Dearest readers! It is with utmost delight that we invite you to once again return to the opulent world of Bridgerton, as the incomparable Shonda Rhimes unveils her latest masterpiece: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. As expected, the splendorous court of Queen Charlotte is filled with some of the most beautiful costumes, designed by costume designers Lyn Paolo and Laura Frecon. The two costume designers joined The Art of Costume to discuss their inspirations, a royal wedding, the use of jewelry, King George, and some hidden costume details.
Spencer Williams: Let’s just start from the beginning. In one of the very first scenes of the show, soon-to-be Queen Charlotte is explaining to her brother the strictness, pain, and beauty in her costumes in reference to the whalebone corset she has on. Immediately, I became a big fan of this show. This takes place before Bridgerton, so we’re not exactly in the Regency era at this point. How would you define this period, and what kind of research were you two doing in preparation for this show?
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story costumes by Lyn Paolo and Laura Frecon
Then we ended up doing sketches and sending things to Shonda and explaining our palette to her. Mm-hmm. It was sort of the normal process we would do as costume designers, but on steroids. We had two periods to deal with! This show is an amazing gift. Laura, you would agree, wouldn’t you?
Laura Frecon: It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. I just can’t even… It still feels surreal that we did this show and spent a year and a half of our lives working on this. The stockings are embroidered, the shoes have embellishments, there were gloves, hair pins, accessories, and so many details! I could go on and on and on. We could not have enough jewelry or accessories for this show.
Spencer Williams: It’s so exciting. We’re definitely not talking about Scandal or How To Get Away With Murder anymore. Let’s talk about Queen Charlotte in her earlier years. It’s clear to me that even from a young age, Queen Charlotte always had an eye for style and fashion. Her costumes are always very elevated. What was the overall concept behind Young Charlotte’s costumes?
