The new BBC drama miniseries A Very British Scandal tells the story behind the 1963 divorce of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, one of the most extraordinary, brutal, and expensive marital splits in British history.

The three episodes of A Very British Scandal, written by Sarah Phelps, explore the social and political climate of post-war Britain while scrupulously analyzing attitudes towards women. Known for her beauty and style, Margaret, Duchess of Argyll (played by Golden Globe Winner Claire Foy), refused to go away quietly during the notorious divorce proceedings pitting her against a savvy husband (played by Golden Globe Nominee Paul Bettany). The conjugal war zone ended up on the front pages of London newspapers and featured accusations of forgery, violence, drug-taking, secret recording, bribery, and one explicit Polaroid photo.

Born on December 1st, 1912, Ethel Margaret Whigham was the only daughter of Scottish millionaire George Hay Whigham. After spending the first fourteen years of her life in New York, she moved back to the United Kingdom, where her beauty and heiress pedigree made her a key player on the social scene. An incredible Norman Hartnell gown she wore at her first wedding, together with a long-life patronage of London-based couturiers Victor Stiebel and Angèle Delanghe, cemented her status among the most glamorous socialites of the era.

With such a memorable fashion icon at the center of the narrative, Ian Fulcher, the British costume designer working in the industry for over twenty years, was faced with the challenging task of envisioning a wardrobe that would not only recreate some of the legendary outfits worn by the Duchess but, also, highlight her personality and charisma. Fulcher, who recently worked on HBO’s It’s a Sin drama series, designed over eighty lavish costumes for Foy to wear across 3 episodes.

In the 1950s, fashion was marked by a clear gender divide. While menswear leaned toward a more casual style, women fashion prioritized elegance and formality. Couture womenswear was rapidly changing. New designers like Cristóbal Balenciaga and Hubert de Givenchy transformed the overtly feminine silhouette, popularized by Christian Dior’s “New Look”, into a newer shape that was substantially straighter and slimmer.

The real Duchess of Argyll used to wear a lot of patterned fabrics. Foy’s Margaret, less so. Her suiting and coats, made of wool or cashmere in elegant colors, are trimmed with sumptuous furs and matched with sophisticated accessories.

Although an increasing number of women were starting to wear slacks at various social occasions, the 1950s mood leaned towards traditional femininity. This was especially true in eveningwear. In the early 1940s, Dior named the early evening frock a “cocktail” dress. It lay between daywear and eveningwear, falling at the length of a day dress but embellished like eveningwear. The Duchess of Argyll wears quite a lot of them.

Instead of the typical 1950s handbags, Foy’s Margaret prefers soft clutch bags. The novel idea came from our Golden Globe winner but it was entirely supported by Fulcher.

Color is one of the main artistic tools Fulcher uses to emphasize the storyline changes in different locations. In his recent interview with Vogue magazine, Fulcher mentions that “there’s bright and light in Biarritz, autumnal in Scotland and then roses and blues in London.” His favorite look makes an entrance in episode one, in the shape of a beaded turquoise dress.

No matter what time of day, in the 1950s it was of paramount importance to look impeccable. For a woman, this meant perfectly coiffed hair, flawless makeup, and sets of matching accessories. For Foy’s Margaret, a pearl necklace is the anchor of her wardrobe — just like the real-life Duchess of Argyll, who used to wear a lot of pearls, including a memorable three-string ensemble inherited from her grandmother that ended up playing a ruinous part in the divorce.

“We have to promise we will never, ever bore one another”. Such is the one condition upon which Margaret accepts a proposal from the Duke of Argyll. Her fashion in A Very British Scandal delivers on this promise with an unmatched sense of style.