Georgeina marries the Duke for status and social climbing, however she soon realizes that there is more to life and marriage than status. She becomes aware that her husband is involved in multiple affairs, one of which includes her best friend. In coping with her heartbreak she becomes more involved in political campaigns and also an affair with an ambitious man who dreams of becoming prime minister. Not only was Georgeina extremely fashionable for her time, but she was also a very charasmatic individual. Naturally, the public gravitated towards her and adored everything she embodied.
For being a freelance costume designer and predominantly working on minor British films, Michael O'Connor is incredibly talented. While the film itself received only somewhat positive reviews, the Duchess won an Academy Award in 2008 for best costume design.
As always, I love this era and style of clothing, but I really appreciated O'Connor's own style shine through Georgeina's character. I can't even count how many times I've seen this movie, but never before had I realized just how extensive Georgeina's closet was. I love that O'Connor wasn't afraid to work with various textures and styles, yet he was able to create a wardrobe that was fluid and true to character. I think my favorite dress was at the end of the movie when Georgeina had given birth to a child that wasn't of her husband, and she was forced to turn the child over to distant family of Charles Grey. Her dress has a much softer feel to it, the pattern being a subtle floral and not adorned with her usual accessories. It is such a feminine dress and I think in a lot of ways it embodies motherhood. The focus is shifted from her beauty and clothing and instead highlights her transition of being a woman that doesn't necessarily live for love, but finds happiness in her children.
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