A real hit since its debut in 2018, the series that follows the tribulations of the powerful Roy family and their media empire is back with a fourth season. Comprised of ruthless patriarch Logan and his four children Connor, Kendall, Roman and Siobhan (Shiv), the Roy family controls one of the world’s largest media conglomerates, Waystar Royco. Played by Australian actress Sarah Snook, the only daughter of this family, Shiv, shines with her power and finesse of mind.
The character: a formidable businesswoman who fights the patriarchy in spite of herself
Siobhan Roy, nicknamed Shiv, has natural leadership. Sometimes sensitive, sometimes plague, she is the only daughter of the siblings. Often abused and neglected by the men of her family, this heroine with a strong character gives everything to prove that she has her place in family affairs, although she prefers to exercise her talents in politics. In a relationship with Tom Wambsgans whom she leads, she is one of the most authoritative and powerful characters in the series. By dint of fighting against the patriarchy, the youngest of the siblings ends up attracting the attention of her father and becomes a possible choice to take the head of the family empire. Certainly the smartest and most malignant of her family, she nevertheless remains as ruthless, perverse and capricious as her brothers and her father. A relief character that we love as much as we hate.
Her wardrobe: strict and minimalist looks
If it is especially her red hair and her neat and impeccable short square that we retain from the aesthetics of Siobhan Roy, her looks – as strict as her haircut – are however not to be neglected. His male-coded uniforms mainly include cashmere sweaters, turtlenecks, suits, blouses and high-waisted woolen trousers, so well tailored that they could run their own business. Her business woman style may seem classic and surely does not thrill everyone, but let’s not forget that she is the heiress of one of the most powerful and wealthy families in the United States. The more Shiv pulls the strings, the sharper his locker room gets. We remember her outfit in episode 8 of season 2, when she tries to reason with her brothers on the Rhea Jarrell case. She wears a navy blue shouldered jacket, belted at the waist and under which is a turtleneck sweater dress of the same color. We realize later, once the jacket is removed, that the turtleneck sweater dress, yet so professional and serious from the front, actually hides a deep bare back. This duality represents Shiv’s personality perfectly. Beyond that, the looks of the youngest of the Roy family are rather minimalist and display nothing too ostentatious, not even a logo scarf or a Hermès silk square. Is it so as not to discredit himself in the race to succeed his father’s inheritance, or is it simply the result of a lack of attraction for bling? Both answers are of course possible. The show’s costume designer, Michelle Matland, aptly calls the show’s character style “antibling,” and Shiv is no slouch. No need to overdo it and show outward signs of wealth, everything is played out in noble materials, perfect cuts and discreet but luxurious accessories. The message has passed, a woman who has the makings of a chef should have a wardrobe that combines the same abilities: to be both strict and elegant, resistant and powerful.
© Hunter Graem/HBO
Good Inspiration
We cannot talk about a trouser suit without mentioning Yves Saint Laurent, the first designer to present the trouser suit for women on a fashion show in 1966. His suits, made of wool and velvet, took up the codes of the men’s wardrobe and caused a lot of controversy. As a reminder, women were forbidden to wear trousers until the 1950s, and could be arrested on the pretext that they thought they were men. Since then, suits and trouser suits have become classics in women’s wardrobes. But if the pantsuit is well democratized today, it retains in the collective unconscious an image of power – a quality often attributed positively to a man but negatively to a woman. It is therefore still today a true symbol of feminism, and has a real impact on the way we perceive the character of Shiv. The wardrobe of the latter, minimalist and inspired by tailoring, can be related to the pieces found at the Vince brand or at The Row, where perfect cuts and noble materials (cashmere, silk, linen and wool) make any minimalist garment luxurious. On the fashion show side, we are inspired by the fall-winter 2021/2022 shows of Max Mara, with its beautiful coats, dresses and blazer jackets in neutral tones, and of Hermès with its simple but perfectly executed cuts. Selection of pieces to wear to copy the looks of Siobhan Roy.