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- Netflix South Africa took over the Memoire Events and Wedding Venue, west of Johannesburg for the Bridgerton Season 3 launch.
- Stars from all over the continent flew in for the event.
- Adjoa Andoh, who plays Lady Danbury in the show, travelled to South Africa as part of the Bridgerton World Tour.
A year after welcoming Golda Rosheuvel and Arsema Thomas to Cape Town for the launch of Bridgerton spin-off, Queen Charlotte, Netflix South Africa rolled out the red carpet for Adjoa Andoh, who plays Lady Danbury in the show.
Andoh travelled to South Africa as part of the Bridgerton World Tour, which took in several cities worldwide, ahead of the upcoming third season of the beloved Shondaland show. Speaking to guests after making her grand entrance, Andoh expressed how honoured she was to be in South Africa to celebrate with people from different African countries because the continent plays a prominent part in the show this season.
Stars from all over the continent flew in for the event at the Memoire Events and Wedding Venue, west of Johannesburg and shut down the red carpet to take pictures and videos for social media before making their way into the venue for the celebration where there wasn't an empty seat in sight. While most event hosts struggle to get guests to attend, the streaming giant often has the opposite problem with several people aching to get invited to an event hosted by Netflix.
Red carpet critique has become a national sport for fashion-loving South Africans (Kenyans, Tanzanians, Nigerians and Ghanaians) who refresh their social media timelines, eagerly awaiting images to weigh in on. The Bridgerton South Africa season three launch was nothing short of a feast for the eyes.
@kay_tatyana Back a year after last year's #BridgertonZA ? son original - ?????????? ??????????????????
Guests were invited to interpret the theme "Regency Era: Into The Spotlight", paying homage to the time period in which the show is set.
The Regency era is a distinctive period in British history, primarily associated with the early 19th century.
Named after the regency of George, Prince of Wales, who served as the Prince Regent from 1811 to 1820, during the mental illness of his father, King George III, the era is often considered to extend beyond these dates to cover the period from the late 18th century to the beginning of the Victorian era in 1837.
The Regency era has been illustrated in numerous films and television shows, with Jane Austen adaptations being among the most notable.
Shows and movies like Pride and Prejudice (especially the 1995 BBC series), Sense and Sensibility, and Emma offer a glimpse into the society, beliefs, and fashion of the time. Bridgerton is the most recent show to bring this era to life with a modern twist, showcasing the opulence and intricacies of the period's social life and fashion.
The Regency era remains a fascinating period of history, known for its distinctive culture, fashion, and social dynamics, which continue to captivate audiences today.
Because the shows - Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte - oscillate between different time periods in the characters' lives, guests at these events often mistake Victorian era fashion for Regency era fashion as evidenced by the outfits worn to this event, reminiscent of the billowing brocade gowns and towering updos sported by Rosheuvel's Queen Charlotte.
Beading was also not prominent in the evening wear worn in this period and in the rare event that a gown was beaded, the beads were reserved for the trimming of the bodice and sparsely added to a gown, unlike the stoned and beaded modern-day silhouettes worn on the red carpet.
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Regency era fashion is characterised by its elegance and simplicity, influenced by classical Greek and Roman styles.
For women, the most identifiable characteristics included:
- Empire waist dresses, with a high waistline just under the bust.
- Light, flowing fabrics such as muslin and silk.
- Short, puffed sleeves for day dresses and long, slender sleeves for evening.
- Soft, pastel colours and white were popular but not always preferred.
Men's fashion featured:
- Tailcoats that were fitted and cut away at the front.
- Full-length trousers, which replaced knee-length breeches.
- Waistcoats, cravats, and tall boots.
Regency era society was marked by sharp contrasts between the wealthy upper classes and the poor. The upper classes indulged in extravagant lifestyles, attending balls, parties, and other social gatherings, while the lower classes faced harsh living and working conditions. Beliefs during this period were influenced by Romanticism, a movement that emphasised emotion, individualism, and a glorification of the past and nature. This was a reaction against the Enlightenment ideals of the previous century, which had focused on reason and science.
As seen on the show, social life in the Regency era was highly structured, with strict codes of conduct governing interactions. Marriage and courtship were also significant aspects of social life, with young women and men participating in social events to find suitable partners.
Much of this will be seen in the upcoming season, with Andoh's character, Lady Danbury, playing a significant role in guiding the young singles of the show who wish to get married.
The third season of Bridgerton airs in two parts with Part 1 (the first four episodes) premiering on 13 May and Part 2 (the last four episodes) premiering a month later on 13 June.
