Why Doctor Who Has So Many New Costumes Detailed By Star

Summary Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa designed multiple outfits for the Fifteenth Doctor, aiming to reflect various British subcultures.

The Doctor's diverse, gender-pushing wardrobe defines his character uniquely in Doctor Who season 14.

Gatwa's costumes for the Fifteenth Doctor will continue to be a key part of his character in future seasons.

Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa has opened up about the number of costumes the Fifteenth Doctor is going to have, teasing his own involvement in designing some of them. Gatwa became the newest Doctor during the series' 60th Anniversary Specials, where he split off from the Fourteenth Doctor via bi-generation. Following his first solo adventure in the holiday special "The Church on Ruby Road," the upcoming season will show him on more quests - this time with a plethora of new outfits he'll wear throughout the season.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Gatwa revealed why Doctor Who season 14 would feature the Fifteenth Doctor in so many different outfits. The star explained how his own eye for fashion made him want to give his version of the character a unique style, and how closely he worked with costume designer Pam Downe on crafting his wardrobe. Check out what Gatwa had to say below:

[Outfits designed by Ralph Lauren was] the one costume idea I had because I had in my mind that I was only going to have one costume. I went in and showed the producers, and they were like, ‘This is lovely. What else have you got?’ And I was like, ‘Oh.’ [Costume designer Pam Downe] laid out her sketches on the table, and I saw kilts and skirts and all kinds of gender-pushing, societal-pushing outfits. And I was like, ‘Yes, let’s do all of them.’ The show is so quintessentially British, and it’s a show that has accumulated the power to reflect where Britain is societally. I was like, ‘It would be really interesting to travel through all the subcultures of Britain that it’s had in the past up to now through his clothes.’ This character represents the U.K. in a weird way, almost like Captain Britain. So, how do we tell that story through fashion?

How The Fifteenth Doctor's Outfits Define His Character

Gatwa's first inspirations for his Doctor Who outfits originated from a collection from Ralph Lauren, who collaborated with Morehouse College and Spelman College in honoring colleges with predominantly Black students. This opened the door for even more outfits as the star and Downe collaborated. Because of these inspirations, the Fifteenth Doctor has more outfits than all previous iterations combined, making his clothing style a defining attribute of his character. It adds a unique aspect to his rendition not present in his predecessors.

One attribute of his wardrobe that gets highlighted is "gender-pushing" and "societal-pushing," indicating his costumes won't be limited to just those that would typically be considered for men. Promotional material for the series has already shown the Fifteenth Doctor wearing everything from suits to skirts, showcasing just how diversified his clothing will be throughout the show. It's clear from his outfits that, out of everyone in the cast of Doctor Who season 14, his style will always stand out the most. It also means his outfits may correspond to the era he travels in each episode.

Since Doctor Who season 15 has already been confirmed, with Gatwa returning to the leading role, it seems these costumes will continue to be a key part of his character going forward as well. This may also extend to his companions, too, with some photos of Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday showing her in a variety of costumes as well. It seems clothing will be a symbolic part of the Fifteenth Doctor's character that defines him in comparison to his previous incarnations.

Doctor Who season 14 premieres on May 11, 2024.

Source: EW