We know you’ve been holding you breath for House of Cards: Season 3. Starting Friday you can binge watch the entire season… and get your fill of some brand new fashion thanks to Robin Wright’s character Claire Underwood — aka the new First Lady of the United States.
The new season showcases Claire with a completely new look, thanks to Wright’s own personal stylist, Kemal Harris. The New York-based Harris, who began personally styling Wright for the show’s first season premiere, was brought on by Wright to design Claire’s newly elevated wardrobe for the third season. Costume designer Tom Broecker will still oversee the looks for the rest of the cast.
“Beau Willimon, the show runner, wanted to discuss how to make Claire more approachable, but that was never my favorite word for her character,” said Harris in an interview with WWD, where she admitted to using icons like Lauren Bacall and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy as style inspirations. “I wanted her to have a chance to show her vulnerability and her feminine side, too… I wanted to respect her anew without compromising her identity, because her work isn’t finished yet.”
Harris called in pieces from American designers Ralph Lauren, Altuzarra, Michael Kors, Derek Lam and Proenza Schouler, and Europeans Giorgio Armani, Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana and Max Mara. Each piece was altered, and Harris designed a few key pieces herself using a mannequin she had made with Wright’s measurements, including the off-the-shoulder pale blue-lilac suit for the presidential portrait and the burgundy suit Claire wears in a key Air Force One scene.
Where previously she wore mostly black, white and gray, she’s now wearing more pastels and earth tones. She used to be well-heeled in pointy Louis Vuitton pumps. Now she’s rounding out in Pradas.
How is styling for Wright on TV like styling celebs on the red carpet? Harris says,”I love that all my clients are strong, kick-ass, no bullsh-t women who are in control of their careers.”
