The wheel turns, and Robert Jordan’s fantasy series continues its on-screen journey on Prime Video. Season 2 of The Wheel of Time brings us even more magic, action, and adventure. And as the characters go their separate ways on far-flung journeys, fans get to see even more of this expansive world.

One of the best features of Wheel of Time is the depth of the fantasy world, and we have a standout creative team to thank for that. Recently, THS sat down with two of the people instrumental in building this world: costume designer Sharon Gilham and makeup and hair supervisor Davina Lamont. 

Learn more about bringing the world of The Wheel of Time to life in our interview with Gilham and Lamont below.

THS: When we pick up in season 2 of The Wheel of Time, all of our characters are in very different places than they were in season 1. Davina, whose look do you think had the most significant transformation? And who had a more subtle update?

Davina Lamont: I think Rand probably had the most dramatic change that you could see straight away. Perrin also had his changes, because all the characters are growing into young adults now. I wanted to change the majority of them… Everybody had quite a dramatic difference, whether it be within the White Tower or their traveling look or going into Tar Valon. I don’t think anyone had a minimal change, really.

Josha Stradowski as Rand al’Thor in season 2 of ‘The Wheel of Time.’

THS: One of the most exciting things about season 2 is we get to travel to so many new locations. Sharon, how do you use wardrobe to develop specific looks that bring these locations and characters to life?

Sharon Gilham: We are very excited for season 2 to show these new cultures, as you said. Cairhien we see in much more detail, the Seanchan world obviously, and Atuan’s Mill, which is another culture again. And because of the traveling [in the story], we want to make sure that you can really see the difference between these cultures.

So, I gave each culture a color palette, which is very clear, and then a series of silhouettes, which is often based on the cultural mix of that place. Cairhien is French and Japanese mix. I’ve used French national costume ideas with Japanese kimonos. The Seanchan is Imperial Chinese and Mesoamerican, with a color palette that references rusting metal, ‘cause they come from the sea on ships.

Each one is very clearly painted while using the source material and all the information in the books to make sure that we are hitting the right points, in terms of what Robert Jordan wrote, and used to express those cultures.

Lady Suroth (center) of the Seanchan in season 2 of ‘The Wheel of Time.’

THS: If you had to choose one look – one element of makeup, hairstyling, or costuming – from season 2 to represent The Wheel of Time as a series, which would you pick?

Gilham: That’s a great question. We’re bound to silence over many of the characters and costumes, unfortunately, at the moment [to avoid spoilers]. 

I would say that just in terms of drama and in terms of cultural mix and, you know the story coming from Robert Jordan about fear and terror, the Seanchan or Lady Suroth specifically, is a very strong candidate. Her costume is very dramatic. It’s very sinister. It’s beautiful. You can sort of see certain periods in time, and a cultural mix, which for me is The Wheel of Time, all of those things thrown into the pot together.

Lamont: I think I like Tar Valon. It’s really a mixture of all cultures, where when you’re traveling there you’re really walking through society. You’ve got Cairhien in there, you’ve got the White Tower, you’ve got Atuan’s Mill, you’ve got the sea folk and the Two Rivers people in there. For me it shows all sorts of genres in that one city. So Tar Valon is what I love.

New episodes of The Wheel of Time season 2 premiere Fridays on Prime Video.

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