Wednesday night, the cast, crew, and fans of Versailles gathered at the Payne Whitney House, home of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, to celebrate the premiere of the period drama’s second season.
Guests sipped on King Louis XIVs, the night’s signature cocktail with gin, Chambord, bitters, and a splash of orange juice, and snacked on hors d’oeuvres like escargot samosas and grilled artichoke. After listening to a presentation by executive producer Claude Chelli and costume designer Madeline Fontaine, masquerade-masked attendees milled through the ornate rooms of the high Italian Renaissance—style mansion, all while a string quartet played in the background.
Among the fashionable guests were some old-fashioned ones: Actors in 17th-century-style dress posed for onlookers and many, many pictures, instantly becoming the Instagram attraction of the night. However, for Versailles stars Elisa Lasowski and Anna Brewster, corsetless clothes were a welcome change of pace.
“I think that’s probably why they don’t make many period dramas,” Brewster said in jest. “But you get used to it! They warm up.”
“It’s the shoulders!” Lasowski added.
Luckily, they say, Fontaine designs her costumes to be as comfortable as possible, without sacrificing fashion.
“There’s a cape that I have. A velvet cape with a green hood that I adore. I wish it was mine in real life,” Lasowski said.
Well, the Sex and the City actors did get to keep some of their clothing—maybe the Versailles stars’ dream will one day come true.
Season 2 of Versailles premieres on Ovation on Saturday, September 30th at 10 pm ET