Doctor Who - Season 15 (1977)

'The Invisible Enemy'

Costume Design by Raymond Hughes

The serial's medical setting meant that most of the costumes were in primarily white liveries, with green accents. Raymond Hughes designed several spacesuits following this colour scheme, with wiring and lettering fitted on to give them a more realistic feeling.

Costume Reuse note: The spacesuit helmets were reused in the a 1979 episode of the Innes Book of Records, Blake's 7 episode 'Voice from the Past' (repainted silver), Look and Read: The Boy from Space, and the Doctor Who serial 'Terminus'.

A similar uniform is briefly seen worn by the other crewmen on the Titan base; the uniform consists of a white jacket with curved red lining, and ribbed paneling on the bottom. As far as I know there are no auction photos showing the costumes in better detail.

Michael Sheard, as the crewman Lowe, is first seen sporting a futuristic uniform consisting of a grey top and pants; the top is fixed with a strip of material on one side, with a stiff collar as well.

The crew of the medical station wear jumpsuits with wide collars, with a single pocket on one leg. Some of the crewmen jumpsuits have strips of fabric down one side. The women's uniform is a jumpsuit of green vinyl, with dark green pocket flaps. All the medical personnel wear skullcaps with green lining.

The one exception is Frederick Jaeger as Professor Marius, who wears a dark green jacket made of wool, with leather shoulder pads, and is worn with customized shoes.

'Image of the Fendahl'

Costume Design by Dee Robson (credited as Dee Kelly)

One of Robson's duties was to redesign Louise Jameson's costume as the warrior woman Leela, replacing the heavier costume designed by Ann & John Bloomfield in the preceding season's 'The Face of Evil'.

The new costume was a minidress made of chamois leather, with stitching to make it appear more 'primitive'. Boots and arm bands, also made of leather, completed the look.

Robson's other main costume priority was the titular Fendahl, played by Wanda Ventham. Robson designed an elaborate dress, with Greco-Roman influences, in golden fabrics; the look was completed with facial makeup and a wig.

(The robes worn during the occult ceremony were no doubt reused monk habits from the wardrobe department)

'The Sun Makers'

Costume Design by Christine Rawlins

Rawlins had previously been costume designer for all the serials of the show's seventh season. Unlike these serials, this one was entirely set in the future, meaning Rawlins would have to make several futuristic costumes. Rawlins designed a unique costume for Henry Woolf to wear as the alien Collector, resembling a cross between a business suit and a kaftan, made of pinstriped fabric.

Rawlins also designed a colourful costume for Richard Leech to wear as the Collector's henchman, Gatherer Hade. Hade's costume is a pink and brown striped tunic with a cape fixed around the shoulders, worn over a shiny grey top and large rounded hat. The costume evokes medieval fashion, with futuristic flourishes.

A more typically 'space age' costume was constructed for Jonina Scott as Hade's deputy Marn, consisting of a two-tone golden jumpsuit worn with golden shoes.

Another futuristic costume was made for David Rowlands to wear as Bisham, a disgraced official of 'the Company'. Hade and Marn, as agents of the Company, are flanked by two officials only seen in distance shots, wearing similar uniforms to Rowlands' one, albeit made in dark green and gold respectively. Shame there's no auction photos of these costumes.

The Company's soldiers wear pale blue futuristic uniforms consisting of trousers and jackets with quilted fabric on the shoulders; their commander is distinguished by an embroidered golden badge and collar lining.

Several worker and guard uniforms were also made for the production, consisting of buttoned tunics in either yellow or blue, worn with futuristic vests and caps; the security guard caps and vests are made of a pale blue quilted material, with the caps having transparent plastic visors.

(I at first assumed the tunics were dyed bought ones, but the cut feels a little amateurish to be merely dyed waiter outfits or whatever. Additionally, the trousers are made of the same material as the tunics, which are of a softer material than waiter jackets tend to be - so more than likely these were made by Rawlins' team!

Note: I do not know if the more tattered costumes worn by William Simons as Mandrel and his followers were made for the serial's production, or if they were reused period wardrobe stock.

