Exhibition: Costume Design: the Alchemy of Ann and John Bloomfield

Staged in consultation with the Bloomfields, the exhibition reveals the story of their long and fruitful creative partnership, bringing together design drawings as well as original costumes and accessories from their 40 year career. The display will showcase some of their best known work including The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1970, BBC), Doctor Who (1977, BBC) and the original Poldark series (1975-76, BBC) through to big budget blockbuster films such as Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and The Mummy (1999).

Ann and John Bloomfield’s screen careers began in 1962, at the dawn of colour television in the UK. Global recognition came early, thanks to their work on The Six Wives of Henry VIII (BBC, 1970), the phenomenally popular, groundbreaking series that helped to establish the BBC as the decade’s pre-eminent producer of costume drama. This was in no small part down to the sumptuous period detailing that Ann and John built into every ensemble. Many of the original drawings use old magazine paper and photocopy with tissue paper, giving a three dimensional feel that is difficult to achieve in a painted medium alone. Together, these drawings distil the qualities of the character through line and paper, giving us a first glimpse of their look and feel.

Thanks to the Bloomfield’s ingenuity and artisanal skills, to the camera, these are colourfully rich, regal Tudor garments and bejewelled accessories, but on closer scrutiny, the Bloomfield sketches and costumes unlock the secrets to their creation, emerging from painted and bleached fabrics, as well as a selection of everyday haberdashery and household items to bring the lives and loves of the Tudor Court to life. Such was the interest in the costumes that they went on exhibition at the V&A Museum, London, before touring the world.