It’s a Sin. It’s a triumph!
- Hannah Smith
- Feb 12, 2021
- 4 min read
A triumph it is and what a sin it would be to have not binged this five part series by now. Just a warning: do not get used to the warmth of laughter this show brings you, you’ll soon be hit by reality with the water works in full swing.
This beautifully devastating drama, brought to us by Russell T Davies, is a hard-hitting eye opener to the reality of the AIDS/HIV outbreak during the 1980’s. No spoilers: it is a heartbreaking coming of age tale of a group of friends and their journey into the LBGTQ+ community, and the subsequent battles with the disease that followed and shadowed their brightest days. It is the perfect blend of energetic, heartfelt and rebellious; the brilliant costuming by Ian Fulcher complements every aspect of the shows quirky personality perfectly.
As of the start of February, the series had over 6.5 million views and having only dropped on the 22nd of January, this latest addition to the Channel 4 streaming service has already achieved the platforms highest monthly figures. With a mixture of British ‘veteran’ actors and a stellar array of the industries up and coming talents, the shows crucial message surrounding the issues of homophobia and HIV+ manages to reach a diverse audience of age ranges.
The story really sinks into its viewers when it made clear that events are inspired by reality; one of the shows protagonists, Jill, is based upon the experiences of the writers closet friend, Jill Nader. The tears we shed whilst watching ‘It’s a sin’ were all too real for a young Jill when she lost three of her closet friends in the space of 18 months to AIDS. It really drives home that only now are we growing a pair and accepting how devastating the disease was and how much heartbreak it caused in friendship circles. Not only were boys dying but they were dying ashamed and alone, a circumstance that is unfathomable to a current day audience. This is where the tears came in, I wasn’t lying.
Someone that the series also resonated with is the Mayor of Lambeth, Phillip Normal, who went on to create an ode to the series in the form of the ‘La.’ T-shirt after watching and empathising with the characters on screen. As the first openly positive HIV+ person to hold the office of mayor in the UK, Phillip Normal was so utterly inspired by the support the ‘It’s a Sin’ characters gave to one another he decided to exploit it for charity and has already managed to raise £40,000 for the Terrance Higgins Trust (THT). The THT supports those with HIV and aims to improve the understanding around sexual health. Phillip Normal beautifully described how ‘incredibly powerful’ the shows catchphrase, 'La.' is: ‘This simple use of language underpins the vulnerability of all the characters and solidifies their friendship…Everyone has their cliques and friends, we all look after each other. La encapsulates that love and mutual support.’ ‘La’ represents the foundation of friendship and love that we really do need, we could all use a La from our nearest and dearest right now.
Second to the astounding storyline, but not second in effort by any means, is the costuming and clothing delivered on screen. In this case the clothing seen helps to enhance characterisation and is often used as a catalyst for the progression of the plot. A perfect example of this is the shows suiting. In the case of coy character Colin, his collection of monotone brown tailoring suggests a lack of identity, the character is blending into the background when his energetic co-characters are loud and bold with their choice of
clothing. Characters who are comfortable in projecting their true self. Arguably the boldest of all characters seen is Rosco, often seen pairing a punk collar and steel capped boots with a barely there number that shows off his slender and slim physique. However Ian Fulcher then introduces suiting to the characters wardrobe to signify a change; Rosco is then seen in plain suits when with sugar daddy MP, Stephen Fry. Do you get it? The suit itself is a sign of sacrifice, it physically and mentally acts as a constraint restricting the characters true personalities from being seen; similar restrictions society has so often forced upon the
LBGTQ+ community in the past.
With the geeky analysis to one side, Rosco’s wardrobe could be viewed in a different light. Again with his punky vibe and revealing attire, this almost post-apocalyptic aesthetic can be used to inspire audiences post-pandemic outfits. When we are able to dance again like Richie and Jill in Heaven (what a great night out Heaven always is), we inevitably will crave a look that feels rebellious and sexy and exciting and undeniably unique, considering we’ve had nearly a year to plan it. Rosco is the ideal candidate for those first night out outfit mood boards with the element of futurism that the character reveals. This particular styling can also be spotted across the years seasonal collections with Bottega Veneta already using ‘slinky string vests’ in the spring/summer 2021 collection and other fashion houses such as Gucci and Prada showing sleeveless styles. I’m with Rosco, the shows ‘best dressed’ character, and I’m already planning my little string vest and thigh highs number for the greatly awaited dance floor, post-pademic. Or perhaps I’ll pair it with the ‘La’ T-shirt.
Phillip Normal’s T-shirt can be bought from the link below (1) and along with the link for the Terrance Higgins Trust helpline (2) who provide emotional support if you are worried about your sexual health or have concerns about living with HIV.
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