The secrets of “Peaky Blinders” revealed by its costume designer

(Cover photo credit: Cillian Murphy and Samuel Edward Cook in the first season of “Peaky Blinders,” 2013. - IMAGO / Everett Collection)

Stephanie Collie welcomes us from her home. Thanks Skype. The first thing that jumps out at me is the color management in her living room, and also in her outfit. Black turtleneck, work jacket in a special blue . It's subtle. If the person I'm discovering has been a costume designer for so long, it's probably no coincidence.

If you've never taken the time to watch the series "Peaky Blinders", this article might make you want to discover it through its clothes.

And if you ever know this story by heart, I hope you will learn a few new and/or interesting little things about these costumes which have made more than one fantasize: Gavroche-type caps, long coats, three-piece suits, leather boots. leather, pocket watches, ties and other shirts with white AND detachable collars.

THE MEETING WITH KENNETH BRANAGH AND THE FIRST COSTUMES ON SCREEN

If you take a look at Stephanie Collie's filmography, you will see that she already has a long career behind her, and that she has, among other things, dressed a man that Benoit is particularly fond of: Daniel Craig . His entry into cinema was born from a meeting with the director and future director Kenneth Branagh.

“I've been a costume designer for a while now,” she explains to me at the outset. “I come from the theater. I made costumes for shows there and I had the chance to work with Kenneth Branagh's Renaissance company. When he started making films, I followed the adventure and the first film I worked on was “Peter's Friends” in 1992, with my friend Susan Coates. It was very interesting because we had never worked on a film before. I loved that experience, and from there I continued to create costumes for film and television .”

Many other films will follow, until one day, a new proposal arrives: it is a series in project at the BBC created by Steven Knight, an English director and screenwriter who, among other things, worked on “The Promises from the shadows” by David Cronenberg.

THE DISCOVERY OF THE “PEAKY BLINDERS” SCRIPT

Stephanie is then more than intrigued by what she discovers: “I was really inspired by reading the script for “Peaky Blinders”. I immediately thought there was a great opportunity to dress men and make them look amazing . I love dressing men. This is something I had already done with “Scams, Crimes and Botany” by Guy Richie. So I met director Otto Bathurst and producer Katie Swinden. I went to this meeting with a complete presentation. They liked my costume ideas for the show and it became the “Peaky Blinders” look. That’s how I got the job with the BBC.”

What is the series about? She narrates the troubled daily life of a family from Traveler community . The Shelbys are led by three brothers: John, Arthur and Thomas. The action takes place in Birmingham, in the English Midlands and is more or less loosely inspired by a gang that has been plaguing the region since the end of the 19th century. It is 1919 when the first season begins, and the First World War has just ended.

At the head of the casting: Cillian Murphy, who we no longer really present since his roles in “Inception” or Christopher Nolan’s “Batman” trilogy. You may also have encountered him as a model at Private White VC In “Peaky Blinders”, he plays the central character of the story: Thomas Shelby.

FIRST IDEAS

The creators of the series don't know it yet, but when Stephanie Collie discovers this story, the future look of the Peaky Blinders is being born in her mind:

“When you have a script in your hands, you have images that form and ideas that come to your head. At this stage, we imagine the characters without necessarily knowing who the actors will be who will play each role. We try to visualize them mentally. I did a lot of research for this job. I was very interested in photographs from this period, in the way men and women dressed . It was fascinating.

At that time, we had just come out of a world war, people were rationed and still trying to look towards the future. The men perhaps only had one costume. So the idea was for this costume to be the finest they could ever own or be able to buy. There were shortages of materials at that time and many other things. The pants were a little shorter and things a little more fitted too . All this gave an excellent silhouette, which worked very well on the actors of the series. »

CLOTHES... AND MEN

Yes I know, that’s the formula from the BonneGueule site. And besides, if we had to look for a piece from our collection that could fit into this universe, it would perhaps be our brogue boots presented here:

“Peaky Blinders” is a series with a fundamentally English style . But coming back to our formula, it works just as well with what Stephanie wanted to do on the costumes of the series. Because you can imagine that she doesn't just like clothes: she also likes to see them worn , particularly by men.

“ I like men to look good in their clothes . This isn't always the case so it's quite nice to have the chance to make them as elegant and stylish as possible! I also like dressing women but what I especially like is when men like clothes. The cast of “Peaky Blinders” really loved wearing these clothes and I think it shows on screen. This helped us make these outfits believable and make the audience like them. »

When asked for her best anecdotes from filming, Stephanie seems to have difficulty choosing one. It’s an experience of which she has many good memories:

“We had a lot of fun on set. Among the funny anecdotes I remember, there is for example this day when we were doing fittings in one of the costume houses we worked with. We laughed a lot, maybe it was with Paul or with one of the actresses, but the fact remains that there was another fitting in the room next to us, with a very big Hollywood actor. Our laughter must have made his work difficult because he ended up moving to another room!

