A medieval solution to very modern wardrobe dilemmas

REMEMBER WHEN JK ROWLING’S first book made its cinematic debut in 2001? My mother took my sisters and I to see it and I fell head over heels in love with the irresistibly cute, bespectacled Harry. My real obsession and my first fashion crush, however, was Hermione. I repeatedly asked for a hair crimper and a fringe, both of which my mother refused but she eventually did give in, and bought me black velcro Mary-Jane shoes with a heel – a big deal back then – and a brown shoulder schoolbag.

Of course, at 13 I was old enough to know that the world of Harry Potter was just a visually-rich fictional plot played out by great characters, but the impact it had on literature, culture and, indeed, costume was ten-fold. Fast forward nearly two decades and I’ve grown up watching Harry along with Lord of the Rings and, more recently, Games of Thrones. Fans obsess over them – my boyfriend set his alarm and crept downstairs at 2am to watch the return of the seventh series of the latter earlier this week.

But perhaps the most inspirational element of the TV series has been for fashion designers. Chanelling a cape and excessive amounts of brocade might not be your thing but the costumes dreamed up by the Emmy-winning GoT designer Michele Clapton and her army of embroiderers, jewellers and seamstresses has given catwalks food for thought.

Take the revival of folksy appliqués at Dolce & Gabbana and the wave of pagan-inspired gowns at Valentino and Alberta Ferretti. More literal interpretations have been seen at Givenchy – if you have any sort of studded waistcoat in your wardrobe, you can thank Riccardo Tisci’s badass GoT-inspired SS15 collection.

Note more medieval grandeur and witchy romance at Ralph & Russo, who modelled their SS16 collection on Queen Cersei’s opulent winter-wear, while Ellie Saab’s beautifully-embellished cream corsetstyle dresses were somewhat similar to those worn by Margaery Tyrell.

As catwalks reference the series, so too does the high street, where embroideries and embellishment, vintage fabrics and architectural decoration have been informing trends. Everyone from Zara, H&M and Warehouse to Dorothy Perkins, M&S and ASOS have dabbled with folky, romantic stories over the past few seasons.

Escapism is one of the pleasures of getting dressed and while some of us may not think we can ever carry off jazzy embellishment or heavily-embroidered pieces on its most basic level, Game of Thrones is addictively entertaining. Working a touch of Westeros into your own wardrobe should be playful and fun.

Escapism is one of the pleasures of getting dressed