After Downton Abbey's third season aired last spring, show executives revealed that a range of products inspired by the show were in the works. The products included fashion, furniture, and accessories, according to Vanity Fair.
"In retail terms, the first series launched the program and the brand, the second year ratified it and the show didn't even hit its high point in the U.S. until this year when series three ended," producer Gareth Neame explained. "It's very rare for a British drama to have this much retail potential."
However, it wasn't until last month that fans finally got a glimpse of the merchandise up for sale, including a makeup line. The line had cute quotes from the series on the period appropriate packaging, including "No one wants to kiss a girl in black."
The merchandice inspired by the PBS drama also includes a jewelry line of earrings, necklaces, brooches, bracelets, and hair pins.
Neame further discussed the smart move into merchandise in an interview with TheWrap: "We're selective about what we do. Fastidious. But it is a show for Middle America, for Middle Britain . . . and there is a market for people wanting to possess something of that identity." You can now look like your favorite characters, or embody their lifestyles more easily.
According to The Daily Mail, historic British company is trying to get in on the money making, also making it easier for fans to feel like they live in the houses on the show.
Mylands, a maker of paints and wood polishes, has begun mass-producing the two shades of gray used to decorate Downton Abbey's ashy kitchens. The colors are named Empire Grey and Amber Grey, reflecting the style typical of the drama's post-Edwardian setting. "We have been selling paint to the production team behind Downton Abbey since it started in 2010," said a Mylands spokesperson. "[A]nd after its success we decided to sell them to the general public."
The collection is available for purchase in October to line up with the season four premiere.