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Aimée Croysdill texted Nicola Coughlan the other day to tell her in the plainest of terms: “You are a stylist’s dream.” The friends, who met in Selfridges when ’s Penelope Featherington was still just a Julia Quinn novel character and not yet a Netflix icon, have been cooking up characterful nods to the candy-coloured period drama since. “She is a great friend who lets me put her in these crazy, enormous Sara Mrad capes that need their own suitcases and 20kg Richard Quinn dresses despite the Australian heat,” says Croysdill, who makes clear that her collaboration with Coughlan is never about method dressing, but simply celebrating an actor who has an infectious love of fashion.

“No empire lines allowed!” is the rule the pair live by to ensure each corseted, frothy or pastel red-carpet look feels true to Nicola, rather than Penelope, the bookworm-turned-town gossip on the quest for true love. But fans will no doubt have spotted the Easter eggs planted cleverly in the season three promo looks, as well as the thoughtful shout-outs to local talent and emerging design stars. Take last night’s , which nods to the Italian painter’s depiction of Venus – “one of the most beautiful bodies ever painted”, notes Croysdill, who felt the nude sequined gown with oyster shell décolletage detailing was apt for part two’s drop, in which Featherington finally has her own bodice-ripping with her longtime crush, Colin Bridgerton.



The theme of “love bleeding out”.

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