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There’s nothing better than a period drama to sink your teeth into, especially when it ticks all the boxes: wealthy tycoons, society power plays, forbidden love, warring families, and a great story that keeps unfolding with every episode. The Gilded Age has it all, and season two has just landed on Paramount+.
Created, written and executive produced by Oscar® and Emmy® winner Julian Fellowes, The Gilded Age follows Marian, a strong-willed young woman who moves in with her old-money aunts and quickly gets entangled in a social war with their new-money neighbours. In a world on the brink of the modern age, will she follow the rules of society or forge her own path?
There’s nothing better than a period drama to sink your teeth into, especially when it ticks all the boxes: wealthy tycoons, society power plays, forbidden love, warring families, and a great story that keeps unfolding with every episode. The Gilded Age has it all, and season two has just landed on Paramount+.
Created, written and executive produced by Oscar® and Emmy® winner Julian Fellowes, The Gilded Age follows Marian, a strong-willed young woman who moves in with her old-money aunts and quickly gets entangled in a social war with their new-money neighbours. In a world on the brink of the modern age, will she follow the rules of society or forge her own path?
A golden era
America’s Gilded Age was a period of huge economic growth, social change and conflict between old ways and new innovations in the decades leading up to the 1900s. Dynasties were created, fortunes were made and lost, and epic battles for social supremacy waged between old money families and the new billionaires of industry rising through the ranks.
Remember the 2022 Met Gala theme, ‘Gilded Glamour’? It was inspired by this era and was the year Blake Lively slayed in metallic Atelier Versace and Kim K caused a stir in Marilyn Monroe’s iconic gold dress.
Season 2 – scandals, scoundrels and social climbers
Picking up the story from season one of The Gilded Age (which you can catch up with on Paramount+), headliners Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City, And Just Like That) and Christine Baranski (Mamma Mia!, The Good Wife) return as sisters Ada and Agnes, New York’s old-money society doyennes who have now declared war on the rapidly encroaching, socially ambitious Bertha (played by Carrie Coon). Around them, as the families and supporting characters evolve and grow, they must also navigate the changing times and societal values around them.
As Bertha inches toward a leading role in society, Ada finds an unexpected new love interest (which, of course, Agnes doesn’t approve of), and Peggy (played by Denee Benton) taps into her activist spirit while pursuing her dream of becoming a writer.
Let’s hear it for New York
Set against a stunning backdrop of old New York City and recognisable landmarks such as the Brooklyn Bridge, the production of The Gilded Age is meticulous. And fans of lavish period costumes are in for a real treat. In an interview with Variety, lead costume designer Kasia Walicka-Maimone describes how she and her team of 65 created every costume from scratch to carefully reflect each male and female character’s standing in society, their role and personality: hats, shoes, gowns and everything in between.
From Agnes and Ada’s old-money conservative ‘quiet luxury’ style to Martha’s ‘young girl in a new city’ looks and Peggy’s ‘Black Elite’ wardrobe, every look was painstakingly researched for accuracy.
And for Bertha, the up-and-coming queen bee of New York social circles? “She’s trying to be the grand dame of all the grand dames,” Walicka-Maimone said. “I tried to create this subtle difference between her costumes and the ‘old money.’ The silhouette is the same — nobody would dare break the silhouette — but with Bertha, she goes more with what’s current fashion.”
All episodes of The Gilded Age are now streaming exclusively on Paramount+.
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