How Debbie Harry, Audrey Hepburn inspired outfits – WWD

When approaching the costumes in Netflix’s “Persuasion,” costume designer Marianne Agertoft looked to “modern-day heroines” to create a costume for Jane Austen’s main character, Anne Elliott, played by Dakota Johnson.

“I looked for more contemporary heroines that I felt could express the different emotions and looks I envisioned for Anne Elliott,” she says of her design process. “Patti Smith, Debbie Harry and Audrey Hepburn appear on my mood board. What resonated with me was the attitude and ease of these amazing women. I think it’s a lot more about how you wear something than what you’re wearing, even though it’s natural.

“Persuasion,” which tells the story of Eliot, who is still reeling from her breakup eight years ago, is set in Regency England in the early 1800s. Agertoft approached adaptation by incorporating period fashion – particularly for the aristocratic Eliot family – and marrying it with contemporary style icons to create timeless-looking costumes. The film begins streaming on Netflix on Friday.

The film is the latest project to fall under this year’s Regencycore fashion trend, which was inspired by other period dramas like “Bridgerton,” “The Gilded Age” and more. Unlike those period dramas — which tend toward a regal, elegant aesthetic — “Persuasion” offers a more subdued take on Regencycore, focusing primarily on empire waist dresses and lace embellishments on dresses.

Agertoft says her research process for the film was brief due to the short production time, but she references historical costumes and museum pieces for the characters’ costumes. She also had other Jane Austen film adaptations to work on.

“Director Carrie Cracknell and I were on the same wavelength,” she said. We wanted to strike a visual balance with a contemporary feel and look without being too careful with the details and mannerisms of historical costumes. We’ve decided early on that if we feel it’s necessary and we can address the moment’s validity. For example, we used to use bonnets and hats in some capacity, but not strictly according to the etiquette of the time.

While Johnson routinely breaks the fourth wall and delivers monologues to the audience, Agertoft wanted to keep her wardrobe uniform and minimal so as not to lose her narrative.

“A sense of timelessness was key when approaching Anne’s look,” said Agertoft. “From her point of view, it’s her story and we have to be careful that coming straight to the camera, the costume doesn’t interfere with the way they interact with the audience.”

Elliott’s minimal wardrobe was meant to reflect her differences from her sisters. While Elliot was more down-to-earth and dressed in dark colored dresses, her sisters welcomed the social interactions and attention and used them to bring out ornate and bright dresses.

“The general idea was that Anne would have clothes that she really liked, compared to her sisters who enjoyed as many changes as possible,” she continued. “The minimal approach was challenged by the flow of the story and a few more superhero costumes were needed, but hopefully we were able to find some favorite costumes.”

As with the recent Jane Austen film adaptation, Agertoft believes the late author’s work has long resonated with audiences because of the relevance of her novels.

“Jane Austen’s books have a timeless quality about them, which makes them easy to adapt,” Agertoft said. “I think Jane Austen strikes a nerve in most of us. Ironically, it can sometimes be easier to appreciate this in period drama. Perhaps we are more receptive to it when there is some distance to our own reality.”