Something old, something new – the costumes of Downton Abbey Lifestyle

Although this phrase is commonly applied to the signs of good luck worn by brides on their big day, the drama of the new era not only opens with a wedding, but also showcases about 300 items of clothing throughout the film, which hits U.S. theaters on Friday .

Anna Robbins is a costume designer who is responsible for the clothing of the residents above and below. Having worked on the series and film of 2019, she has a wealth of experience that can be used.

“There were new characters for the design. There were new settings where we had to go back to think about the palette and what would contrast the production design in these new spaces and new geographies. But when it comes to “Downton,” I know the library’s red couch so well, I know what colors will work it out. So it’s a great combination of new and old. “

The film’s wedding begins with Tom Branson and Lucy Smith, played by Tappens Middleton, and her dress was a combination of satin bodice, chiffon sleeve and silk tulle, decorated with vintage silver threads and hand-embroidered copies of the original 1920s. veil.

“It was awful,” Middleton says of the delicate dress she needed to keep away from the dirt on the set.

“Such a pure white silk dress, and everywhere I went, about four people lifted it off the floor, and going to the bathroom was very difficult, but yes, very fun.”

When it comes to recreating the look of 1928, Robbins and her team used a combination of vintage, recycled and fresh fashion items.

“It’s a real treasure hunt, which is very useful, but finding works that match the character, the scene, the setting and the quality we need for the big screen is a challenge. So we’re looking for a lot of museum-quality items or items that can be restored to a level where we feel new and untouched. ”

With some of the characters heading to the south of France to explore a bequeathed holiday villa, it should also add a continental twist to the usual living room style of a high-class family.

“Some of them are just completely from that era. Wearing them is a great honor, ”says star Elizabeth McGovern of Lady Crawley’s Riviera wardrobe.

“I’m always looking for complete garments,” Robbins explains, “but it’s also possible that I’m looking for a fabric that I can use to make a new brand, so it’s kind of a hybrid. And then even with new custom products I would definitely be looking for finishes, buttons or little accessories that would still tie it up by then, so it’s a real mix. ”

Aside from traveling abroad, the outside world arrives at Downton Abbey when the film crew appears to use the castle as a place for movies.

The look that Robbins is especially proud of is the moment of the movie star, when Mirna Dalglish with blond hair with peroxide and red lipstick enters the majestic house for the first time.

“The Hollywood stars of the time gave us some really exciting opportunities. And Mirna is just this fantastic, strong, brave, impudent character and a wonderful contrast in beauty. You know she’s beautiful, but it’s a completely different beauty and style than Lady Mary, Lady Edith, Lucy ”.

The appearance of the heroine Laura Haddock Mirny was taken care of by co-designer Robbins Maya Meshede.

“We kind of looked at this icy blue, and then kind of what was formed was this velvet coat with a cape that created a lot of drama, like great proportion and movement when she came into the house, when she got out of the car,” he said. Robins. . “Actually it was the original shoes of the 20’s that we were able to see in this beautiful pot from the ground, so there everything fell into place.”

All in all, there were far more looks than in the last Downton Abbey film outing in 2019, and Robbins estimated that they made about 300 outfits for the sequel.

“Only for our directors there were about 24 story days and about 20, so when you start multiplying it, especially with the number of changes you usually see with our characters upstairs, you start to feel the scale of what it was,” she said. .

“It’s really raising the stakes again and I hope it’s going to be a great and real feast for the eyes because of the beautiful variety of costumes we’ve shown.”