The beauty and elegance exuded by the costumes in films such as Out of Africa or the latest adaptation of Little Women, as well as in series like The Crown and Downton Abbey, bear the same signature on their label: Cosprop. Founded in London in 1965 by John Bright, this company specializing in period costume for cinema, television and theatre is responsible for ensuring that iconic characters such as the Dashwood sisters from Sense and Sensibility or the unforgettable Karen Blixen from Out of Africa projected onto the screen the realism demanded by the story.
Because, as Bright himself says, when actors arrive at Cosprop, «they come in with only a script and the name of their character. And they leave with that character formed in their mind, giving it life through the angle of a hat, the fabric of a coat or the feel of a pair of shoes».
To celebrate six decades of this artistic legacy immortalized through audiovisual fiction, the Fashion Textile Museum in London is hosting, until 8 March 2026, the exhibition Costume Couture: Sixty Years of Cosprop.
From underwear to accessories
This unique opportunity to see costumes and dresses never before publicly exhibited allows us to view up close creations crafted from silks, cottons, mousseline and satins that, in many cases, are sewn following period methods. Films such as Pride and Prejudice, The Danish Girl, Elizabeth or Howards End and series such as Mr. Selfridge, Victoria or Peaky Blinders are among the productions that turned to Cosprop’s expertise to lend authenticity to the story they tell.
Vista del segmento de la exposición en Londres dedicado al largometraje, Una habitación con vistas.
In the London museum’s exhibition, located very close to London Bridge, the works on display are inspired by real historical clothing and are not merely generic costumes. Dresses, jackets, trousers and accessories stand out for their stunning beauty, refinement and attention to detail.
Even garments never seen before, such as corsets, petticoats and bodices, contribute to providing historical verisimilitude to the productions in which they are used, an approach that always begins with the design of the correct silhouette in Cosprop’s workshops. Because underwear and corsetry are essential for true period clothing, from the Victorian evening gown with its hoop and crinoline to the corsets that enhance the shapes of the Regency era.
The importance of wardrobe in films and series
The exhibition, one of the most interesting we can enjoy in the British capital, also highlights the role of wardrobe in narrative construction. In The Portrait of a Lady, the adaptation of Henry James’s novel released in 1997, Isabel Archer, the character played by Nicole Kidman, goes from being a young heiress to an oppressed aristocrat thanks to her increasingly elaborate and restrictive attire. Because even the subtlest details of wardrobe can subliminally enrich the narrative or create an atmosphere.
Vista de los talleres de Crospop, la compañía especializada en vestuario de época.
Costume Couture: Sixty Years of Cosprop dedicates one of its spaces to the processes of wardrobe creation. Inspiration panels, sample books, sketches, illustrations and final designs accompany details about wardrobe production processes, such as hand-dyeing fabrics and how they are cut, draped and finished in a workshop, with garments designed on mannequins and, in most cases, handmade and by a single person. And we can even discover how they work on a garment to make it look worn or damaged, or to emphasize the profession, setting or experience of the character.
The exhibition, which can be visited from Tuesday to Saturday, is accompanied by a beautiful book, The Costume House, with images of Cosprop’s workshops and the productions they have worked on, interviews with prominent costume designers, directors and actors, offering an unprecedented perspective on the design and clothing that we see in fiction. Because, in cinema and television, a corset, gloves or a coat are more than garments. They are the detail that enriches (and beautifies) the narrative.