That's the thing about actors: on our side, everyone got along so well. We were all looking forward to working on the series. There was a lot of kindness in the team, a real bond between everyone. It was fantastic. It's so much nicer to work with people who are both good actors and wonderful human beings. »

The series was broadcast on September 12, 2013 on BBC Two. We will have to wait almost two years to discover it on Arte . In the meantime, Peaky Blinders has become a real phenomenon, particularly among magazines and the fashion world . No one really saw it coming.

AND THEN SUDDENLY, SUCCESS

Stephanie remembers this craze for the costumes from the series well: it happened very quickly. If the public responds, his work will also be rewarded by the profession in 2014 through a prize from the British Royal Television Society.

“This happened to me before 'Peaky Blinders,' and it's a very interesting phenomenon. When the series first aired, it didn't necessarily receive great reviews. Then suddenly we started seeing boys in fashion magazines. We saw them in photos, we talked about their style and their clothes , with focuses like “how to dress like a Peaky Blinder?” ". It's very interesting to see how this all developed and somehow ended up "on the street". I'm glad we brought the baker boy cap back into fashion because it really is a beautiful cap. »

For the curious and fans of tweed or wool caps, you can take a look at Tonton et Fils , Thomas Farthing , or even A Piece Of Chic . That being said, you will discover that the clothing universe of the Peaky Blinders is mainly linked to vintage.

THE INSPIRATIONS AND ORIGIN OF THE SERIES CLOTHING ROOM

The time has come to put an end to all kinds of fantasies circulating about the stylistic imagination of “Peaky Blinders” . Since the series became a phenomenon, we have obviously seen more or less successful replicas appear on e-shops, sometimes improvised and/or opportunistic.

Some brands have ridden the wave, others have built a universe which in some ways recalls the very characteristic look of “Peaky Blinders”. We're thinking in particular of Thomas Farthing , a brand created around the same time and which Stephanie had apparently never heard of until we met. So, what were her inspirations and where did she find the costumes for “Peaky Blinders”?

“There is a film that I love and that I took as a reference, among other things, it is “Once Upon a Time in the West” by Sergio Leone. ". I know that Peaky Blinders is set in Birmingham, England, but I had the impression that they were almost cowboys . It is for this reason that we opted for long coats which were appropriate for this period, in 1919 . But we tried to make them lighter, so that the coats can float in some way behind them when they move. A bit like in that fantastic scene from Sergio Leone's film, with these men standing there with their coats on. He was definitely one of my inspirations.

The idea was above all to make these costumes real, believable . These coats were very historically in tune with the era of the series. There were only small adjustments to make, small details that ultimately make these clothes more appreciable for fashion and the contemporary public.

It was a BBC production, they didn't have the current means of a Netflix or Amazon production. So we were quite limited in terms of budget. Some of Cillian's costumes were custom-made , but generally speaking, costumes were rented from various costume houses for the rest of the cast , particularly for the men who play the Peaky Blinders. We adapted and retouched them according to each person's size in order to obtain the look we wanted.

For women, I had it done some things for Helen . But like the other pieces, I especially tried to use authentic dresses and clothing as much as possible .

This period of history being particular, we can sometimes too easily discern a modern dress, know when it was made, etc. So we hunted around vintage fairs. I was always looking for cufflinks or buttons there for shirt collars +.

There are no particular brands for Peaky Blinders clothing . In fact, it's interesting to know that there are people who are interested in the brands of the clothes in the series. Because when I got this job and I spoke with the director and the producers of the show, we initially thought that this would be a really great opportunity for a menswear designer to participate .

So I made several presentation booklets for several creators, we sent them but no one was interested. It's really a shame. It's happened to me before that I've approached certain people who weren't interested at the time and then suddenly changed their minds once the film or series became famous and popular.

That being said, when you don't have a lot of money, when you come with a project that no one knows about, it's a completely understandable thing. They are busy with their own brands, they have little time available... So working on a whole series of costumes for television is perhaps not the best thing to do. I took out my booklets the other day and they were really good. I'm surprised no one wanted to help us! »

In short, if you really want to create a Peaky Blinders look, you won't have to look at contemporary e-shops. The trick is to go hunting for vintage treasures . This is even one of the keys to the costumes in the series: their authenticity, or at least the desire to offer a wardrobe that is as realistic and period-correct as possible .

The cuts were certainly different, but there is nothing that cannot be adapted or retouched later to suit our contemporary eyes. This is essentially what Stephanie tells us. As for the fashion designers who were approached for the series, we don't know their names, but who knows, maybe they are biting their fingers a little today.

