Killing Eve Is Back, and Villanelle Is Dressed to Kill

Tonight, the third season of Killing Eve premieres on BBC America and AMC. The spy-thriller, starring Sandra Oh as Eve and Jodie Comer as Villanelle, continues the ruthless cat-and-mouse game that the two leading ladies have embarked on throughout the series—Villanelle is a psychotic (and fashion-obsessed) assassin, and Eve is an emotionally-conflicted spy who forms an unhealthy obsession with Villanelle (and vice-versa). In addition to the delicious dark humour and plot twists sure to come this season, fashion fans will delight in the new costume design direction. Killing Eve is already one of the most stylish shows on TV right now, and season three has a new costume designer, Sam Perry, who is whipping up a brand new look for the label-loving Villanelle, who in past seasons has worn everything from a brocade Dries Van Noten suit to a frothy tulle Molly Goddard dress.

“Villanelle obviously enjoys high-end fashion,” Perry tells Vogue. “Her sense of style will always be there, even if she doesn’t have the funds.” This has been true throughout the series: even as Villanelle has been near-death or strapped for cash, she has still found ways to wear the latest runway fashions. This season, however, Villanelle is back on her A-game as a hired killer—with the fashions to match—and crisscrossing across Europe on new assignments, while Eve remains in hiding after last season’s climactic finale. To go with Villanelle’s European excursion this season, Perry decided to infuse her style with a retro, bohemian sensibility that mimics the vibe of each city that she lands herself in. “There wasn’t an intention to give season three a ’70s feel in particular, but I think maybe a vintage-inspired vibe crept in there,” says Perry of her new wardrobe. “Some of the outfits have a ’60s, ’70s and ’80s edge to them.”

A few preview images of the new season already showcase a number of winning fashion moments for the assassin, whose captivating madness is—quite literally—wrapped in a pretty bow. In one scene, Villanelle sports a groovy Halpern suit with sleek leather Simon Miller boots. “The Halpern psychedelic suit definitely had a nod to swinging London,” says Perry. In another episode, the character heads to Barcelona, and brings with her a printed, ’70s-inspired dress from La DoubleJ, styled with Golden Goose cowboy boots. “I was really drawn towards the vintage prints from La DoubleJ for Villanelle’s new wardrobe for Barcelona,” says Perry. “The yellow print felt so youthful and joyous and really complemented her gorgeous new apartment.”

While Villanelle experiments with a softer, more romantic aesthetic this season, Perry did, however, dress her in some of her style signatures this season as well. In one scene, Villanelle slips on a floral, puffed-shoulder dress by The Vampire’s Wife (Villanelle loves florals and London-based labels.) In another, she also sports a Dice Kayek suit with golden Simon Rocha shoes, proving her love of tailoring isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And based on her aforementioned fits? Neither is her status as the world’s most stylish assassin.