I knew very little about Cosprop as an organisation, but after five minutes at this Dovecot Studios exhibition, I quickly realised that they were the costume designers for, pretty much, any good period film ever.
Founded by Oscar and BAFTA-winning costume designer John Bright, the London-based Cosprop has been specialising in period costume since 1965. This exhibition was a ‘best bits’ compilation of the costume house’s most iconic looks and celebrated films. Just to walk among costumes once donned by legends like Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Uma Thurman and Judi Dench, was an incredible experience in and of itself. It made those iconic films seem a little more real, as I started to imagine these legends of the silver screen climbing into the costumes around me, ready to transform into another new character and change the lives of film-lovers across the world once again.
The first film featured in the exhibition was A Room With a View, a beautiful film I watched for the first time only recently after a recommendation from a friend, and would recommend to anyone. A dark corner housed the beautifully lit gowns, and hats worn by Helena Bonham-Carter and Maggie Smith alongside a still and a video clip from the film. I stood in awe, the iconic impact of Cosprop beginning to sink in.
Highlights of the exhibition were Cate Blanchett’s green gown for Elizabeth (1998), Raj Singh’s turban and robe from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)’ and Colin Firth’s ‘Mr Darcy wet shirt’ from Pride and Prejudice (1995) – is it possible to get star struck by a beige linen shirt?
But what this exhibition offered that I especially loved was behind-the-scenes information about the creation of the garments. From videos of hand-embroidering miniscule beads, to talking about the way the company runs, it was so enlightening and taught a lot about an industry that most people have no understanding of the inner workings of.
I thought the show was excellently curated, the intricate beading and lush fabrics catching the well-positioned lighting perfectly, and excellently contrasted by the black walls. Visitors were provided with an educational insight into the world of costume design for films, and to see the garments up close, not behind glass, just made me want to run my hands all over them – I restrained. This exhibition will make any arty student question whether they should’ve chosen Fashion or Costume Design as their degree. If you are lucky enough to have already made that choice, I can’t stress enough how quickly you need to get yourself down to Dovecot to experience these masterpiece garments and industry tales, that will surely have you leaving buzzing and inspired.
Costume Couture: Sixty Years of Cosprop is showing at Dovecot Studios until 16 January 2027.
“Dovecot Studios, Infirmary Street” by kim traynor is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
