Rivals costume designer honoured to make outfit for Dame Jilly Cooper

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: Rivals costume designer honoured to make outfit for Dame Jilly Cooper4 days ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleLucy OwenBBC WalesGetty ImagesThe late Dame Jilly Cooper with David Tennant and other Rivals cast membersThe man behind the costumes on the hit TV series Rivals has said it was an honour to create an outfit for the late author Dame Jilly Cooper. The drama, starring David Tennant, Danny Dyer, Aidan Turner and Emily Atack, is based on the second book in Dame Jilly's best-selling Rutshire Chronicles series about the competition between two firms. Costume designer Ray Holman, from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, said he wanted to create something that Dame Jilly, who had a cameo role in the show, loved to wear.

"One of the things I suggested was a blue satin suit and she adored it," he said. "She loved it so much she wore it to get her damehood and she wore it at the Hay festival. "Holman told Radio Wales he was inspired by the way Cooper dressed when she was younger.

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"It didn't feel like she wore many dresses... Jilly was a country woman. "Holman was working on the set of the second series when the author died aged 88 in October following a fall at her home.

"'Everybody had to go to the studio and they told us what had happened to Jilly and there was a lot of emotion," he said. "We were all really upset. "We carried on filming but they said don't go home after.

"They wheeled out a glass of champagne for everyone and said this is what she would have wanted. "Ray HolmanCostume designer Ray Holman has worked on a number of other TV shows including Doctor Who and BroadchurchHe said Dame Jilly was heavily involved in the production. "To see the joy on her face when she came to visit with all the amazing actors and crew, and she was really, really supportive.

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"The second season is set in 1987 with the backdrop of a general election. Holman said the costumes were crucial to making the era feel authentic, and that he dipped into his own collection of original Vogue magazines to begin researching the decade. Many costumes were made especially for the cast while others were purchased from vintage stores.

"I'm always searching for vintage jewellery," he said. "In fact, Splott market was the place to go, and one of the stallholders was saying, 'why are you buying all this? "Holman said he was also guided by Dame Jilly when creating different looks for her characters.

Dame Jilly told Holman that Corinium TV executive Lord Tony Baddingham, played by David Tennant, had "once seen a production of Bugsy Malone, and he loved the power suits and the big pinstripes and that's what he bases his look on", he recalled. Holman also said Tennant was happy to embrace the style, especially as "everything David wears as Tony is made especially for him".

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.