Looks that reflect the inner self are the best reflection of all. Our bold and beautiful characters, and our fashion attitudes, have the passion to display bold sentiments each and every day. They dare to become noticed individually, universally, and hopefully not obnoxiously. They have insight and provide reflective examples. Ideally, they have combined their attitudes to evoke the perfect expressions of their bold selves. Yes, fashion has a split personality. Fashion reveals lightheartedness and shows a touch of humor by making statements related through the context of style. Fashion enhances and underscores the diversity of topics by showcasing the broad range of human interpretations that exist. Whether motivation and feelings shared, looks or emotions conjured, fashion has the power to trigger our conscience. It is time to use that power positively. Are you bold enough?
Fashion is an expression of who we are and it can act as a powerful defense mechanism as well. It can shield us from questions. It can inform others of our thoughts about the world. It shows we have strength and courage. We wear our thoughts, beliefs, hopes, joys, commitment, passion, and love. Being driven by fashion in a world of superficial judgment is a constant concern and challenge. Where do we find the strength and courage to express ourselves through what we wear? Being “bold” is the will to stand out with pride and confidence. How do fashion risk-takers launch our daily walk of expression?
Overview of the TV Show and Its Influence on Fashion
The Bold and the Beautiful started in 1987 and TV and fashion will never be the same. In 1987, even if the Forrester family had been real and not acting out cute romantic entanglements, it would have required a few million dollars to look well-read. You pretty much had to be on the cover of popular fashion magazines to see a twenty-page spread of merchandise, something in that price bracket. Then along came B&B. That was before the proper phrase for what this show did was product placement/AIDS, but it was just the same thing. This show combined fashion and TV and merchandising in an interesting combination. If you had cable and MTV was the cool new cat on a galactic scale, then you got to see so much of the MTV Movie Awards, for free. The Bold and the Beautiful built a business on that same principle.
In many ways, The Bold and the Beautiful is actually an iconic show in the fashion world. Naming no names, there are a few soaps that could easily exist with their picture zoomed in so tightly on actors’ faces that viewers might think they were merely having a bad hair day, if it wasn’t for the helpful subtitles. B&B is not one of those shows. Half of this soap is about the Forrester family business, a fashion design house, and there is a reason for that. Practically the moment that the show began, never mind the sound of those opening credits that could have been taken from an 80s Chinese checkers board, this show was on top of fashion.
The Evolution of Fashion on Bold and the Beautiful
The story centers around the hopes, dreams and adventure shared by the people who work on the cutting edge of calling the shots in the world of styles. Models spin down the runway of the Forrester Creations fashion showrooms and in model fashion shoots wearing nothing but high prices, high style fashions which are literally fashioning the world. Opportunities for designers, models, hairdressers, lighting, writing and set design are all part and parcel of the business of creating the show about the inner mechanics, daily life, and characters whom the audience sits and watches. Let’s take a peek at fashion stars dressed in their best designs ready to walk the runway both in fantasy and reality!
For over thirty years, The Bold and the Beautiful has been an artistic force and cultural touchstone in American mainstream entertainment culture. The central theme of the series is adventure in the world of fashion – a condition that is exciting to women everywhere. Unique in the daytime series format, The Bold and the Beautiful brings the viewer high profile designs, name brand styling, hiring models, shooting fashion photography, and going behind and front of the camera.
Historical Context and Early Seasons
The limit imposed on “B&B” by the 30-minute format concerned the drawing of consumer Italy primarily, as has already been witnessed by the Colosseum scenes and the customized opening titles song, but different requirements are suggested by the partly unrelated product of the New Millennium Age, the 6-minute homages: increasing visual representations ruminate countless in number if related to another crucial Italian open target, advertisement, thus identification through fashion and music may be a recurring feature of the celebrities-stricken collective psyche. It is no accident that the Barefoot Contessa proposed a program that presented the “Bold and Beautiful” stars resting at home, oftentimes displaying the taste and style cultivated on the set and replicating their real-life leisure time hobbies in order to resemble the characters they portrayed on the soap opera.
