How Harvard Played a Part in the Making of Season 5 of The Crown
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Princess Diana is remembered for her many fashionable outfits, but three really stick out when we think "classic Princess of Wales style": There was the infamous little black revenge dress she slipped into after her separation from then-Prince Charles. Then there were her endless statement sweaters—who could forget that Gyles & George black sheep knit? Diana also had a penchant for pairing a sweatshirt with biker shorts. Most famously, a cowl-neck Harvard crewneck that she often wore while dodging paparazzi was her go-to.
And so pivotal was that piece that the Ivy League university actually recreated it for season 5 of The Crown after the costume department reached out. "Harvard made it for us," Sidonie Roberts, associate costume designer and head buyer of the hit Netflix series, revealed during a recent roundtable with Amy Roberts, head costume designer, and Cate Hall, hair and makeup designer. "You could still get Harvard jumpers, but [not] that cowl neck that she wears, like that puffy neck."
Fans first get a glimpse of the Harvard crewneck during the second episode when Elizabeth Debicki as Diana is on the phone with her friend Dr. James Colthurst, who served as the in-between for her and Andrew Morton, the author of Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words.
Typically, when it comes to designing the costumes, the process of making them look accurate is a long and complicated task. "You're painting a picture, and like any picture portrait, it takes time and trust and development," Amy explained. But when Debicki slipped on the replica top during the first fitting, it caused a double-take effect among the costume department. "It was the first time in this process and this job where even on the first fitting you go, 'Oh, I can already see her a little bit.' Because she's in a Harvard jumper and that's such an iconic [look]," Sidonie added.
Harvard wasn't the only one to come to the rescue, either. The British Lung Foundation also came through with an iconic white sweatshirt with a balloon that Diana famously once wore for the show, as did Virgin Atlantic with their navy blue sweater. Looking back to the design process, the costume department is extremely grateful for their support in bringing these famous looks to life. "They were incredibly generous," added Amy. "They helped a lot."
Season 5 of The Crown is available to stream on Netflix now.
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