Kaia Gerber reveals Brooke Shields inspired her glamorous look in 'The Shards'

Kaia Gerber shares how Brooke Shields and 1980s icons influenced her character’s style in Ryan Murphy’s The Shards

Kaia Gerber has revealed that Brooke Shields was among the inspirations behind her character’s appearance in Ryan Murphy’s psychological thriller series The Shards.

Gerber stars as Susan Reynolds, a popular student body president in the FX and Hulu series based on Bret Easton Ellis’ 2023 novel of the same name. Set in 1980s Los Angeles, the show follows a group of wealthy high school students whose lives are disrupted when a mysterious new student arrives and a serial killer begins targeting their classmates.

Speaking about the character’s visual style, Gerber explained that she worked closely with costume designers Lou Eyrich and Josh Marsh to create Susan’s glamorous 1980s-inspired wardrobe. She said each character had a detailed mood board featuring fashion references from the era.

For Susan’s look, Gerber said the team drew inspiration from figures including Brooke Shields, Lauren Hutton and model Gia Carangi. The actress also highlighted the importance of the character’s hairstyles, including her voluminous curls that reflected the fashion trends of 1980s Los Angeles.

One of Gerber’s favourite outfits from the series is a coral jumpsuit featured in an upcoming episode. She described the costume as one of the most memorable parts of filming and enjoyed seeing Susan’s clothing evolve alongside the character’s journey.

Gerber said she was excited to join The Shards because of her admiration for Ellis’ writing and Murphy’s storytelling style. She praised the collaboration between the author and creator, saying their shared vision made the adaptation a perfect fit.

The series also stars Graham Campbell, Homer Gere, Igby Rigney, Hayes Warner, Wes Bentley, Evan Rachel Wood and Jordan Roth. New episodes of The Shards are released weekly on FX and Hulu.