'Underworld'

Costume Design by Rupert Jarvis

Rupert Jarvis designed several spacesuits made of a shiny golden fabric, with rope-like fabric lining the sleeves and collar; domed helmets were made by the prop department.

The rest of Jarvis' costume duties went to the Seers and their servants; the Seers wear a brown puffy-sleeved robes with golden rings around the front, with tabard-like panels on the front and back. The robes are also worn with hoods that also have golden rings.

The Seers' servants wear similar robes, albeit with triangular collars rather than the tabard-like panels like on the Seers' robes. The officers wear black robes with silver rings, while the guards wear grey robes made of a more coarse material.

Costume Reuse note: One of the officer robes was reused in the Doctor Who serial 'The Caves of Androzani', albeit worn back to front.

(Several tatty slave rags were also made by Jarvis' team for the serial, but I neglected to cover them for being really boring.)

'The Invasion of Time'

Costume Design by Dee Robson (credited as Dee Kelly)

Dee Robson was given the task of continuing the costume style established by James Acheson in 'The Deadly Assassin' a season earlier; as such many of the props and costumes from that serial were reused, altered or worn with new 'hard parts' (caps, chestplates). Milton Johns wears the same cloak made for the Castellan in 'The Deadly Assassin', but with a new gown made of a lighter coloured material instead, and a new skullcap.

Costume Reuse note: I think Johns' robe was reused, and altered with a new chevron strip of fabric, for the serial 'Arc of Infinity' a few years later, but I cannot be sure. I am including it on here to compare and contrast.

A deep plum gown was also designed and constructed by Robon for John Arnatt to wear as the older Borusa; a new skullcap, in similar colours, was also constructed.

Robson also designed and fabricated two more Time Lord gowns, neither of which are seen clearly in this serial. However, the lilac robe saw more reuse by Robson in the serial 'Arc of Infinity' a few years later, worn primarily by Max Harvey as Cardinal Zorac.

Robson made a robe for Hilary Ryder as the technician Rodan, with her pink gown having the same general outline as the other Time Lord gowns, but with cliched futuristic shoulder pads.

Robson also made a gold lamé tabard to be worn by Charles Morgan as the Gold Usher, worn with one of the background extras robes from 'The Deadly Assassin' that was altered with golden lining. An interesting detail is that the gold tabard was later reused in either 'Arc of Infinity' or 'The Five Doctors', with another gold lamé tabard being made for 'Arc of Infinity' (and perhaps that one instead was reused in 'The Five Doctors'?)

I decided to include the duplicate tabard from 'Arc of Infinity' here (worn by either Paul Jericho or Michael Gough in that serial) simply because that serial also had its costumes designed by Robson. However, maybe both tabards were made for 'The Invasion of Time' and we only saw one? Hard to know.

Various robes and cloaks, evoking the ribbed shoulders of Acheson's Time Lord robes for 'The Deadly Assassin', were made for Tom Baker, Lousie Jameson and Hilary Ryder to wear in the serial. The purple and orange cloaks worn by Jameson and Ryder were reused for extras in 'Arc of Infinity' a few years later.

Robson also had to design several makeshift 'primitive' costumes for the 'outsiders' who dwell in Gallifrey's wastelands; the use of artificially patterned fabrics evoking the pelts of alien wildlife. Each 'outsider' costume was unique, utilizing different fabrics, held together with strings.

The invading Vardans are clad in futuristic uniforms consisting of zip-up green jackts and trousers decorated with silver buttons and futuristic emblens on the boots and gloves; the commander is distinguished with white lining on the collar. The uniform is worn with a sleek helmet made by the visual effects department.

Costume Reuse note: The helmets were reused in the Blake's 7 episodes 'Shadow' and 'Dawn of the Gods'.

The Time Lord costumes were not the only James Acheson design that Robson had to replicate; she also had the job of recreating Acheson's Sontarian costume, with multiples to represent an invading Sontaran army - the biggest difference between Acheson's original and Robson's recreation is the waist panelling, cut of the jacket, and new helmets from the visual effects department.