Where my love for costume dramas began
Long before Netflix or instant binge-watching, as a young girl, I sat breathlessly in front of the television. Something I'd never seen before appeared before, a world of drama, opulence, love, and war. A story so grand and compelling that it shook me to my core. That series was North and South .
Based on the bestselling trilogy by John Jakes, this American miniseries consists of three parts:
North and South (1985), Love and War (1986), and Heaven and Hell (1994).
It's an epic story about two families, the Mains from the South and the Hazards from the North, and about a friendship strained by the American Civil War. But it's also a story about love, family, conviction, resentment, and everything in between.
For me, it was my very first encounter with costume drama in its purest form. I fell in love. With the music, the costumes, the pacing, the tragedy. But above all: with the characters.
What made this series so powerful was how each character felt like a real person. No one was perfect; everyone had their own struggles:
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Orry Main: Southern charm, inner conflict, and a tragic love for Madeline.
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George Hazard: Northern solidity, idealism, and steadfastness. A beacon of tranquility.
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Madeline Fabray LaMotte Main: Elegance, sorrow, and inner strength. Her forbidden love with Orry was heartbreaking.
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Virgilia Hazard Grady: My favorite character. Fiercely against slavery, uncompromising, and driven to the limit.
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Elkanah Bent: The shadow in the story. Resentful, violent, and manipulative.
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Constance Flynn Hazard: Strong woman, gentle in nature, but not afraid to claim her place.
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Ashton Main Huntoon: Beautiful and merciless. A sly serpent in silk.
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Brett Main Hazard: Gentle, brave, and loyal. Her love for Billy gave her hope.
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Billy Hazard: George's younger brother. Loyal, growing, and in love.
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Justin LaMotte: Cruel, domineering, and controlling. The face of oppression.
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James Huntoon: Politically ambitious, tragically loyal, and emotionally dependent.
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Maum Sally: The silent force behind Madeline. Wise, caring, always close.
And then those costumes...
Even as a child, I dreamed of dresses, corsets, and ribbons. In North and South, all those visions came to life. The clothes weren't just backdrops, but protagonists in their own right. Every dress told a story. Every coat, every uniform, every hairstyle contributed to the story. It was the first time I realized how imagery, atmosphere, and character could intertwine so seamlessly.
Perhaps that's where the seed was planted for what I do now: creating images that feel something, that say something. North and South was my first lesson in visual storytelling.
Just a few more facts...
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8,700 costume pieces were created for the series, 3,300 of which were specifically for women. Each actress wore approximately 28 to 35 different outfits.
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More than 15,000 set pieces and props were used.
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The production of the first book took five months and took place in five different states.
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The cost was a whopping $25 million, making it the most expensive miniseries ever at the time.
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Mary Todd Lincoln was played by Rachel Jakes, the wife of writer John Jakes.
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James Read (George) learned to ride horses at Patrick Swayze's ranch.
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There was once talk of a sequel series about Charles Main, Willa and Gus, but it never happened.
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James Read and Wendy Kilbourne (George and Constance) also got married in real life and are still together.
And perhaps the most special thing is that I used to watch this series with my two sisters. We really lived for it, were completely absorbed in it.
And that, I think, is the true power of such a story: it stays with you. Not just in your mind, but in who you've become.
North and South proves that true stories don't fade with time,
they keep breathing, in images, in music, in memories ❤️