THE ACTORS AND THEIR CLOTHES

Obviously, the style we imagine on paper always comes up against reality. For Stéphanie, the creative process around the costumes for the series will also have been an exchange with the actors and actresses. However, there are no inappropriate ego contests here: the clothing is always at the service of the character and the atmosphere of Birmingham in the 1920s.

“The actors are in the construction of their characters. So they have a say in the costumes. It’s actually an exchange. With the director, the actors, until everyone is satisfied with the result. The boys were always up for whatever I suggested, which was really great. But an actor can say he doesn't like it, so you have to try something else. You shouldn't have too fixed ideas. You can't force someone to wear something they don't think is right for their character.

The vision of the person in charge of the costumes must be the same as that of the actors . Luckily, this is usually the case. Sometimes the initial idea I may have when reading a script can change depending on who is cast. If I read a script, imagine someone quite muscular and strong, and the role is ultimately given to someone quite thin, that obviously changes my initial idea because what I had imagined for a specific physique may not work as well on another. So it always revolves around the actor, his body type and his way of seeing his character . My role is to guide the actors, hoping that they adhere to my ideas.

STORIES OF TWEED AND MORPHOLOGIES

When we talk with Stephanie about the return of materials like moleskin, velvet or tweed, materials that we also work with at BonneGueule, she can't help but tell us about her more particular love of tweed. You will of course find them in the costumes and caps of the series. We have already tried to elucidate the mystery of this incredible material here:

At that time, there was no heating and people might only have one suit, so clothes had to last from winter to summer . In men's fashion, I think the fabrics are generally quite light.

Tweed, its weave and its textures are incredible for suits . It really adds something extra, and not just because it offers a little more character than a dull, rough, slightly gray fabric . There are excellent factories in Scotland. We found fabric there, which we then used for costumes, among other things.

Another dimension that we don't always think about: film or television actors and actresses are not all based on the photogenic silhouettes of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie . Paradoxically, the most beautiful people are not always the easiest to dress, especially in the gray and workwear context of “Peaky Blinders”.

Another interesting information: when a series employs a large number of characters, there are a few little style tricks to recognize them. Stephanie explains:

I think the character that was the most difficult to dress, it's Grace's . We had to find the right balance for her look, so that her outfit could be credible, so that she could arrive in this world without standing out more than the others, so that she could be accepted. It was an interesting challenge.

We also had to be able to “pin” the boys’ final look. We wanted each group, the Gypsies, the Shelbys, to have something a little different in their outfits . When watching a series, this trick makes it easier for the audience to identify the characters and the groups they belong to.

That said, Annabelle Wallis always looks stunning no matter what she wears. It's a pleasure to dress her. Beauty doesn't make life easier, but it can make work easier for me. On the other hand, people who have shapes, who do not have a model size, are also more interesting to dress . Helen McCrory, for example, was more voluptuous. It's great for me to work on different body types. It also makes things more realistic.

TEAMWORK, AT THE SERVICE OF STYLE AND A UNIVERSE

Fans may have noticed: each season has its costume designer. If Stephanie initiated the Peaky Blinders style, others took up the torch later. What is striking, however, is the continuity of style, from one season to the next .

In the case of the first season, we discover through Stephanie's story an almost family and particularly close-knit spirit, particularly between the costumes, the makeup and the hairstyles: hence a total approach to style, where every little thing his importance :

“Loz Schiavo did the makeup and hair, it was as important as the clothes . We all worked very closely together to achieve a complete look. I think projects only work well when you work as a team. We can't just say "I only care about the costumes and I don't care about the rest, the sets, etc." ". It's so important to know what's going on so we can all work together.

I didn't work on the next season, although it was offered to me. We didn't know exactly when it would come out and I had agreed to work on a film. Unfortunately, I had to decline. Maybe I could have done both at the same time. On the other hand, it's very difficult to give your all to a job when you have to balance two projects.

For my part, what I like is being involved in an entire project. I don't say to myself, "I'm going to do the main characters and let someone else take care of the crowd." On “Peaky Blinders,” it was a small team, there wasn’t a lot of money. So we worked on the costumes for the extras as well. I was sad not to be able to do the sequel, but it's complicated to do two projects at the same time.

What's also sad is that Helen is no longer here. He was such a wonderful person. I really have very, very fond memories of this period... That being said, it seems that a film is in the works so I hope I will be part of it.

I have of course seen all seasons of the series. It's not my place to comment on other people's work, but I just think it's a fantastic series, which has a lot of style. Every person has their own sense of aesthetic so if I had continued working on the show I imagine I potentially would have done something different, I can't say what of course. Each costume designer has his own style and way of working.

