Inside 'The Nanny': Archival photos take fans through style of the beloved '90s sitcom

"I wanted to make a difference and give wardrobe it's due," says Brenda Cooper, the brainchild behind the show's iconic looks.

David Artavia
·Reporter
·4 min read
1
It's been 30 years since The Nanny first aired. Now, its costume designers take us on a stroll down memory lane through archival images they've graciously pulled out from the vaults. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; Terry Gordon and Shawn-Kelly Cookson)
It's been 30 years since The Nanny first aired. Now, its costume designers take us on a stroll down memory lane through archival images they've pulled out from the vaults. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; Terry Gordon and Shawn-Holly Cookson)

Are you ready to strut down memory lane with a sassy twist?

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of The Nanny, which premiered its pilot episode on Nov. 3, 1993, we sat down with the show's groundbreaking costume designers — Brenda Cooper, Shawn-Holly Cookson and Terry Gordon — who share never-before-released images from their personal archives.

Fran Fine, brought to life by the hilarious Fran Drescher, charmed her way into the Sheffield household and our hearts with style, flair and a bit of pizazz. Three decades later, the skirts may have settled, but the legacy of The Nanny's fashion remains as unforgettable as her voice and that laugh.

"I'm not a follower of trends and never have been," says Cooper, who was handpicked by Drescher herself to curate the look that's come to define '90s fashion. "I wanted to make a difference and give wardrobe it's due."

Take a peek at some of the most epic behind-the-scenes shennanigans as shared by Cooper, Cookson and Gordon. (Click here to read our in-depth interview with Cooper, Cookson and Gordon for more details.)

When designing Fran's look, the direction was to make her stand out subtly — without taking the beauty away from others. Here, in a picture of the cast and crew alongside guest star Elizabeth Taylor, they accomplished just that. (Terry Gordon)
The cast and crew of The Nanny with the episode's guest star Elizabeth Taylor (Terry Gordon)

"There wasn't a big budget at all [at the beginning] because the show wasn't proven to be a success yet," she says. "So what I did was create silhouettes: the black turtleneck, the black miniskirt, the black opaque tights and the black suede — not leather! — suede high heels to create a column.

"Then I would put different jackets, different vests so I could change it out each week using that basic silhouette, and make it look different every time," she continues. "So it kind of evolved."

"It's definitely without a doubt the best and most fun job," Cooper adds. "Fran, in a way, was my Barbie doll. I got to play dress up with her every week."

LOS ANGELES - JANUARY 3: THE NANNY, featuring (from left) Daniel Davis; Fran Drescher; Charles Shaugnessy; Lauren Lane. January 1994. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
"I wanted to make a difference and give wardrobe it's due," says Brenda Cooper, the brainchild behind the show's iconic looks. (CBS/Getty Images)
Charles Shaughnessy (center) as a Middle Eastern sheik alongside guest dancers, dressed in Emmy-nominated costumes styled and designed by Gordon and Cookson. (Terry Gordon)
"We had wonderful Emmy-nominated shows where Charles played a double role as a Middle Eastern Sheik and an officer of some kind," recalls Gordon, who was in charge of dressing the men on the show. "We had Fran in belly-dancing costumes, so we definitely had our fun." (Terry Gordon)

And let's not forget Yetta Rosenberg, Fran's sassy grandmother played by Ann Morgan Guilbert. "Yetta is a f***ing force of fashion," Cookson says. "No one should discount the Yetta fashion!"

Gordon poses with Ann Morgan Guilbert, who played the iconic Yetta Rosenberg. (Terry Gordon)
Gordon poses with Ann Morgan Guilbert, who played the iconic Yetta Rosenberg. One particularly fun episode for the designers to visualize delved into grandma Yetta's past and how she came to America. (Terry Gordon)
She has style! She has flair! She still here! (Photo illlustration: Yahoo News; Terry Gordon and Shawn-Kelly Cookson)
She has style! She has flair! She still here! On top: Drescher dances with guest star Donald O'Connor. (Photo illlustration: Yahoo News; Terry Gordon and Shawn-Holly Cookson)
A glimpse inside Cookson's photo album, featuring some of her favorite looks from the show. (Shawn-Holly Cookson)
A glimpse inside Cookson's photo album, featuring some of her favorite looks from the show. (Shawn-Holly Cookson)
Costars Lauren Lane and Shaugnessy pose with Drescher in an homage to 1930s and '40s fashion, two eras that were particularly inspiration for Cooper. (Terry Gordon)
Co-stars Lauren Lane and Charles Shaugnessy pose with Fran Drescher in an homage to 1930s and '40s fashion, two eras that were particularly inspirational for Cooper. (Terry Gordon)
More looks from Cookson's photo album. (Shawn-Holly Cookson)
More looks from Cookson's photo album. (Shawn-Holly Cookson)
Lauren Lane has a bit of fun at the crafts service table alongside Brenda Cooper. (Brenda Cooper)
Lauren Lane has a bit of fun at the crafts service table alongside Brenda Cooper. (Brenda Cooper)
Lane strikes a pose in a Cooper-styled ensemble. (Debra Cooper)
Lane strikes a pose in a Cooper-styled ensemble. (Brenda Cooper)
Bold patterns were a big part of Cooper's vision when crafting Drescher's looks. (Debra Cooper)
Bold patterns were a big part of Cooper's vision when crafting Drescher's looks. (Brenda Cooper)

"I love watching [The Nanny]. I love seeing it," Cookson, who took over as lead costume designer on Season 4, says of the show's fanfare all these years later.

"Fans reach out to me and they're like, 'Do you remember what this was?' And, you know, I watched the show and I know I was there. We did it. I did it. But it just seems like a dream."

Click here to read our full interview with The Nanny's costume designers.

The Nanny is currently streaming on Max.

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