In the two years since Bridgerton's debut, the Netflix series has crafted a distinct style that's found its way into modern fashion.
Top models like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner have stepped out in corsets and delicate jewelry, and even the Costume Institute chose Gilded Glamour for its 2022 Met Gala dress code.
Bridgerton's season two costume designer Sophie Canale "totally" credits the period drama and others like it with inspiring this fusion of different eras in fashion. "What's beautiful about these shows," she told E! News, "is it's taking a period drama and pushing [it] into the contemporary world and bringing it to a new audience."
She noted that trends typically occur in a 30-year cycle—case in point: the early '90s are currently experiencing a resurgence—but Bridgerton has taken people even further back in time, offering new sources of inspiration. Sophie said, "It's brilliant."
Equally ingenious are Sophie's designs, which utilize different fabrics, colors and cuts, to further a character's development. For example, Phoebe Dynevor's Daphne wore youthful looks in season one, but now wears a longer cut to emphasize her new status as a duchess. Eloise (Claudia Jessie), a character who offers a bit more "variety," according to Sophie, transitioned into softer looks as she made her debut.
Sophie put extra effort into creating the Sharmas' costumes, saying, "It was always close to my heart as soon as I had the script and knew that the family were from Indian origin."
Sophie said that she and creator Chris Van Dusen ultimately decided to incorporate South Asian fashion into the Ton's typical styles, noting that she chose jewel colored tones for Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) in homage to the region's gems. This carried over into the accessories worn by Simone and Charithra Chandra, with Sophie explaining that it's the small details that complete a look.
Charithra, who plays Edwina Sharma, said the embellishments and other details were small, but "tastefully" done. "What I loved," she shared in a separate interview, "was that a lot of the references to Indian fabrics and Indian patterns, only South Asians would pick up on them. So it feels really personal and something for our community."
She added, "I was so grateful to Sophie for putting in so much effort on that."
As is Nicola Coughlan, who told E! News that the costumes are integral to her performance as it makes you hold yourself different. "It really transports you into the world,' she said. "When you walk into a ballroom, seeing hundreds of supporters in these costumes and you're in these lavish places—it does something to your brain that makes you go, 'We're in Bridgerton world now.'"
But Sophie doesn't take full credit for the 160 costumes made for Bridgerton. Behind the scenes are a team of expert cutters, seamstresses and jewelers, who had the "massive undertaking" of creating looks for lead and supporting actors.
Because so much time and effort goes into making these costumes, Sophie doesn't like to incorporate Easter eggs, even if fans love to look for them. "I want everyone to see certain elements on-screen," she explained. "The reticules and all the details, they're there to be seen."
Plus, she added, "It's such a fast paced show that it's there for everyone to absorb and capture what they can see, other than the hidden meanings."
If viewers insist on searching for something in scenes, here's this: Some characters may be seen wearing a dress previously worn by another star. Sophie said that she and her team often take dresses worn by lead actors like Simone and repurpose them for supporting characters, as is custom among costume designers. Sophie explained, "I think we have to understand how big the show is and waste and everything like that, so I think it's great."
What happens to the costumes after Bridgerton finishes, however, is unknown, but Sophie has some ideas: "It would be absolutely beautiful to have an exhibition and also everyone on my Instagram is always asking for a book."
All in favor of a Bridgerton-themed exhibit at the Met's Costume Institute?