Fans of the hit BBC drama Killing Eve can now enjoy Villanelle’s most striking styles from the show in Jodie Comer’s home-city of Liverpool. The stunning display features original costumes from the award-winning show, which came to an explosive end this week.
Produced by BBC Creative, the broadcaster’s in-house creative agency, the display is a bold tribute to the central role that costumes and fashion played in the show, the evolution of the style across the four series, and the wider cultural influence of the programme. Exhibited over five large-scale shop windows on Lord Street at Liverpool ONE, the display showcases the now-iconic outfits and props of Jodie Comer’s character Villanelle in the city of the actress’ birth.
These include (from left to right) the pink tulle dress from season one, the memorable pig head and Bavarian dirndl costume for series two, the cheery but terrifying clown attire from series three and the ‘angelic’ white dress in the final series. At the centre of the entire display is a homage to the show’s second protagonist, Eve, acknowledging the stylistic differences between the two characters.
Sam Perry, who led on costume design for the third and fourth series, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed designing the costumes for Killing Eve for series three and four because the clothes the characters wear, and the way their style evolves, is a visual representation of the character’s emotional journey.
“Designing the costume for Villanelle and Eve comes with great responsibility. Phoebe De Gaye and Charlotte Mitchell did wonderful work on the first two series and I wanted to pick up on the playfulness in the characters costumes, and have fun exploring new silhouettes.”
On the clown costume which is on display, Sam commented: “I was delighted to read in the script that I would have to design an outfit from scratch for Villanelle to kill in. Villanelle always goes to town on her looks, so we had to make sure that even the clown outfit had a nod to fashion.”
Creative Director at BBC Creative, Ali Dickinson, said: “This is one of those rare shows that has had a genuine impact on culture. The fashion in Killing Eve really is like nothing else, so what better way to celebrate it than with a shopper-stopping high-fashion window display. It’s such a joy to be able to create advertising as bold and disruptive as the show itself. As Villanelle would say, it’s anything but “BOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRINGGGGG.”
Donna Howitt, Place Strategy Director at Liverpool ONE, said: “We are delighted to host this wonderful display from BBC Creative at Liverpool ONE. It pays tribute to one of our most well-known artists, Jodie Comer, and the role fashion played in the series; both elements, culture and fashion, are at the heart of what Liverpool ONE represents as a destination.”
The Killing Eve collection display celebrating all four iconic seasons of killer fashion is on display on Lord Street at Liverpool ONE, L2 1TA from 13th until 22nd of April. The full series is available to stream on iPlayer.