The show’s costume designer tells Vox the meaning behind Shiv’s season two makeover.
Cheryl Wischhover, VOX, Sep 4, 2019 Full article ››
TV viewers who are missing Cersei and Sansa and seeking to watch interesting women grapple with power struggles and ridiculous family dynamics — while also having great hair and an enviable wardrobe — need to look no further than Succession’s Siobhan Roy. Shiv, as she is known to family and friends, is the youngest Roy child and the only daughter in the dynastic media family. She’s emerged this season as both a favorite of her father and fans alike.
Succession, now in its second season, tells the story of an ultra-wealthy family whose patriarch, Logan Roy, is the head of a large media conglomerate. In the first season, two of Logan’s sons jockey for position in the hierarchy, hoping to be the next to lead the family empire. Shiv (played by Sarah Snook), meanwhile, has been working for the campaign of a liberal politician, thumbing her nose at the family business. Then at the beginning of season two, Logan tells Shiv that she is his choice to take over the empire, after an appropriate time period for grooming via management training and visits to the office.
And groom she did, at least outwardly. The change in her hair and wardrobe is significant between seasons one and two. Her previously long, flowy hair became an angular bob. She traded slouchy, almost sloppy, sweaters and pants in soft colors for a simple yet luxurious wardrobe of crisp monochromatic trousers paired with turtlenecks or button-downs. Shiv’s look was carefully calculated to reflect both her environment and her ambitions…
But what exactly is it about a sleek bob that exudes power? “Angles in general are perceived as more powerful and visually commanding than curves and waves,” says Carol Davidson, an image consultant based in New York City who watches the show. “She embodies executive presence.” (It’s telling that in America, executive presence is still associated with straight hair, a perception that black women and others with naturally curly hair have had to fight for decades.)
The overall effect seems to be working, according to Davidson, the image consultant. She says shirts with collars and turtlenecks pack more of a visual impact than crew necks.
“At that level, you do want to be sporting some power markers like clean lines and solid colors,” she says. “[Shiv’s] the personification of power and success, and she’s looking every bit the visual equal to any of her male counterparts.”
