Doctor Who - Season 25 (1988)

'The Happiness Patrol'

Costume Design by Richard Croft

Croft designed a double-breasted jacket and skirt made of crushed red velvet for Sheila Hancock as the dictator Helen A, the outfit complimented by the gaudy wig and makeup. The double-breasted jacket gave an authoritarian nature, befitting the character's role.

Croft also designed a set of wide-sleeved, loosely cut jackets, with lighter coloured rings of fabric around the waist (that were obscured by the belts worn with the jackets).

In-Vision incorrectly (as usual!) states that they were bought, but this auction listing for one of the jackets proves that they were made by the costumier Derek West.

For the rat-like 'Pipe People, Croft designed and made a set of hooded gowns made up of a quilt of different fabrics in white, black and grey, with belts of coloured fabric.

'Silver Nemesis'

Costume Design by Richard Croft

One of Croft's main tasks was to design and fabricate the silvery dress worn by Fiona Tucker as the Nemesis statue. According to Mike Tucker in an interview with the WhoSFX blog, the dress was coated in Front Axial Projection material that would reflect any light shone on it.

Croft also designed and made a set of Cybermen jumpsuits, as the ones originally made for 'Earthshock' years earlier were not fit to be reused anymore. The new jumpsuits were fastened by a zipper, and had wires attached to the cuffs and ankles to give a more futuristic element.

The helmets and chestplates were yet again made by Richard Gregory, as discussed by Mike Tucker in the previously linked WhoSFX interview.

'The Greatest Show in the Galaxy'

Costume Design by Rosalind Ebbutt

Many circus costumes were designed and made for serial by Rosalind Ebbutt, with the first being the tailcoat, waistcoat and trousers worn by Ricco Ross as the Ringmaster. Ebbutt showed me a sketch she had done for the character, with fabric swatches, confirming the costume was designed and made for Ross.

Ebbutt also designed and made a silvery clown costume for Ian Reddington to wear as the Chief Clown, with his costume made out of a shimmering metallic grey fabric.

Ebbutt also designed and made several clown costumes for the extras playing the Chief Clown's robotic minions, with her sketches published in In-Vision's issue for the serial (for once, it is actually useful about Doctor Who's costuming!)

Ebbutt designed and made the clown costumes in several styles. Four clown costumes were made as patterned one-piece garments, with some having strips of translucent material over them.

Two clown costumes were made in a wide-shouldered suit and trousers style, made of shiny patterned fabrics.

Three clown costumes were made in a waistcoat and tailcoat fashion, with a set of overtly long trousers made for the performer who would walk on stilts.

The last two clown costumes were made in a baggy shirt and pants style, both of them with comically oversized ties. Again, all the clown costumes included in this article match the design drawings Ebbutt did for the clown costumes.

For the rest of the serial's guest cast, they were all in wardrobe hires or bought clothes. However, Ebbutt made the futuristic jacket worn by Daniel Peacock as the futuristic biker Nord. The jacket was worn with a helmet modified by a propmaker to have bat ears.

The outfit also worn by Jessica Martin as Mags was also designed by Ebbutt with a look inspired by punk fashions, with a tattered vest and makeshift belt made up of strips of fabric, as well as strips of fabric over a top. The pattern evokes the fur of predatory animals, indicating the character's bestial nature.

Costume Reuse Notes (and In-Vision Inaccuracies):

The men's uniforms in 'The Happiness Patrol' were purchased chef jackets dyed pink and altered with strips of fabric, with the lower ranking male extras wearing vests and caps also dyed pink.

The costume worn by Gerard Murphy as Richard in 'Silver Nemesis' was a wardrobe hire, having first appeared in the 1983 historical drama series By The Sword Divided. Interestingly, Richard Croft was also costume designer on that series!

Until I find information proving otherwise, I will assume that Walker's Jacobean costume as Lady Peinforte in 'Silver Nemesis' was also wardrobe hires. The extras in the Jacobean sequence, as well as the Georgian dress worn by Sophie Aldred for a photoshoot, were definitely wardrobe hires.

(In-Vision's issue on 'Silver Nemesis' claims that the silver Cybermen jumpsuits were minimally altered WWII g-suits, despite that a sketch of the suit is right next to it! Yet it says Gerard Murphy's costume was custom-made? Did In-Vision *ever* get it right?)

All of the other clown costumes briefly glimpsed in 'Greatest Show in the Galaxy' that don't match Ebbutt's design drawings, were wardrobe hires according to Ebbutt herself, hence not included in this article. All the other period costumes in that serial were also wardrobe hires.

(In-Vision claims that the sweater worn by Gian Sammarco as Whizzkid in 'Greatest Show of the Galaxy' was knitted by Ebbutt, when more than likely it was a wardrobe hire. In-Vision...I give up.)