The Collection

1947, Paris. Rising fashion designer Paul Sabine is offered the keys to Paris’ fashion kingdom and a new business partnership that could transform his business. But he can’t do it alone. He needs the help of his volatile brother, Claude, the true genius behind the label. The secret of who designs must be kept at any price…even murder. But is not the only shadow from the past and the present that will threaten the atelier’s fortunes and transform the lives of its work and blood family. Episode One also sees the return of Nina, a seamstress in the atelier, who has been absent from work because of a harrowing personal secret. She meets Billy Novak, an aspiring Bronx-bred photographer, who arrives in Paris with a colleague to write a story on Paul Sabine. They will all discover the past is as layered as the present; Paris is not all romance and blue skies—there are shadows too. When Billy recognizes Nina’s luminous beauty, it offers them both an opportunity to change their lives.

The new business marriage with Jules Trouvier is only hours into its honeymoon, when he and Paul clash over how to run the house. With millions at stake, Nina is thrust into the unlikely role of a couture model, and events take a darker turn. Billy takes Nina to Montmartre for a photo shoot. Still ravaged by the war, local vendors turn on Nina, dressed decadently in couture, and an ugly skirmish ensues. This traumatizing encounter cools the budding romance between her and Billy, but helps Nina make a decision about her baby son. While recuperating from being beaten up, Claude becomes obsessed with hunting down the sailor who turned on him and then disappeared. With Claude not working on new designs, Paul defends Claude’s vision, and puts their family of and business first, despite the risks and the personal cost.

US journalist Rossi returns to question Paul’s former boss and mentor Lemaire, who may choose to expose Paul’s wartime secrets rather than his own. In neutralizing both men, Paul is forced to punish those he loves, exposing a crack in his marriage. Meanwhile shopgirl Charlotte is making herself Paul’s best asset. Hoping to see her son, Nina returns to the convent where she gave birth and is told he’s already been adopted by an affluent couple. Devastated, and with nothing to lose, Nina decides it’s time to reinvent herself and change her powerless situation if she has any hope of getting her baby back. Under pressure to create the Spring Collection, the maison is a hive of activity, yet Claude is still not working. Paul sends Claude out to the country cottage with Yvette, and there he finds an unlikely new muse, and creates stunning new designs. But at the same time the sailor’s dead body is discovered – some secrets won’t stay buried forever.

A detective arrives asking questions about the dead body found on Sabine property. Paul confronts Yvette who is forced to come clean about her crime. All the while, the pressure increases on Paul, because everything is riding on the new show which is only days away. The family secrets continue to drive a wedge in the Sabine marriage; Helen is not prepared to become a ‘silent’ partner. Complex fears of failure lead Paul to step into dangerous territory with Charlotte. While Nina’s modelling debut is a triumph, relations between Billy and Nina remain uncertain, and after a mistake, Billy fears he will lose his job. A glittering crowd of Paris’ finest arrive for the launch of Paul Sabine’s new collection. It’s a stunning show of feminine, sensual clothes, and Paul is lauded as the new ‘fashion Prince.’ But Claude must watch from the wings. How long will he let his brother take the credit for his work?

Paul’s glory is short-lived, and instead of basking in the afterglow of a jubilant show, he is questioned by a detective. Paul plays it cool, but when Claude and Yvette are questioned, Paul has to exercise damage control. The escalating tensions leave Paul trapped between his past and his future. The maison is tasting success; orders arrive from the rich and famous and the editor of Paris’ most prestigious fashion magazine arrives to do a cover story. Claude, encouraged by a new lover, tells Paul he’s no longer happy to stay in the shadows and wants to take his rightful place at the table. Despite Helen’s efforts to play peacemaker, Paul worries his brother is becoming a liability. Billy questions his future after a mistake during the show. His paranoia is further fuelled when his camera is stolen and he’s sidelined by Paul. Nina, still yearning to reunite with her baby, enlists a nun at the convent to help her, and finally reveals the true identity of the father.

The maison’s inner circle are invited to Trouvier’s lavish chateau, where they toast the alliance in front of influential guests. Everyone is nervous–especially Nina. Can she hold her poise beyond the catwalk? With the hostess insisting that Charlotte and Claude join the party, Paul enlists the help of Yvette to manage these unwanted guests. The shocking return of reporter Rossi leaves Paul feeling uneasy and he warns the American to stay away from his wife. Rossi remains undaunted. Helen’s growing suspicions about Charlotte and Paul are finally confirmed by Yvette, and bruising confrontations for Paul ensue. Claude is also forced to face humbling home truths, when his double life and double standards are questioned by Nina. As night falls, the Sabine “family” is rocked by untimely revelations, surprising alliances, and at least one relationship that may be damaged beyond repair. Could a spurned, humiliated staffer threaten Paul’s livelihood more than a mud-slinging reporter?

The mood is somber following a staffer’s road accident, and Helen’s attempts to help using her family’s medical connections only raise troubling wartime questions for Paul. Meanwhile, Charlotte begins her counter-attack on the business and threatens to expose Claude as the true genius behind the Paul Sabine label. Paul’s efforts to appease his brother fail when Charlotte makes Claude an offer he cannot refuse. Meanwhile Billy tries to contain the encroaching threat from Rossi, and finds help from a surprising quarter. Nina is finally forced to confront the father of her baby, propelling them both onto a new path. The pressure almost becomes unbearable on Paul and the family when Inspector Bompard returns, having made a direction connection between the murder and the fashion house.

The whirlwind of divisive events vexing Paul Sabine Couture reaches new heights. Fashion is a metaphor for reinvention–but what transformation is possible when secrets are closing in? Paul must fight to keep hold of his empire while Yvette tries to broker peace between her sons, warning Charlotte that she’s playing with fire. Bompard’s investigation gathers momentum, and, in her determination to protect her family, Yvette frames someone else for the crime. Meanwhile when Paul asks Billy to compromise his integrity, Billy questions his whole future in Paris. But he can’t leave without Nina. Nina’s dilemma is made greater by hope being offered, in her quest for her child. Which future will she choose? While a dazzling celebration swirls in one room, a family unravels in another, with brother pitted against brother, lover against lover, and as an arrest is made, Paul Sabine faces up to the demons of his past, and a very uncertain future.

Creator Oliver Goldstick explains his goal to recreate post-war Paris, a shabby city that needed a coat of paint, in contrast to the beauty of the clothes; a contrast of light and shadow. Production Designer Gemma Randall shares how the authentic sets transport the viewer to a different world, where the detail of the sets evokes the feel of romance and makes the spaces define their characters.

Learn how the clothes of The Collection represent a specific moment in time as they try to capture the ethos and spirit of romance. The fashion of post-war 1947 Paris was very feminine and glamorous. Lead costume designer Chattoune, creator Oliver Goldstick, and actors Richard Coyle, Mamie Gummer, Jenna Thiam, and others describe how the clothes help the actors become the characters.

Creator Oliver Goldstick presents a world in which key members of the family have deep secrets. The shadow of WWII haunts the series; Paris was changing at a rapid pace, a time of re-invention for France and for the fashion industry. Goldstick describes how he wants to show clothes not only as armor, but also as a mask to allow the wearer to become something else.