One of the most notable aspects of “Bold and Beautiful’s” beginnings is the breakthrough structure that has allowed the show to thrive. In order to accommodate the requirements of international format sales, the first 8 seasons comprised 30 episodes each. This means that in the first 240 episodes available to viewers, “B&B” could cram in an impressive 80 fashion shows, marking a particular constant of the series. The recurrent use of these notorious events communicates any one of various instances of status-enhancing activity that have been the show’s most popular subtext, such as revenge, power play, manipulation or, more often, love. “B&B” being the only soap to have this last one aspect derived from its roots within the love story tradition of Fleming’s ancestor “The Secret Storm.”
Key Fashion Trends Over the Years
The era of excess had dawned by the time that the Bold and the Beautiful started, with large logos, metallics, and heavily applied blush and lip liner sets making their way onto the scene. Shoulder pads, which can be looked at as an alloy of the desire for power dressing and the cultural signification of Thatcherism in the UK, were almost always present in some form (with more than an inch of padding, of course). Archives of the time indicate that they sent a strong message of authority at a time when women were vying for equality in the workplace. The trend may have gone into overdrive by the late 80s and early 90s, but its seeds were sown by designers in the years before, and its role as an emblem of successful women continues into the mid-1980s and 1990s when significantly fewer people were wearing shoulder pads. Magazine coverage in major American publications must have ensured that the trend reached mass appeal, and thus could become mainstream enough to be featured on a well-watched television program as soon as 1987.
80s Excess and Shoulder Pads
In the early days of the Bold and the Beautiful (and indeed during the years preceding the start of the series in 1987), a recurring 70s revival was underway and a subset of the characters on the show dressed the part in tie-dye shirts and retro florals. Many of these looks were launched in the years following the end of the Bohemian revolution of the late 60s, showcased in high-end fashion houses in the early 80s and marketed to consumers by some of the most successful design houses in the world.
70s Hippie
Finally, let’s explore some of the most iconic fashion trends we’ve seen over the course of our favorite South African soap opera, of which many were no doubt inspired by the global fashion shifts happening concurrently.
Behind the Scenes: The Fashion Designers of Bold and the Beautiful
As the Senior Fashion Stylist for the show, Kusio earned the other Emmy nomination for his original design of the Jackie M couture skirts. “I did many long hours of research, together with many sketches and finished products to present to the producers and directors,” Kusio says. “I always knew I would be nominated for an Emmy once they aired on The Bold and the Beautiful, due to the presentation of the garments, uniqueness, and luxuriousness.” With the collaboration with Richard, Leigh, and all members of the production staff, it’s no surprise that the “Feature-Length” Production – daytime’s highest category – received a 2008 Daytime Creative Arts Emmy award. Whether Los Angeles is on fire or not, fashion consistently keeps The Bold and the Beautiful audience inspired.
Erica Leigh has been responsible for the characters’ hair and make-up since 1989, which includes coordinating with the wardrobe department to complete each look. “Per the show’s etiquette, people have become upset with me before for trying to replicate a character’s hair or fashion error,” says Leigh playfully. “As a designer or stylist, if Brooke has her glasses or necklace on the wrong side, I get a hundred e-mails from fans who want to make sure it’s corrected.” Fortunately, the fans’ detailed attention applies to a more flashy ensemble as well.
Notable Designers and Their Contributions
In addition to those contributions, the show also has contributions through some of its characters. Being a voice in the fashion industry, the fashion following world is always excited to see where the collection contributions are going to come from. Hope Logan is the founder and curator behind the digital fashion site “Hope for the Future Unleashed”, Brooke Logan and the Forrester Originals line’s Hope for the Future sprung from a drama-creating bedroom line sales presentation as she wore the “silver Marilyn Monroe” dress. The site was created to engage Hope’s “connect with trendy young women” demographic while “leveraging social media and consumer technology to generate attention and insights”. In addition to Forrester Originals, Steffy Forrester’s “Intimates” line has also made Dedication “with designs that help women look and feel sexy”. However, those collections are not the only thing that this fashion-centered soap has ever contributed to the fashion world. Through the television show’s costumes, television, movie, and cartoon designers also have their hands at helping to contribute.
