“Costume design is all about collaboration,” declares Lyn Paolo, the Emmy-winning artisan who, along with Laura Frecon, has created the glamorous looks for the Netflix drama “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.” The prequel to the smash Netflix series “Bridgerton” premieres on the streamer on May 4 and follows the young Charlotte (India Amarteifio) in the early days of her marriage to King George III (Corey Mylchreest). In an exclusive video chat with Gold Derby (watch above), Paolo and Frecon discuss their collaboration on the series as well as the challenges of creating the show’s unique period looks.
Both Paolo and Frecon describe the importance of honoring the blueprint for the costumes of “Bridgerton,” created by Emmy-winning designer Ellen Mirojnick. “We absolutely wanted to respect what Ellen did in the first season and how she created this world, but we definitely also treated our show as its own thing,” argues Frecon.
Paolo describes the impact of modern fashion on their designs for the younger Charlotte. “We wanted to make a very modern version of this time period,” she says. “Yes, we did all of our historical research, but we also looked to high fashion. We took inspiration from Dior and especially the Galliano period of Dior. We made boards and boards of fashion so that we could pull that into the designs of the young Charlotte.”
Both designers paid equal attention to the men’s costumes. “The men’s costumes are my favorite,” exclaims Paolo. “It’s just more subtle and people don’t notice it. I feel that it’s unfortunate that the ladies get all the attention.” In costuming the men, Frecon describes the importance of getting the smallest details just right. “The embroidery for the men’s waistcoats was math in itself,” she explains. “It was such a process. All the buttons were either embroidered or they were heavily jeweled. It was just so exciting.”
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