New Disney+ series Rivals features Aerospace Bristol's Concorde in opening scene
Museum home to the last Concorde ever to fly appears in new drama series based on Jilly Cooper novel.
In early 2023, TV crews descended on Aerospace Bristol’s Filton site, taking over the Concorde Hangar for two days and transporting it back to a time reminiscent of the 1980s.
Located in the fictional county of Rutshire in the Cotswolds, Rivals focusses on the lives of elite, upper class people all competing for the franchise of the local television station. Within the opening scene, main character Rupert Campbell-Black travels on a fictional supersonic passenger jet.
The Concorde Hangar was transformed from a bustling visitor attraction into a vibrant movie set, with cameras and filming equipment lining the balcony, makeup and hair stations set up beneath Concorde, and 80s-inspired outfits laid out in the conference rooms.
Adam Jones, Head of Commercial Operations at Aerospace Bristol said: "It was amazing to see dozens of extras, dressed like travellers from the 1980s, boarding Concorde as if they were about to take off on a real flight.
We’re excited to welcome fans of the programme to the museum, where they can experience the world of supersonic travel, visit the exact filming location and step on board the iconic aircraft featured in the programme!”
The release of the series comes as the museum is displaying its first fashion exhibition, fittingly, featuring the 1980’s BA cabin crew uniform. Frenchman Ronald Klein introduced a radical new approach to uniform, promoting a more welcoming approach focusing on cut, quality and practicality not on decorative detail.
The Fashion of Flight showcases a variety of British Airways cabin crew and flight crew uniforms, from 1940s to modern-day designs. Among the highlights will be some of the most outlandish pieces in history, including the BOAC paper dress designed for flights to the Caribbean and the entirely tartan uniform once used by Caledonian Airways.
Amy Seadon, Head of Collections, Learning and Interpretation at Aerospace Bristol, said: “Airline cabin crew have long been associated with first-class service and meticulously coiffured appearances. This exhibition highlights the shifts in societal norms through the decades and illustrates the transition from high fashion to practical functionality in cabin crew uniforms.”
The Fashion of Flight will be open from 17 October to 17 November and is included with admission to Aerospace Bristol.
