Movies - TV
How Peaky Blinders' Costume Designer Brought The Period Fashion Back To Life For The Show
By FATEMEH MIRJALILI
In “Peaky Blinders,” Tommy and his brothers stylishly wear three-piece tweed suits, newsboy caps, detachable collar shirts, and well-tailored, heavy overcoats — a costume drawn from what most Englishmen wore in the 1920s. Costume designer Alison McCosh curated the period fashion for "Peaky Blinders" and popularized it for modern-day dandies.
Wearing a costume helps an actor transition into their character, which is a job McCosh takes seriously. The designer told PeakyBlinders.tv, "When you're doing a period show, it's important to capture as much period authenticity as possible. I find that today's fabrics don't tell the true story. So I find auction houses selling vintage clothes and fabrics, and then I'll adapt from that."
McCosh further explained, "It ends up being a balance between vintage pieces and items made from vintage fabric. Sometimes we'll have to re-weave a piece back together, but what you get is the right colour.” Inspiring modern fashion, “Peaky Blinders” helped generate an 83% rise in the sale of flat caps between 2016 and 2017.