German series The Empress has captivated audiences around the world with the story of the real-life Empress Elisabeth of Austria’s (played by Devrim Lingnau) entrance into Viennese society after meeting and marrying Emperor Franz (Philip Froissant). The story is one that has been told onscreen before, most notably in the Sissi film trilogy of the 1950s, but showrunner Katharina Eyssen brings a modern flair to Elisabeth’s life with The Empress. “The most interesting thing about Elisabeth for me is the duality of her character,” says Eyssen. “Our Elisabeth in The Empress is a creative, untamed, and revolutionary creature who’s entirely out of place in her own time.” 

One of the key elements in conveying Elisabeth’s creative, untamed spirit is the costuming. Designer Gabriela Reumer joined the project before they’d cast Elisabeth, or anyone else, for that matter. “I knew from the start that I could rely on the costumes being an important pillar of this series,” says Eyssen. “We wanted to go in a new and exciting direction with them. Costume design is really a visual level of storytelling. With historical pieces especially, the world is best conveyed via the costumes. Gabriela gives everything a twist, bringing the innermost characters to the surface, so to speak.” 

Reumer was immediately drawn to Elisabeth’s tale, and to Eyssen’s hope of refreshing the story for a modern-day audience. “Empress Elisabeth was one of the first women in history who attempted to emancipate herself, to free herself from the structures of power,” recalls Reumer. “I think you simply can’t tell enough stories about strong women. And how often, as a costume designer, do you get the chance to design clothes like that?”