“GLOW,” the Netflix original comedy series inspired by the 1980s professional women’s wrestling TV show of the same name, is back for season 2. Costume designer Beth Morgan shared the behind-the-scenes scoop with FN.
FN: When you researched the ’80s, what stood out shoewise?
Beth Morgan: “There were Stan Smiths. Nike was around, as well as Asics and other brands. But sneaker culture was not nearly what it is today. People still dressed for work, and it wasn’t as casual. High-top classic Reeboks with the Velcro dominated the aerobic landscape, and we wanted to showcase the go-to look for anyone in the ’80s.”
FN: How did the Reebok partnership come together?
BM: “I reached out to Reebok about product placement since we used the shoes so often in the show to see if they had any reproductions of the authentic shoes. Through those conversations, I said it would be awesome to design shoes that were authentic to the period, and they were all on board. I designed the white ones worn by Ruth [Alison Brie] in the final episode and the mauve style worn by Debbie [Betty Gilpin]. The whole idea behind the collaboration is that the product would be in the show, and we could sell them to our fans after we air.”
Watch on FN
FN: What’s your favorite ’80s trend you love to hate now?
BM: “The true ’80s jeans. Like Ruth’s jeans. They are so unflattering. Everybody’s mom wore those jeans. But because I have such warm feelings towards this show, I now love the [period] so much more than I did when I started. It makes me smile thinking about the overdone shoulder pads and the most ridiculous fabrics.”
FN: What was the process like creating the rest of the costumes?
BM: “As we were designing season 1 we knew the characters would end up in the ring as different characters. Ruth becomes Zoya, for example, and Debbie becomes Liberty Belle. It was not only about what would be available [in terms of costumes for the ring], but they are a rag tag bunch of girls so they don’t have a bunch of money. We had to think about what the girls would bring to the table as far as design elements that they think their character would need. We had to keep it authentic and feeling real to what they would actually be able to pull off. It was way more detail-oriented. We custom-made them all. Like Tammé [Kia Stevens] wears Reeboks but we spray-painted them gold because they wouldn’t have had the money to get anything custom.”
Want more?
Reebok’s ’80s and ’90s Sneakers Are Making It Cool Again
Stance Puts Basquiat on Socks — And It’s an Artsy ’80s Punk Dream Come True