My obsession, for example, is shirt collars . I wanted them to always be put on correctly. I hate that they aren't close to the neck. I like them tight, which drove the actors crazy because they were like they were being strangled by their collars . “But it’s too tight! » "No, it's just perfect! ".

The people who continued to work on the costumes in subsequent seasons did a fantastic job. The idea for me was to define the initial look knowing that someone else might take up the torch later. Looking back, it was unlikely that I would work on the whole series, if only because I had other projects and it is also difficult to stay on the same series in the long term. . Everyone who worked on “Peaky Blinders” afterward did a great job and kept this world alive. »

GREY, GRAY AND A FEW COLORS TOO SOMETIMES

You regularly ask us questions about color combinations and it's true, it's an essential parameter to take into account when constructing an outfit. To help you, Nicolò looked into the subject here:

But that's in real life. What about the colors in “Peaky Blinders”? Unsurprisingly, Stephanie focused especially on making her costumes credible, in line with the sad atmosphere of the series . However, she shares with Jordan the same passion for colors that “pop” – a purple or a red here, a bright green there:

“There are a few colors in the clothes in the series, but it's quite discreet and we mostly did it with the women. Annabelle was in green when she arrived at The Garrison pub. I also gave her a red dress for the party. I like the colors that contrast from time to time , that somehow burst into the landscape but on the other hand, the Peaky Blinders were in a rather gray world . It was equally enjoyable to embrace their world through the costumes, so that the clothing could best fit into the characters' surroundings . »

THE PROFESSION OF COSTUME DESIGNER

How do you recognize a good film or series? It's not systematic but clothing sometimes plays a major role in the equation. It's not so much about showing off as it is about offering a style and outfits that serve the story and its characters .

Certainly, the costumes in “Peaky Blinders” contribute to the viewer’s immersion. Certainly, the series is generally very stylized: look for example at its approach to photography or the omnipresence of music. That Nick Cave, The White Stripes or Tom Waits occupy the soundtrack of season 1 is already a marker of style in itself.

But “Peaky Blinders” wouldn’t be quite “Peaky Blinders” without the unique look of its characters. In short, never underestimate the contribution of the costume designer . It’s a shadowy profession, with its stars of yesterday and today:

“I really like Hollywood cinema costume designers like Adrian or Edith Head . There are also a lot of talented people these days. Sandy Powell for example. The list goes on and on and it's really interesting to watch a film and appreciate its costumes, especially when you know how much work goes into making it work.

Someone who doesn't know my job doesn't necessarily imagine the hours spent making a particular dress for a particular actress, etc.... It's a fairly difficult job in reality, which involves long hours of work . That being said, why should people realize this? They should just watch and enjoy the show. »

HUSBANDS AND THE 70S

If you read us regularly, you've probably already heard of the Husbands brand. You will find in our archives an interview with its founder Nicolas Gabard:

What is the relationship between Stephanie Collie and the Parisian brand? Well, imagine that it's the first brand that comes to mind when someone asks her what she likes in clothing today. Which is to say, if the Peaky Blinders were to pass down their style secrets from generation to generation, they might be sporting Husbands costumes today, if ever Stephanie were in charge of their wardrobe:

“A French brand that I love is Husbands. I love their costumes. They have a seventies feel and I happen to love the 70s. The actor Chris Pine, with whom I worked on a costume, also loves this brand. We got a Husbands costume for him, so beautiful.

The 70s was another great era for men's style . This should be the next trend for men. Among the other designers I like: Allessandra Rich, Richard Quinn, Lanvin , Yves Saint Laurent , many French designers. »

HOLLYWOOD, ELEGANCE AND THE HISTORY OF CLOTHING

You perhaps remember Grace Kelly and Cary Grant, two examples of what elegance could be in cinema in the 50s? It's a little music that we often hear: yesterday's cinema costumes are much more exciting than those of today. We were talking about stories about films and costume designers in our interview with Romain Biette from Ardentes Clipei:

When we broach this subject with Stephanie, she suddenly has a thought for her parents and then explains to us that she watches films from the golden age of Hollywood like one would open a history book:

“When I look at photos of my mother or father in the 50s, they were so elegant. I also see my father's suits from the 60s, he always had a pocket square in the pocket of his blazer . We are so much more casual today.

This is also what I like about the look of the Peaky Blinders and that of the people who are inspired by them: this sense of dressing is also what made people beautiful and elegant . You learn so much from watching old Hollywood movies. They're good references: if you have a movie to make that's set in the '50s, just watch those old movies to see what people wore. These films are so useful and accurate. »

The transmission of knowledge, culture and elegance: this is perhaps further proof that we all need to continue to share our inspirations so that all these stories of style can continue. And who knows, maybe you too will wear a wool or tweed cap tomorrow like “Peaky Blinders”?