THE UNDECLARED WAR (SERIES 2)

PLAYGROUND TELEVISION/ CHANNEL 4 · Costume Designer

DIRECTOR — Paul McGuigan

PRODUCER — Caroline Levy

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS — Colin Callender, Daniel Gratton, Noëlette Buckley, Peter Kosminsky, Colin Teevan, Paul McGuigan

SERIES TRAILER

THE DESIGN

For Series 2 of The Undeclared War, the contemporary world of cyber warfare and international espionage offered an opportunity to develop a heightened visual language, balancing the credibility of intelligence and government environments with a bold, unconventional approach to colour and pattern. Working closely with director Paul McGuigan and the wider creative team, I explored a saturated palette of reds, greens and blues, drawing on the visual language of technology, reflections and layered imagery to create a distinctive, sometimes deliberately disorientating aesthetic.

Character individuality was central to the design. Barbara Patrick’s expressive, Hong Kong-influenced wardrobe embraced vivid colour and unexpected pattern, contrasting with Danny Patrick’s restrained, functional style. Charlie Francis brought warmth into the cooler institutional world, while Nicky’s evolving wardrobe traced his journey from youthful activism through sophisticated independence towards corporate conformity.

The costumes were designed to work both individually and within the production’s wider visual composition, using colour, texture, silhouette and pattern to suggest personality, shifting loyalties and concealed identities. The result was a contemporary design language that embraced visual complexity and character-led storytelling without abandoning the realism of the world.

EXPLORE THE WORK