Capture Betty Ford's fun and glamorous style in The First Lady

How costume designer Signe Sellund transformed Michelle Pfeiffer into her cute outfit for the Showtime series.

Like the proverbial woman behind the world's most powerful man, the first lady often plays the unspecified role of a political ally, envoy, housewife, and in some cases, arbiter of style.

The new Showtime series The First Lady features three women living at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. from 1933 to 2020, with Gillian Anderson as senior First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt; Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford; and Viola Davis as Michelle Obama. Their personal and personal journeys are often depicted in their costumes, and what they have in common is their love of pearls. Designed by Danish costume designer Signe Seylund (The Undoing, Bird Box), the fashion plays a supporting role in the series.

"This job is terrifying because it is a great honor for me to have the opportunity to tell the story of this extraordinary woman," they said. "[Together with director Susan Beer], we wanted to get it right, but there were aliens designing the costumes and telling the story simultaneously. It's not a bad idea because my eyes see it differently. The things I see can be different from American designers."

Armed with extensive research from the Smithsonian archives and photos and articles from newspapers and magazines, Sailond tackles a wide range of projects, from Roosevelt dresses and coats in her favorite purple and burgundy tones to Obama's one-shoulder suit, Jason Wu im 2012. The inauguration was white. Silk and chiffon with handmade organza flowers. (The designer made a copy of the First Lady's production gown.)

"We were 130 years old when we met Elinor when we were eight and ended up with Michelle Obama in 2020," the costume designer said.