A perfect fit

Meet the Toronto tailor to the stars who ensured Nicola Coughlan's look was ready for the red carpet

- LEANNE DELAP

"Bridgerton" star Nicola Coughlan credited Jenna Gandy for tailoring the outfit she wore to the Toronto premiere of the show's third season.

Celebrities have always understood the power of a good nip and tuck — of the tailoring variety, that is. When Irish actress Nicola Coughlan was in Toronto last week to promote Part 2 of “Bridgerton” Season 3, she made sure to credit Toronto’s own The Tailorette, Jenna Gandy, in her red carpet photos on Instagram, along with the more usual fashion stylist, hair and makeup artist credits.

Over two days with Coughlan’s glam team, Gandy was busy shortening sleeves on the fly with hand-tacked needle and thread. But the purple ruched minidress and voluminous red cape by Sara Mrad that Coughlan wore to the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre premiere was a huge fashion moment. “That cape was so tricky, so grandiose,” said Gandy. “My job was to steam it and to make sure the waves were tacked and not sticking out. I trimmed a lot of threads, because it had been travelling.”

Jenna Gandy has helped Nicola Coughlan's, Taylor Swift's and Simu Liu's clothes fit perfectly.

In fact, Gandy was the second tailor to work on the look. Coughlan’s stylist, Aimée Croysdill, also cited Bernie Carty for tailoring prior to the day-of work Gandy performed.

Crediting on social media has become very important for creatives, as it becomes a living portfolio. Gandy is grateful to Coughlan, “a celebrity at her peak,” for shouting out her behind-the-scenes contribution. “I really respect the fact that she doesn’t forget,” said Gandy. “A lot of people don’t care about people in the background who help build the fashion story.”