One of the first major contributions to fashion design on The Bold and the Beautiful came from the creators of the show. Series creator William J. Bell and his wife, series costume designer Lee Phillip Bell conceived the show “as a fashion brand.” With both of them having backgrounds in television and fashion (Lee as America’s Junior Miss in Chicago, and model and her work on The Young and the Restless, and Bill connected to the radio soap Guiding Light), they decided to set the soap in the fashion industry which was a first for daytime television. Their entertainment industry background and vision for the show would eventually lead American fashion to recognizing the soap opera actress as a fashion icon alongside movie stars and television stars. By the late 1980s, they started mixing European designer fashion names such as Valentino, Versace, and Oscar De La Renta with classic bridal fashion and Los Angeles fashion designers in order to reflect Los Angeles “as the fashion capital of the world”.
Iconic Fashion Moments and Looks from Bold and the Beautiful
Taking the literal meaning, Brooke has worn very few clothes when it comes to iconic fashion moments throughout the years, with some of the most memorable being of lovely garments gone with the wind at Ridge’s expense. Nonetheless, just to show off those long stems of hers, she has also been a real fan of the mini. With Gloria Vanderbilt jeans, silk shirts, or teal green pedal pushers set off by white and green print vests, back in the day, Brooke’s Golden Years were no stranger. While we are at it, Brooke was also accountable for creating the early 90s trend of thick, permed, oval hair. With neon eyeshadow and chunky high heels to match, this show was quite bold, the real era of what we would call the early look.
Despite multiple awards, endless male strippers, affairs, and marriages, The Bold and the Beautiful would be nothing without its amazing couture looks on the fair ladies on the show. Since the late 80s, the show has been airing, and from the very beginning, the series’ wardrobe and the beautiful designs of Elizabeth Lauren and our very own Emmy-winning costume designer, Birgit Muller, caught the eye. For over 30 years, the designs kept on getting better and better each season. From the epic age of the power shoulder pads to the more understated style that we have come to know so well, we’ve taken a look at some of the most iconic looks of the most iconic show in the world.
Character Wardrobes That Made a Statement
Effie Trinket may have been a key player in the Hunger Games, but the character captured audiences equally for her bizarre-yet-brilliant fashion choices. Alexander McQueen, Dutch designers Iris van Herpen and Iris de Winter, and Atelier Azzaro were some of the chosen fashion houses to bring the creative fashion in the futuristic world to life.
Diane Von Furstenberg’s signature wrap dresses were favored by Ali MacGraw’s character Jenny Cavalleri in the 1970s Love Story. Not only did it become a best-selling look for the designer, but interestingly, the studio would not pay the cost of borrowing the pieces, leading DVF to supply them for free.
Melrose Place’s resident bad girl Amanda Woodward always made a dramatic entrance, and her power wardrobe was always up to the task. The Stamford Law School grad swapped business attire and led her to trade her business attire for more bold looks from fashion houses like Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, and Moschino.
Special Occasion Outfits and Red Carpet Looks
Katie Logan’s wedding dress was designed by one of fashion’s greatest and was specially made for this series. Taylor Hayes’ wedding dress was inspired by The Romans movie, designed by Donfeld, and made by Merry Eckert especially for her. Pam Doucette’s wedding suit was also specially designed for her role in The Bold and the Beautiful. Stephanie Forrester’s last dress, imagined and conceived with so much affection, is filled with remembrances, symbolism, and emotions leading to her happy ending in this soap opera. Another dress that is not directly related to a wedding ceremony is Kristen’s fashion choice for her husband’s book release. The same happiness comes with emotional and financial results that present their true partners to their friends and relatives at the charitable gala organized in Eric’s house. The Bold and the Beautiful characters have often participated in various other kinds of events, such as premieres, business projects, and celebrations, with adequate formal dress. They enjoyed the desired good results because “when an enchanted moment arrives, something magical happens”.
