and Hannah the unreachable pop star,” she recalls. “[The clothes] looked a little more expensive, not so much stuff you could get in stores and throw together.”

Cyrus, as both Hannah Montana and Miley Stewart, massively influenced mid-2000s style, popularizing bold-print dresses, sequined scarves, red leather jackets, floral boleros, and bedazzled boots (both cowboy and Doc Marten). “The first season is where the skinny scarf and sparkle started,” Foroutan says. “I didn't want to take away from what the kids were already responding to.”

Twenty years later, Foroutan, who’s also worked on the 2006 film Dreamgirls and long-running sitcom The Neighborhood, admits that Hannah’s wardrobe hasn’t aged well in her eyes. (“I do look back at it like, ugh.”) But watching the anniversary special made the designer realize why her style continues to resonate with fans.

“When I went to our screening party, they had a big poster on the door,” she says. “Hannah was in a gold jacket, something sparkly under it, the long skinny tie, and then dark capri jeans and gold heels. I was like, ‘Oh, OK, that’s not so bad.’”

Below, Foroutan reflects on working with Cyrus, navigating conflicts with Disney, and her favorite Hannah looks.

What trends became your signatures when you started dressing Hannah and Miley?

The Juicy sweatsuit with a skinny scarf and some UGGs. That’s how we were dressing at the time. We [then] went much more rock n’ roll; we did the leather jackets with the criss-cross lacing. And then we went into tutus and the waist-belts, the rock n’ roll T-shirts that were crystallized — and the zebra [print]. Oh, I hated the zebra, but if it works and Disney likes it, you've got to keep going.

Which was your favorite look?

For her 16th birthday party at Disneyland, we custom-made everything for that whole concert. It was a little white vest, and it said Miley on the back in gold. We made this tutu with shimmery gold-and-white layers, very wide and flippy. She would sway her hips, and it was so cute. Nobody was forcing me to do anything. I got to just do what I wanted and told Miley what it would be. And she was like, “I love it.”

What was one of your biggest challenges when it came to dressing Hannah?

The budgets got smaller, if you can believe that. The work got harder because we had less money to work with every season, which was weird.

Do you remember the most expensive look?

Probably a Dolce & Gabbana dress. It looked like a tie-dye rainbow print with a flare, which she wore [during] one of the concerts.

Miley and Tish talk a lot about fashion on the anniversary special. How closely did you work with them?

After my first season, they asked me to do Hannah and Miley’s concert tour. Tish and Miley came to me and said, “Here are the songs we’re going to be playing. Here are the ideas that we want for each of these sets.” Tish had very specific ideas of what she wanted, and she worked very closely with me on the concert tour, which was absolutely amazing. We had so much fun together. We would even go out shopping on the road when we needed to get more options for the dancers. Tish and I were a team.

Was the show different?

Tish didn't say much to me about the clothes. Every now and then, she would compliment [me] or have some ideas. But maybe in the first season, she probably guided the first designer, because it was a brand-new thing, Miley was a little girl, and Disney may not have known what they wanted yet.

How did you approach characters like Lilly, Oliver, and Jackson?

We wanted them to be more attainable. I’ve always been very adamant in every show I do to make it as realistic as possible. A lot of TV shows, they’re wearing brands that characters could not afford, and every single day is a different outfit. If kids watch Hannah now, they’ll see the recognizable looks. A different top, maybe, but recognizable pants, jewelry, jackets.

Was there an outfit that Miley was very strongly against, but Disney wanted to go in that direction?

Oh God, so many. When she was young, she was so happy to be there. As she got older — and I did not blame her at all — she was like, “I'm feeling a little clownish in this.” I found myself between Miley, whom I agreed with, and Disney and our executive producers, insisting on her wearing certain things in a certain way. It was my job to smooth it out.

How did you smooth it out?

On the last season, I started pushing back with Disney and using Miley as my scapegoat. I used her to say, “Hey, you guys, she does not want to wear this.” What I really meant was, “We don't like this.” But I would be like, “She's refusing to put it on. Here's the fix. Let’s not dress her like a clown again.” We did black tanks and black jeans, adding splashes of color. Let's balance these neons, these crystallizing, and all this stuff. She's not 12 anymore.

How did you work with major guest stars like Dolly Parton?

It’s funny you say Dolly, because the only person my team and I didn't dress was Dolly Parton. She had her own stylist, who was so wonderful. He actually taught me how to crystallize stuff much more quickly than we were doing it. We were using glue, and he was like, “Oh girl, what are you doing?” But we dressed everybody else.

Who were you most excited to dress?

I remember Selena [Gomez]. She was virtually unknown at the time and was just such a sweet, cute little girl. But I lost my mind when I heard Larry David was coming on the show. He basically walked in and went, “Jacket opened or jacket closed?” I said, "Open,” and he went, “All right, I'm wearing it closed.”

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.