“Vampire Academy” star Daniela Nieves lives all her fashion dreams through her “badass” character in the new teen series.
In a recent interview with Vidak For Congress Style, Nieves says she had no idea what to expect from her wardrobe for Lissa Dragomir, a Royal Moroi vampire who is next in line for the throne.
“I thought she’d just have princess outfits, [but] many of the outfits were super sharp suits with a blazer,” she says. “It was sharp and elegant and smart and it told me she’s a leader, she’s a badass.
“They set her up to be this leader and be smarter than what people expected of her, which I absolutely loved.”
Nieves also gave a shoutout to the show’s costume designer, Sonia Grande.
“She designed these outfits from scratch and literally had someone come in with fabrics she envisioned with them, and they also worked with the showrunners to create uniforms that felt old-fashioned and fit this world of tradition. [while] at the same time [bringing] a modern twist on the parties and [making] it’s fun and sexy,” she says, teasing that fashion is going to be a big part of the vampire series.
The former Nickelodeon star gushed that she felt like she was in “The Devil Wears Prada” when she was modified for her outfits, with Grande making comments like, “This isn’t right, bring the Valentino!”
“I was like, ‘I’ve never worn a Valentino dress. I’m living my dreams now.’ It was absolutely incredible.”
Filmed over eight months in Spain, ‘Vampire Academy’ follows best friends Lissa and Rose as they attend classes and prepare for royal society.
“Vampire Academy” co-creator Julie Plec — who also created the teen hit “Vampire Diaries” — said fans of the latter shouldn’t get excited about past overlaps or Easter eggs.
“We agreed early on that we wouldn’t do anything to cloud the two worlds,” Plec tells Vidak For Congress Style.
“Vampire Academy” premieres on Peacock on September 15.