Few TV shows have as much impact on fashion as The Nanny. With its classic mini skirt suits and black turtlenecks, the sitcom cemented our collective obsession with ‘90s fashion. Today, more than 20 years after the show wrapped, its lead actress Fran Drescher is still carrying the fashion torch for the fans.
So much so, that she partnered with secondhand marketplace thredUP to curate a collection of The Nanny-inspired upcycled clothes, which are available now and also tapped the talents of sustainable designer Zero Waste Daniel and the show’s costume designer Brenda Cooper. “There aren't a lot of things that I say ‘yes’ to,” says Drescher. “But this collection is such an amazing idea.”
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The collection is like a time capsule. Think patchwork denim, mini skirt suits and coats, black turtlenecks, fuzzy hats, and scarves that are Fran Fine-approved. According to Drescher, that’s because The Nanny's style still influences her today. “That’s my style too,” she says. “And even back then, we worked to shape the style of the show, to put on a fashion show every week, to become a fashion icon.”
Turns out, the vision became a reality because Fran Fine’s style continues to be a constant reference for fashion today. Back in 2021, when Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott unveiled the brand’s spring 2022 collection, he citedThe Nanny as one of his inspirations. “Fran Drescher wore so much Franco Moschino – iconic little suits that were such a signature of the brand and that moment,” he told Vogue. Meanwhile, waistcoats, mini skirt suits and black turtlenecks are some of this year’s biggest trends.
Yet, if you ask Drescher why her style is still iconic today, she confesses that all fashion is cyclical. “The more you live, the more you see these cycles of fashion,” she says, adding that ‘90s fashion is a modern take on ‘60s styles. This is why Drescher prefers to stick with classic silhouettes, as well as monochrome outfits that forgo the usual prints associated with her Nanny character. But if there’s a piece that will always stick with her, it’s a black turtleneck. “It’s the go-to for anything,” she says.