‘Bridgerton’ Costume Designer Got the Royal Treatment and Would Spend $80,000 “Here and There” on Costumes

From princess dresses to sexed-up romances, the Netflix hit Bridgerton has it all. And, executive producers Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers are revealing all the magic in their new book Inside Bridgerton.

Per Insider, in a section of the book, the duo shed light on the strenuous work that goes behind the show’s costuming (which has received heavy praise for its innovative take on regency fashion). A producer on the show, Sarada McDermott, revealed that costume designer Ellen Mirojnick got the royal treatment and would spend $80,000 “here and there” on costumes during the first season – all of which were housed in a “factory” dedicated to the series.

In the book, McDermott shared, “We had to stage an incredible amount of costumes. It cost a fortune to build a wardrobe: Ellen Mirojnick had a right merry time and would spend eighty thousand here and there on material. As the invoices came in, we’d say, ‘Oh, there goes Ellen, shopping again!'”

She added, “The factory ultimately held 1,800 dresses, all cataloged. Phoebe alone had 86 dresses.” Later, Mirojnick specified that they created a total of 7,500 articles of clothing, including underwear.

Inside Bridgerton was released on Tuesday (Oct. 25) and is described as the “intimate behind-the-scenes story” of the popular Netflix series. The book features excerpts from those who contributed to the making of the series, including series writers, producers, directors, cast, and crew members.

In an interview with her namesake outlet Shondaland, Rhimes said, “Betsy and I get applause all the time. We wanted the people who make this show to be recognized for how spectacular their work was.”

Rhimes and Beers are long-time collaborators and previously worked together on the Shondaland productions Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder, and Inventing Anna.