In addition to daywear and work clothes, the designers of The Bold and the Beautiful created their looks for special occasions. Various plot twists within the series have required clothing studies for weddings and baptisms, as well as expensive red carpet fashion. The blend of business and glamour in a television soap opera’s fashion is of great interest, and here are some examples.
Impact on Pop Culture and Fashion Industry
The present study relies on focus groups, surveys, and interviews to study the content of popular culture series and their aesthetic impact on the fashion industry and end user. By examining data from two popular culture series, The Bold and the Beautiful and Dynasty, and comparing these outcome-based data, the present research studies the exposure and responses of two consumer groups who indicated that they shopped and purchased frequently at high fashion stores. The study also draws on in-depth interviews with PR and marketing managers representing various high fashion labels. The implications of cross-pollination for future collaborations between high fashion labels and TV series/film production companies are also discussed. The study suggests that a screen representation of a stylish consumer group and references to a high fashion store may not automatically result in the sale of high fashion products. Advertising and public relations managers involved in this type of product placement should look beyond the commercial effect and also focus on reaching an empathic chord between the brand and consumer in order to create value.
Pop culture is a constant reference point for fashion. It is increasingly apparent that high fashion labels are able to rely on collaborations with popular culture both for product sales and for forming a stronger and more accessible image. From Gossip Girl to Sex and the City, these television series and other media sources have shaped the popular view of the fashion industry by showcasing fictional, yet well-dressed, people that the public can now relate to both through fictitious and very concrete product placement, thus tenuously bridging the gap between the fashion industry and end consumer. Over time, fictional representation of the fashion industry has become more elaborate, focused, and invested. The opportunity for cross-pollination between popular culture and the fashion industry, as a result, has similarly expanded.
Celebrity Endorsements and Collaborations
The association between fashion and celebrity is a natural one, and fashion houses use actors and models as their “faces.” It is a fact that we see models and celebrities selling perfume, hosiery, or watches with regularity. The success of these advertisements has led to the collaboration of designers with celebrities in various ways. The star brings his or her own style and name to the product, while a heap of money, worldwide promotional opportunities, and an increase in the aura of the fashion house more than compensate the celebrity. “Film and fashion are linked,” Karan said, because “both are about images, timing, and evolution.” Karen, who has built a business estimated in 1997 at $400 million to $450 million, has been involved for more than ten years in creating costumes for movies and planning red-carpet appearances. Celebrity women like Oprah Winfrey, Glenn Close, and Barbra Streisand are some of Karan’s close friends, as well as clients. All assist in promoting Karan’s aggressive women-friendly designs. “We’re into partnerships,” the designer added, as she has taken the partnership route with Uma Thurman, Paltrow, and others who wear her clothes in public or otherwise serve as company ambassadors. Celebrity collaborations have increasing visibility—drawing media coverage like that allocated to fashion shows. Celebrities have also crossed the lines to become active in label design.
In the modern marketplace, consumers are apparently more susceptible to endorsements by celebrities than anything else. They value recommendations to which they can relate and pay repeatedly for the pleasure of identifying with their favorite celebrity. According to a survey by Taylor Nelson Sofres in the United States, 14 percent of consumers with television sets agree with the statement, “I sometimes buy a product simply because my favorite celebrity uses it.” This is nearly twice as common as in previous surveys. The figure is even higher in Europe. Marketers, aware of the power of celebrity endorsements, spend billions of dollars to see their brand associated with a powerful, talented, and respected poser or performer. The basic idea of matching a product and a position to a celebrity’s image and appeal continues to be quite popular, and many international and local celebrities represent a wide range of products.
