Dragon outfit – Style – Kommersant

Byzantine luxury, Scottish kilts, branded braids and a bit of fantasy: Kommersant Style is about the main components of fashion in the world of the Seven Kingdoms.

Fans of Game of Thrones (and not only) were looking forward to the release of the House of the Dragon – and were not disappointed. In the US alone, the first episode was watched by 10 million viewers, and four days after the premiere of the series, the creators announced that it would be renewed for a second season. It turned out that the battle for the Iron Throne is always a fascinating spectacle. The events of the “House of the Dragon” unfold 200 years before the “Game of Thrones”: representatives of the influential Targaryen house are fighting for power with the help of intrigue, deceit, murder and love dramas. And, of course, flying on dragons is very spectacular.

Despite the fact that House of the Dragon has many allusions to the original series (and this is logical for a prequel) – from Ramin Djawadi’s music to the filming location and scenery, the creators admit that they wanted to make a standalone show. And the visual component played an important role in this.

The costume designer was Jeanie Temime, a Frenchwoman who worked on six parts of Harry Potter and two parts of James Bond. Talking about the preparations for filming, she gave several interviews to the Western press, in which she revealed many interesting details. The main source of inspiration for the “House of the Dragon” were the Renaissance and ancient Byzantium. Temime’s team employed 150 people (a separate division for hand embroidery!), and the creation of 5 thousand costumes took several kilometers of the best silk, velvet and chiffon. But the main thing is that each image is an encrypted message.

The Targaryens in the House of the Dragon are at the height of their power, and the colors of their clothes scream about it: black for death, red for blood, gold for flame. And the sea lords from the house of Velaryons dress in blue and green. The rebellious heiress of Rainier in the first series wears light, joyful colors – yellow, sand, gold, but as she grows older (and her character deteriorates), she switches to a family style. And “dragon” details appear in her outfits – scales, spikes, fasteners in the form of flames, leather accessories. Jani Temime admits that she wanted to give Rainier a bit of a punk look. However, at her coronation, the young heiress is the embodiment of femininity. The audience was especially impressed by her halo-shaped headdress – these are allusions to ancient Byzantium. It was made by Temime herself from vintage necklaces.

Alycent Hightower, Rainier’s friend, dresses modestly and romantically at the beginning of the season, as befits a girl at court, but as her influence grows, so do the outfits. Alicent looks more and more feminine, the necklines become deep, and the silhouettes become fitted. “Everything changes when her father tells her to wear her mother’s dress to charm the king,” explains Temime. After becoming queen, Alicent begins to wear silks and massive jewelry.

Speaking of jewelry, a separate team worked on their creation. “In the magical kingdom, jewels play a special role,” Temime comments. Long massive earrings and necklaces are designed according to the designs of Moroccan jewels, and everyone who belongs to the royal house wears a lot of gold. Damon’s mistress Miseria can only be seen in silver, which emphasizes her low status. Finally, numerous details – from cufflinks to buttons and clasps of a raincoat – with their symbolism speak of what kind the owner belongs to. The Targaryens have dragons everywhere, the Lannisters have lions, the Starks have wolves.

Temime admits that her greatest pleasure was working on men’s suits – especially armor. “This is the same jewelry work as in the case of jewelry,” she explains. The most striking example is, of course, Damon Targaryen’s armor, inspired by samurai costumes and adorned with blood-red stones. She looks both intimidating and weightless – a “damn sexy dragon suit”, which is made of lightweight, technologically advanced plastic. According to Temime, there is nothing more attractive than a man in a kilt, so she somehow dressed all the aristocrats in elongated tunics and “skirts”.

Hairstyles deserve special attention. Ash-white hair color is a hallmark of all Targaryens, but everyone has their own style. King Viserys wears loose locks (similar to the French monarchs), while Rhaenyra and Damon’s hair with many braids is reminiscent of Daenerys Targaryen and symbolizes a rebellious spirit. And after returning as a hero after a three-year war with the Crab Feeder, Damon cuts off his hair to emphasize that he now wants to separate from his family. Representatives of the Velarion house wear snow-white dreadlocks, which, of course, caused a lot of jokes and indignation among fans.

According to Jani Temime, the work on the House of the Dragon was not easy, especially since it started during the pandemic: the team had to spend hours on zoom, exchange sketches and sketches in messengers. But all efforts were rewarded. “It is a special pleasure to see how young actresses, 20-year-old girls who are used to wearing jeans and T-shirts, put on luxurious dresses and transform, become real ladies. The same applies to men – they try on armor, and their posture immediately changes.

Natalia Inshakova