I make it no secret that I am a fan
of Jane Austen BBC films, Downton
Abbey and other Victorian period
dramas. I have never posted here about my all time favorite so here goes.
I spent 28 years in retail so I was naturally drawn to this BBC British
drama which came out in 2012 and features the story of what
is suggested as the first English
department store "The Paradise".
The film begins in 1875.
Because
another series had more viewers (Mr. Selfridge) they only did 2 seasons
of "The Paradise" which was a disappointment
to me.
to "The Paradise":
So the story evolves around the lovely
Denise Lovett (above)who moves from a small town in Scotland to live with her
Uncle Edmund who owns a struggling little outdated business across the street
from the successful "Paradise".
Despite her modest background,
Denise catches the eye of the owner,
Moray (a widower)and gets a job
there in ladies wear.
If you love seeing Victorian clothing
and especially women's hats, jewelry
and dresses, you will be dazzled by
what you see. Sometimes I love the
costuming and sometimes Katherine Glendenning's dresses with matching
hats and purses are a bit overwhelming. She even ordered a matching dress with one for new (by marriage) daughter and
her one for daughter's doll?
I am not here to tell you the story
told in "The Paradise" but just to say
that the costumes are incredible. As
for the men, their jackets, ties and
smart vests are absolutely gorgeous.
The building itself is a wonder to
behold but especially the wrought iron
looking gazebo structure when you
enter the main room of the floor
level of "The Paradise". Everything
is so beautiful and presented so
lovely.
