''We designed 47 different looks": Bridgerton designer reveals behind-the-scenes secrets about Penelope's major transformation in Season 3

Penelope Featherington's transformation in Bridgerton was goals! That's what every fan felt when Nicola Coughlan descended those stairs as Penelope in Season 3 and became the talk of the ton.

Netflix's regency romance series Bridgerton has always been in the news for its daring fashion choices, which is the perfect mix of the regency period and modern times.

From Queen Charlotte's elaborate wigs to Daphne's floral and elegant corsets, the series has nailed the fashion scene in every season. However, Penelope Featherington's transformation in Season 3 was one step ahead and aptly introduced her as the season's protagonist.

To become her own person and win the affections of Colin, Pen sheds her vibrant yellow dresses for flowy and pastel ones and metamorphoses into a desirable spouse.

Talking to The Hollywood Reporter, Bridgerton designer Erika Ökvist revealed the inspiration behind Pen's makeover was iconic Old Hollywood symbols like Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, and Jessica Rabbit.

Season 3 was Penelope's shining moment, and the designer wanted Coughlan's look to be perfect, as she discussed:

''We designed 47 different looks for Penelope’s hair and makeup.''

More on this in our story.

Bridgerton designer reveals BTS secrets behind Penelope's transformation in Season 3

While Bridgerton has always brought their A-game in fashion and hairstyle, Penelope's major transformation in Season 3 was the talk of the ton.

Right from when it was announced that Season 3 would adapt Colin and Penelope's love story, book lovers were anticipating the heroine's major transformation and it was everything they had hoped for.

While a makeover montage was highly popular in early 2000s rom-coms, Netflix's Bridgerton brought it back with Penelope's stunning transformation, which had everyone's jaw on the floor.

Throughout the show's first two seasons, Penelope was shown wearing almost child-like bright coloured yellow and green dresses, which reflected her naivety and also put her in direct contrast with her evil mother and other Featherington sisters.

However, Season 3 was her moment to shine. Not only did her love story with Colin take centre stage but her secret identity as Lady Whistledown was also revealed, shining the brightest spotlight on her and a major makeover was in order.

After being neglected throughout her life, she finally decides to take things into her own hands and debuts in a new avatar, stunning everyone.

Discussing the inspiration behind Pen's transformation, Bridgerton designer Erika Ökvist revealed to Cosmopolitan:

"You’re looking at Penelope changing from the first two seasons – where everything was, very childlike and using very strong colours that don't necessarily work with her skin tone but definitely work with the character – to now.''

She added:

"To make that look more glamorous, we made it more streamlined and instead of doing the makeup to emphasise the childlikeness of a face, we instead went in and we used all lines to elongate the face – lift the cheekbones up to God and have those lovely cat eyes that she can flirt with."

While Bridgerton is always trending on social media because of its fashion choices, Pen's transformation broke all records, with influencers around the world recreating her look. The subtle blend of classic 1800s fashion with modern soft curls, Penelope's makeover highlighted her symbolic stepping into womanhood.

Penelope was living under her mother's rule in Seasons 1 and 2, and this major transformation was symbolic of her breaking free from her reign and becoming her own person. Ökvist further revealed how she used her costume to break the rules:

"She's ahead of her time and exceptional in many ways. And for her to break the rules in that way actually felt like a statement of her power."

Bridgerton Season 4 is currently in production and will likely be released in 2026.

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Also Read: When will Gregory get his own Bridgerton season?

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