Fans of the hit Starz series Outlander can now transport themselves to 18th century France, via a new exhibition at The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles.
On Monday night, stars Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan, executive producers Ronald D. Moore and Maril Davis, costume designer Terry Dresbach and production designer Jon Gary Steele helped unveil Artistry of Outlander, the new exhibit that celebrates the show’s decadent costumes and sets.
Outlander first gained notoriety for its steamy sex scenes but it is the detail put into every aspect of the show that sets it apart from other popular series. “I think we’re just trying to do our look, and we all want our show to look different. It’s not that we’re special — but we are,” Steele said. “We want our show to have its own look.”
More than 10,000 garments were painstakingly created for the series’ second season, but only the most intricate made the cut for the exhibit. A total of 72 people worked on the pieces, including many who had little costume design experience. “It’s quite a testimony to this team of people, a lot of whom were straight out of art school and are sculptors or painters, who were all of a sudden figuring out how to do 18th century embroidery,” Dresbach said.
Heughan said that seeing the costumes on display was a special experience for him. “Looking in there really took me back, because you’re used to seeing these costumes, but also you’re always engaging with the actor wearing them. You’re aware of the costume, but you’re engaging with that character. And then to actually see them individually, you become so aware of how much craftsmanship has gone into them and the backstory that each one gives you.”
If you’d like to see the costumes for yourself, you can tour the exhibit at the Paley Center, 465 North Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, California, Wednesday – Sunday from 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Admission is free and open to the public.
