A Visit With BAFTA/Emmy Award Winning Costume Designer Andrea Galer

The Anglophile Channel was delighted to visit with BAFTA/Emmy Award winning Costume Designer, Andrea Galer, best known for her timeless creations in such classic British period dramas as: Mansfield Mark, Persuasion, Jane Eyre, Miss Austen Regrets and much more.

BAFTA/EMMY AWARD Winning Costume Designer, Andrea Galer

Ms. Galer was gracious enough to invite us into her studios in London where we enjoyed a lovely afternoon chat and tour of her inspirational design haven.

Andrea Galer Costume Designs

Andrea hails from Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England and comes from a family of “makers”. She says she was always around creativity and, having craft skills was a common talent in her household.

One of Andrea’s earliest films was as the costume designer for the British cult classic movie, Withnail & I starring Richard E. Grant. The iconic coat worn by Grant in the film was woven by the weavers of Harris Tweed and is now available for special order purchase…a ‘must have’ for most Withnail aficionados! Fans will also be delighted to know that the film is enjoying a limited re-release of a newly restored version.

Richard E Grant wears the now iconic Andrea Galer jacket!

The iconic coat worn by Grant in the film was woven by the weavers of Harris Tweed and is now available for special order purchase…a ‘must have’ for most Withnail aficionados! Fans will also be delighted to know that the film is enjoying a limited re-release of a newly restored version.

Iconic Withnail coat now available for special order!

Andrea displays the special hand-sewn patch that can be personalized for its recipient.

But it has been Andrea’s passion and talent for fashion across historical periods that has gained her the most notoriety. Ms. Galer won a BAFTA in 2006 for Bleak House starring Carey Mulligan, Anna Maxwell Martin and Gillian Anderson, and an EMMY AWARD in 2007 for Jane Eyre starring Ruth Wilson. Jane Austen fans will also recognize her period designs from recent favorites, Persuasion starring Academy Award nominee Sally Hawkins and the dashing Rupert Penry-Jones and, Mansfield Park with Frances O’Connor.

Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones in Persuasion.

Mr. Penry-Jones cuts quite the dashing figure as Capt. Wentworth.

Frances O’Connor in Mansfield Park

During our tour of Andrea’s studio, she decided to surprise our little Anglophile, Miss Juliette Boland, when she had her model an actual costume used in the BBC production of Jane Eyre. A dream come true for Juliette!

Juliette Boland in the Emmy Award winning costume worn by Cosima Littlewood in the role of Adele.

Andrea’s costumes have enjoyed exhibitions at many iconic heritage houses and estates around England in an effort to share her years of dedication and research of how fashion, crafts and lifestyle affected the times.

Andrea currently has a full slate of projects on the horizon with her most recent accomplishment being designing the costume for the new Jane Austen wax sculpture which made its worldwide debut on July 9th, 2014 at The Jane Austen Centre in Bath.

New Jane Austen Wax Sculpture on display at The Jane Austen Centre, Bath

With no “acceptable likeness” FBI-trained forensic artist Malissa Dring firstly produced a sketch. Mark Richards created the sculpture of Jane Austen. Andrea designed the outfit, the fabric chosen was produced by Andrea from Barbara Johnson’s famous ledger of style and fabrics. Andrea connects this project to THREADS OF TIME which she also spoke to us at length.

Threads of Time by Andrea Galer Modeled by Daisy Michie

The Threads of Time project began in 2012 when Rupert Penry Jones was photographed at Waterloo studios. A series of “The Girl In The Red Dress” videos have followed with each leading the viewer from Andrea’s studios and links to locations around the world in an effort to understand the importance of textiles and ‘Why what we wear matters’

Rupert Penry-Jones

The Anglophile Channel was honored to have the opportunity to film our contribution to the “Threads of Time” effort starring our very own Anglophile Channel team member, Elyse Ashton. You can watch the video at the end of our interview.

We hope you enjoy our interview with Andrea Galer and the premiere of “The Girl in The Red Dress” filmed at The St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel.