Style Inspiration: Maggie Gyllenhaal in The Honourable Woman
My gorgeous friend Edward K. Gibbon was the costume designer on BBC series The Honourable Woman; Maggie Gyllenhaal is brilliant as the Anglo-Israeli businesswoman Nessa
Stein, and is currently being hailed as ‘the best-dressed woman on TV’. I’m a Gyllenhaal Family
fan and so when I bumped into Edward filming his latest project in Shoreditch, this week, I had to ask him what it was like working with Maggie, ‘It was an
amazing experience, Maggie was so engaged on every level and really
collaborative and generous with her talent. We spent a lot of time
together; talking, shopping, fitting, trying to work out who Nessa was. Maggie completely threw herself into creating the character
putting all vanity aside.’
On creating a modern, power wardrobe for Gyllenhaal’s character, Edward added,’ Nessa
is a very complicated, multi-layered character and how she looked was
very important. She is a powerful woman from a very privileged
background but also highly cultured and engaged with the world. We
never wanted to present a stereotypical version of a powerful woman who
may dress to intimidate men. Maggie was keen to keep it much rawer than
that and not to disguise the sexuality of the character. She uses
clothes like armour to keep a layer between herself and the world, and
the story unfolds we see it quite literally being stripped away.’
Edward and I were student flatmates in Manchester, in the olden days, and I am not exaggerating when I say that he changed my life; he was much cooler, cleverer and more cultured than I was – and he worked behind the bar at the Hacienda, so was very good at sorting out the free drinks.
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| Edward in The’ Ditch |
Since then Edward has worked on many TV programmes (he did the
wardrobe for Channel 4’s Skins) and films, and with some brilliant actresses including: Olivia Coleman, Lindsay Duncan, Claire Skinner and Billie Piper – and I’m so pleased that he dressed Maggie Gyllenhaal in a couple of Merkel/Clinton-inspired pant suits.
Who’s wardrobe have you been watching?
Discussion (13 Comments)
Love this wardrobe & this actress. Whose wardrobe have I been watching – well, does anyone know who dresses the character of Joan Watson in 'Elementary'? I love most of what Lucy Liu wears in that.
Thank you for the post! I was not familiar with the series but would love to see it now…she looks fabulous and I love what he said about power dressing and the messages the character sends as she strips the layers away. I am not really watching anyone now, except some of the bloggers I admire the most. Must find this series though
I love Maggie in that peach blouse…with the short hair and no jewellry. Beautiful.
I also pay attention to the clothes on the detective series Scott and Bailey. Their outfits (esp Scott's) are always interesting.I've been loving this series and Nessa's outfits. I will always miss getting ready for work in a City office, I like the corporate look x
Oh wow, Maggie Gyllenhalls clothes were beautiful and hats off for a very convincing accent.
I like Gillian Andersons clothes in "The Fall"and an honourable mention to telly historian Lucy Worsley and her use of colour.I am really enjoying the programme, its is also very thought provoking particularly given the situation in the middle east at the moment.
All the women's clothes are great. Maggie Gyllenhall's clothes are excellent, she looks the way I have always wanted to look, but on that figure a bin bag would look great! So elegant and stylish a hymn to les being more!
rachael says:
Oh God how I wish I could pull of a silk shirt like she does! That tall, willowy frame… drool.
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I was so impressed with Maggie's on screen wardrobe. That green leopard print dress was a particular favourite. I have to say I have always coveted Robin Wright's wardrobe in th US version of House of Cards. I also think the clothes that were being worn by the actresses in th detective series Scott and Bailey were covetable too