The Bridgerton It girls bringing Regency-era glamour to the red carpet
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The Regency-era drama Bridgerton is back on Netflix, launching a new lineup of debutantes in sweet pastels for the season. In a parallel plot line, in modern-day New York City, the show’s acting alumni were attending the Met Gala last week – and life imitated art at the world’s most famous fashion ball.
Lady Whistledown could surely only have good things to say about actress Phoebe Dynevor (series one’s Daphne Bridgerton) hitting the red carpet in a filmy blush gown by Victoria Beckham. Ditto Simone Ashley (series two’s Kate Sharma) in glittering, abs-baring Prabal Gurung.
In seemingly record time, Bridgerton’s newcomer British actresses have reached the celebrity fashion big league. The show has only run for two seasons, yet it has become known as a launchpad for stars: forget the modiste, the world’s top designers are vying to dress the cast.
“Fashion, as much as the storylines, is the real joy of Bridgerton,” says Lydia Slater, editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar. Slater put Nicola Coughlan (the show’s Penelope Featherington) on the magazine’s May cover – Coughlan poses in brocade Emilia Wickstead dresses and Dolce & Gabbana organza coats.
There are plenty of young, beautiful talents working on popular and successful television shows elsewhere. But Bridgerton gives its cast something more – an instant fashion association to exploit off screen.
“In the show there’s a glorious playful opulence and brightness to the clothes that transcends the screen, making its leading ladies fashion stars in their own right,” Slater adds. “Their red-carpet choices expand on the theatrics of the ’Ton, as it’s abbreviated. Phoebe Dynevor’s diaphanous lilac Victoria Beckham dress, with its wisteria-like embellishment, that she wore to this year’s Met Gala, was a beautiful example of Bridgerton dressing crossing over into the mainstream.”
Covering all the right fashion magazines is one part of the puzzle – Dynevor has done British and American Elle, while Simone Ashley has starred on two British Vogues – she also made the cut for Edward Enninful’s finale cover, posing alongside Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, Oprah Winfrey and Jane Fonda.
So is aligning with A-list stylists and securing brand deals. Dynover sits on the front row at Louis Vuitton shows, and is an ambassador for Charlotte Tilbury makeup. Coughlan has been spotted at Erdem’s London Fashion Week show and at Miu Miu in Paris.
The jewellery designer Suhani Parekh, founder of the brand Misho, recently made a custom bodice for Coughlan to wear on her Bridgerton promotional duties. She confirms that the show offered her inspiration even when dressing the star off screen.
“I worked closely with Nicola’s stylist, Aimee Croysdill, and we conceptualised the design based around Nicola’s character in the show,” she explains of the commission. Parekh developed two figure “plates” – a nod to the corsetry in the show – which were then plated in 24-carat gold for some modern-day red carpet glamour.
“I do watch Bridgerton and am a fan of the show so it was a lot of fun for me and lovely to feel like I was a part of it,” she says. “The show is so beautifully stylised with a gorgeous regency aesthetic, so it was great to be able to use that as inspiration.”
Those who have graduated from Bridgerton have moved on to good things – Dynevor has another Netflix hit, Fair Play, Charithra Chandran (series two’s Edwina Sharma) has made her West End debut, and Coughlan starred in Barbie and Big Mood. She will also take the lead, rather than being a secondary character, in the new Bridgerton series this week.
To maintain the momentum, even when one’s turn on “the ’Ton” comes to an end, is the next challenge. As ever, the season will always arrive with its new batch of debutantes – and the fashion designers will duly be out to court the latest “diamond”. One cannot lose one’s shine.
Style off screen
Nicola Coughlan
Coughlan may be just five feet tall, but that doesn’t stop her experimenting with some bold silhouettes. She’s unafraid to try everything, from oversized Stella McCartney tailoring, to ladylike Emilia Wickstead separates. She can also do impossibly sleek – see the crystal-encrusted Wiederhoeft dress she wore to promote her role in last summer’s Barbie blockbuster.
Simone Ashley
Sexy and sparkly are the two fashion moods that Ashley does best. She’s a fan of Donatella Versace, and of Valentino – two houses where she’s guaranteed to find pieces that suit. Tiny mini dresses, ab cut-outs and halter necklines are all in her repertoire.
Charithra Chandran
Chandran goes for gold. Whether that’s sequinned Emilia Wickstead, or embroidered Miu Miu, she never fails to bring glamour and sparkle to an event. Bow details and floral prints are also common threads in her pretty, detail-oriented outfits.
Phoebe Dynevor
Bias-cut silks and soft chiffons are mainstays in Dynevor’s ultra-feminine eveningwear wardrobe – typically custom-made for her by Louis Vuitton. For day, though, she might try something edgier; oversized rugby shirts for dresses, or leather shirts.
