In the opening shot of the first season of Industry, Harper Stern (played by Myha’la in a breakout role) sits in front of her to-be manager Eric Tao for what is her eighth job interview. As she tells him why she belongs at Pierpoint & Co, a prestigious, fictional investment bank in London, Harper appears stoic and confident. “I am here on my own,” she says calmly, dressed in a slim-fit, poly-blend black blazer with her braids picked up into a pony-tail and her face seemingly makeup-free. In that moment, she represents hunger and ambition of the self-made experience, totally uninterested in glamour and focused on succeeding in the finance world rather than showing off her personal style. But as soon as Harper walks onto our screens in the latest, fourth season of Industry (first episode out now on BBC), it’s clear that things have moved on dramatically. A custom-made, broad-shouldered grey skirt suit with a matching trench coat and a pair of towering heels. Along with a confident strut, dark sunglasses, and a patent-leather bag – the tone is set. This Harper knows how to pull a look.

HBO

Get Harper’s S4 look:

“She’s never had a chance to enjoy it,” says Laura K. Smith, costume designer behind the show’s third and fourth seasons. By “it”, she means money and success, things that have felt ephemeral for Harper over the three previous seasons. In her most recent iteration, our hero is at the highest position she’s ever been, and her new wardrobe reinforces that dominant presence. But the custom tailoring also draws a parallel with another character.

“In season one, Robert [played by Harry Lawthey] gets a suit made for him thanks to his manager, Clement. One of the sub-plotlines has always been Harper’s relationship with Robert and how they were close. We’ve seen him come back to the floor and brag about it, so we imagined her thinking, once she had money: ‘Oh yeah, the bespoke suit – that’s what you do.’ What was important to Myha’la was that it be ultra-feminine. To also have high heels, incredible hair, great nails, and a trophy handbag, a Chanel Boy Bag, which is something [Harper] hasn’t really had before, both because she is very pragmatic and because she hasn’t seen the point. […] This [suit] tells people: ‘I am a serious entity. You have to take me seriously even before the words come out of my mouth.’”