Last month, Amazon announced that it was cancelling The Wheel of Time, its epic fantasy show based on the novels by Robert Jordan. A thousand thousand fans cried out in despair over the cancellation of the best fantasy series on TV, and quickly got to work trying to save it. It remains to be seen whether that will work. Meanwhile, costume designer Sharon Gilham is sharing inside looks at some of the outfits she and her team made but didn't get a chance to use, and they've got me mad and sad all over again.
Gilham posted this pic the other day: an elaborate white gown with a huge train. This was meant to be worn by the Forsaken sorceress Lanfear (Natasha O'Keeffe). It almost looks like a wedding gown, but with strange distinctive touches that fit in with the overall design aesthetic of The Wheel of Time:
Lanfear is known for pulling off all kinds of awesome outfits, and this would fit right in. I love the giant swoopy sleeves, the hexagon pattern on the enormous train, and the general air of etherealness. It's a pretty dress, although you know Lanfear could have worn it and made it look like the most wicked and threatening garment yet donned by a human being.
In the comments under the post, a fan asks if this was a costume designed for season 3 but not used, or if it was an early construction meant for season 4. "A bit of both," Gilham replied. Obviously Gilham and her team wouldn't go to the trouble of making this outfit if they didn't at least intend to use it, and it's killing me that we'll probably never get to see it in action onscreen, because it is, like all of Gilham's work, stunning.
That is, unless another network or streaming service wises up and decides to continue making The Wheel of Time. If the show doesn't get picked up, it won't be for lack of trying on the part of the fans, who are doing their damnedest to get the show the attention it deserves. In the meanwhile, Gilham often shares inside information about the show's beautiful costumes on her Instagram, which is well worth checking out.
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