Inside our obsession with Regency-core

By Raegan Rubin

‍Sophie Canale and Lauren Miller are the Bridgerton and Sanditon costume designers responsible for the hype. Join us as we talk to them about their experiences on set, creative process and what inspired them to artistically “bend the rules''.

The social season is upon us! With empire-line dresses and festoons of satin ribbon, late March propelled us into the glamorous world of 19th century Austenland. Fans were delighted when learning that Bridgerton’s success in 2020 had renewed the previously cancelled Sanditon for two more seasons. They were then injected with a double-dose of Austen when the pair aired their second series’ in the same week. This triggered a rise in Bridgerton-themed balls, ‘Cosplay Daphnes’ and pearl-studded fascinators that would make even the 'Ton' jealous. From glittering IRL balls to #royalty trending on Tik Tok, it’s clear that our love for the period has evolved into a full-on obsession.

It's a testament to Jane Austen's writing that each year introduces another rakish Mr Wickham or intelligent, spirited women like Persuasion’s Anne Eliot (played by Dakota Johnson this July). The characters often take long strolls, countryside picnics and locate eligible matches at social occasions (coined the "Marriage Mart," by notorious 19th century Lothario Lord Byron). As you'd expect, the period productions recreating these societal rituals, require multiple teams of tailoring professionals to diligently produce a variety of gowns, shawls, gloves and bonnets.

"I had two units and two different teams running at the same time," says Lauren Miller, the designer behind recent Netflix hit Top Boy, and Sanditon (which shot seasons two and three between May and December). Based on the incomplete novel by Jane Austen, the series is adapted by Pride and Prejudice (1995) and Sense and Sensibility (2008) screenwriter Andrew Davies. It follows leading lady Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams) and her sister (Rosie Graham) as they return to Sanditon, only to find it swarming with handsome Army officers. Heywood quickly recovers from the loss of former lover Sidney Parker when meeting the handsome Colonel Francis Lennox (Tom Weston-Jones).

Miller describes the "astronomically quick" process as a "constant production line.”

Lennox was typically clothed in breeches, boots, waistcoat and a scarlet military coat with mustard yellow lapels and silver epaulettes mounting each shoulder. According to Miller, his striking regalia resulted from an arduous creative process that included scouring fashion plates and detailed tomes at the Victoria and Albert and the National Army Museums. Once inspired, she sketched the final looks and relayed their fabrics, cuts and shapes to her in-house team. Together, they then gathered measurements, cut the clothes, managed numerous fittings, and added embellishments moments before the director yelled action. Miller describes the "astronomically quick" process as a "constant production line of tailcoats, ball dresses, waistcoats, Spencer jackets, and sometimes shoes." The result was completely "immersive," said Tom Weston-Jones in an interview with Collider. "It is amazing, the difference it can make just as soon as you put the shoes on."

"It's a journey from the very first fitting” agrees Sophie Canale about her experience working on the Netflix drama inspired by Julia Quinn's novels about court debutantes and a gossip newsletter authored by the enigmatic Lady Whistledown. "The costumes change an actor’s stance, the way they sit, the way they walk, even the way they breathe... And then they hold a reticule, and the character comes to life in front of you."

Though her “production line” was just as hectic, the designer managing a team of 120 people, had 7,500 bespoke outfits from season one to build on and re-style. Canale (who was involved with Kingsman: The Secret Service" and "X-Men: First Class), took over from series one’s Ellen Mirojnick and John Glaser. “We made, on average, 160 costumes every six weeks,” she reported to Harper’s Bazaar. “There were around 700 for principals alone, but we made about 100 to 150 costumes for the crowd for a total of 800 to 850 for the season.”

“You have to play with artistic licence a bit and in contemporary fashion, there's less rules to a point." - Lauren Miller

Like Sanditon’s Colonel Lennox, the male suitors in Bridgerton wore complex outfits with several layers and embellishments. "It's all about the details," says Canale. "Each button is thought about — you’ll see the Bridgertons have silver buttons, the Featheringtons have gold buttons. All the men have watch fobs, and each ribbon is chosen to match their colour palette." Period books and research centres also allowed the designer to toy with the wardrobe’s historical accuracy. Miller similarly conceded that usually "you have to play with artistic licence a bit and in contemporary fashion, there's less rules to a point."

Cuts, colours, fabrics and flirting
‍Like her former bosses, Canale was inspired by the pastel tones in Sofia Coppola's stylised 2006 film Marie Antoinette. She believes colour coordinating “helps identify the feeling of the character," and based each character’s palette on their personalities. The young and naive Edwina Sharma for example, was doused in "pops of pink" and her "softer, more vulnerable" mother in mellower hues. Kate (the heroine and most wilful member of the Sharma family) wore rich purples and greens that were emblematic of India and the Ton. The gaudy Featheringtons were in citrus, steadfast Lady Danbury in burgundy and the sensible Bridgertons in teal and lilac. The leading man Anthony Bridgerton was dressed in full front trousers and darker hues, which reflected his temperament when conducting the serious business of finding a wife.

According to Miller, the desirable female archetype of the 1800s was a slightly demure "buxom lady."

‍Where men would seduce with wealth, status and a straightforward ensemble of shirt, stock waistcoat, tailcoat and overcoat, the rules of attraction meant that women had a more extensive laundry list of requirements. According to Miller, the desirable female archetype of the 1800s was a slightly demure "buxom lady." She showed off her assets and her single status with a low decolletage (neckline), while projecting the “classic look of innocence” in a white cotton dress. A healthy income and family name was also valued and Miller indicated this when she dressed Lady Esther Denham in “darker, richer, stronger colours, and black chemises” to give the fierce character “a harder edge.” Every 19th century lady wore the tight posture-altering corset that leads women to despair even now.

With each adaptation comes swathes of Austenites who discuss its authenticity to the book and history. While often divided in opinion, none can deny the enormous talent and work that goes into creating a production’s score of costumes. Both Miller and Canale have sewn the period into the seams of our imagination and reinvigorated a global fascination with the past.