Brief
Costume designer Grace Snell blends history and modern style for new ‘Sense and Sensibility’ film
Snell drew on early‑2000s family photos, runway looks from the ’80s and ’90s, and archival paintings to create costumes that feel both authentic and accessible.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Grace Snell, the costume designer for Georgia Oakley’s 2026 film adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility,” said she combined historical research with modern styling to make the Dashwood sisters’ wardrobes feel both period‑accurate and relatable, Variety reported.
What happened
The production, starring Daisy Edgar‑Jones as Elinor and Esmé Creed‑Miles as Marianne, required distinct visual treatments for two main settings: the rural Barton Cottage in Devonshire and the bustling London society scene. Snell explained that the countryside chapters focus on intimate family moments, while the city chapters demand a different palette to reflect the sisters’ public presentation.
What the reports add
Snell said the film is set during an “unusual transition period” between the Georgian and Regency eras, when fashion began shifting toward the simpler styles associated with Austen’s world. To capture this, she consulted period‑accurate paintings, archival costume pieces, and family portraits from the early 2000s. She also referenced runway looks from the 1980s and 1990s to give the costumes a contemporary edge.
What was said
“I really homed in on the intimacy that is within a family,” Snell told Variety. “Particularly with sisters, and how relaxed and how comfortable they are with each other, and what that looks like in clothing.” She added, “There’s moments of borrowing because that’s what sisters do. They’re stealing clothes from each other… The dynamic of those sisters and how they share clothes and how they’re inspired by each other was important.”
How it came about
Snell, who studied historical dress at university, hired a dress historian for three weeks of research. She reworked fabrics so garments appear to have lived histories, emphasizing the idea that clothing is loved, shared, and borrowed within a family. Her goal, she said, was to “knock down the wall that often is associated with period dramas” and make the film’s world feel accessible to modern audiences.
Key facts
- Grace Snell is the costume designer for the 2026 film adaptation of ‘Sense and Sensibility’ (variety.com)
- The film stars Daisy Edgar‑Jones as Elinor and Esmé Creed‑Miles as Marianne (variety.com)
- Snell blended period‑accurate paintings, early‑2000s family photos, and 1980s‑90s runway looks (variety.com)
- A dress historian was consulted for three weeks of research (variety.com)
- Snell aimed to make the period piece feel more accessible to contemporary viewers (variety.com)
Sources
- [1] variety.com — originally reported as “‘Sense and Sensibility’ Costume Designer on Blending Historical Accuracy and Modern Styling for the Dashwood Sisters: ‘We Want to Do Jane Austen Justice’”
