by HBO’s is no coincidence The Regime being shown for the first time during an election year. In the new satirical series, Oscar winner Kate Winslet plays Chancellor Elena Vernham, the authoritarian ruler of an unnamed nation in Central Europe that is unraveling at the seams. Not that you would know it, from her point of view; this megalomaniac spends her days locked in a palace like Versailles, doing her hair and styling it, and walking long stretches of the halls listening to the click-clack of her own stiletto heels.
Elena lives in a stable and polished state, with the world outside her palace walls in turmoil – perpetuating her own public image without doing much of anything but fostering an ecclesiastical culture. In one scene early in the first episode, Elena goes to a meeting, alarmingly noticing that she is wearing a green dress – as if the color of her clothes reflects her mood, and therefore her fate. The point of this show is that such comedic moments make us laugh – before reminding us of the political horrors of our current realistic world, forcing us to consider what exactly is so funny.
Appropriately, The RegimeCostumes arose from the mind of Academy Award-nominated costume designer Consolata Boyle, and it is no stranger to imagine how intricately women could dress their public: Among the many beliefs that she has The Queen (2006), The Iron Lady (2011), Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) and Victoria & Abdul (2017). We caught up with the Irish designer to learn more about how she brought to life a perverse, dystopian, funny, and ultimately The Regime—which premieres Sunday, March 3 on HBO and Max — with a life in three suits.
When I first looked The Regime, I could not help but be reminded of the politicians we see in our own lives. Political fashion feels its own form of clothing design. Why do you think?
I’ve been lucky enough to design a lot of “powerful women,” and there’s always this element of performance, and this idea of wearing a “mask,” and being dressed for the public eye. … I think it’s all about simplifying the message they’re sending, so people can focus completely and the message can be the center of attention. There’s this simplicity with these color-blocked colors, and not too many fluffy prints. There is this simplicity. That was a deliberate choice, I noted. But I think it’s also a feeling of strength. Clean colors give that feeling of “I’m clear, I’m strong, listen to me.”
What is your research process?
The first weeks and months of research are about spending as much time as possible, even if it seems like you’re going to off-piste, far from the content of the script. You go far and wide and then slowly come back to center, having worked out what is important and what is not. You go through fabrics and shapes, and you think about whether you’re dealing with a period, or an ambiguous period, or an irrelevant period – the main thing is to go far and wide and then draw. back in then you come to some kind of center.
How would you describe the costumes you created for Kate Winslet’s character, Elena? And were there any real-life political influences on those designs?
There is glamor and joy, but every time you see her, she is completely different. There is this feeling of unpredictability, always moving and shifting. We went far and wide with references and delved into Central European and Latin American politics. We drew from many different sources, such as Eva Perón, and some today Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, but also some Central European emotions. We wanted that Central European feel because of how [Winslet’s] character uses tradition and nationality for manipulation. But this aspect of glamor is always there.
Are there references that we will be able to see in the show?
Nothing we do or try to do is a replication. It has to go through a completely imaginative process, even if it looks close to reality in the end. There is always something strange about the costumes.
So it may look familiar, but in the end it feels off, or “off.”
One thing about what we tried to do The Regime that created a sense of reality that could actually happen; so there was no letting the audience off the hook, but there was this slight change in reality. So it’s true, but not really true.
How did you take that?
In the palace, many of the staff dress uniformly, but Elena is completely chaotic. It creates this strange, uneasy world of paranoia and fear within the palace itself, with people fearing each other. She creates this feeling of fear.
You mentioned this concept of Elena being unpredictable and chaotic, which can be unsettling in a leader.
It is something that is dangerous, and dangerous in these times. This is a story that is very relevant to our times.
How did you mimic that unpredictability through the clothes?
The more you look and investigate her character, one notices her use of color and shape, and her use of seduction – and how important each of those are. This inherent seduction of those in his audience is within his sphere of influence. That is very important. We see this recurring use of strong elemental colors, and strong and simple graphic shapes. There was a lot of how we expressed her character through the shape of a hug figure. This clear silhouette was important to me. Sometimes when Elena is vulnerable and shedding germs, we see her practically dressed in a hospital gown. And there’s a scene near the end where she performs “Santa Baby” in red Lycra, faux marabou and this Santa hat, and she’s in this unreal, delusional state. Her emotions throw us from right to left.
How many costumes were built just for this show, compared to what came from collaborating with brands, or shopping, or vintage?
I would say 95 percent were taken. Perhaps only part of the lingerie was found. Everything else was built from scratch. It was kind of meant to be. But it was very important that everything could be controlled.
Were there any designers that you referred to, or maybe you think in Elena’s yard?
What I had to keep in mind was her arbitrariness. There was no particular designer who informed any of her garments. They had to be completely hers.
How to work with Kate Winslet?
Kate is very collaborative and has a great instinct for what works for her. In that way, it’s a great collaboration because she really understands the character. She has this flawless instinct for shape and what works.
Was there anything in particular that you enjoyed creating with her?
We had a lot of fun with pencil skirts. The character wears a lot of them, and they sit perfectly and hit at the right level. You’ll notice that a lot of that silhouette is being repeated. Then there are the evening wear, the glamourwear, the military elements, and even the “Santa Baby” outfit. Plus, you can really see Kate’s core.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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