Absolutely Not Fabulous

The Series: “Absolutely Fabulous” (Comedy Central, episodes from the third season air Mondays at 8 p.m., and reruns air Sundays at 11 p.m.).

The Setup: British comedy, now in its third and final season, that Calvin Klein and other American fashion cognoscenti reportedly spirited across the Atlantic for private viewing before it landed a spot on cable last summer. Focus is on the lives of fashion victims Edina (Jennifer Saunders, who also created and writes the series, pictured at right) and Patsy (Joanna Lumley, pictured at left).

The Costume Designer: Sarah Burns, a BBC staffer.

Edina’s Look: A nightmare fashion publicist, Edina gloms onto the latest trends as if they were bread to the starving. Although she looks like a Vogue parody in a too-tight hot pink halter dress worn with highly unflattering over-the-knee knit boots or a wretched Big Bird yellow suit and Dickensian floppy stovepipe hat, her get-ups are straight from the designer departments of the best stores in London. Designer fashion bloopers, you might call them, that tend to end up on your friendly, neighborhood sale rack. The aforementioned footwear is Chanel; the rest, including hat, are by Donna Karan.

Patsy’s Look: As a detestable fashion editor, Patsy is meant to be the more tasteful of the two. After all, she should have at least some moments of fashion clarity since, in theory, she has access to the wealth of giveaways for which magazine editors are famous. So, this season, she continues to wear loads of understated sheaths and coats by Betty Jackson, a sort of British Calvin Klein. But, the fact is, her Ivana Trump beehive does her in even when she’s trying to look chic. Besides, she’s a bit long in the tooth for minis.

You Should Know: Burns says she hasn’t heard any complaints from the designers whose clothes she favors on her shopping rounds. “You never know,” she says. “I think they understand that Edina’s meant to get it wrong and look awful. I know for sure that [Christian] Lacroix wrote to Jennifer saying how much he enjoyed the show and how hilarious it was.”

Scene Stealer: Absolutely hysterical is the only way to describe Edina’s assistant Bubble (Jane Horrocks). She favors a baby-doll look composed of treacly colors and fabrics that should come out only at Halloween (feathers, funny-colored fake furs and vinyl). In fact, “baby doll” was the club look of the moment in London when the current episodes were filmed last summer, Burns explains. As for Bubble’s dozens of tiny, beribboned braids, they’re inspired by the pop star Bjork.

Quoted: When asked about Bubble’s lace-up shoes, Burns said: “They’re ‘brothel creepers.’ Big, thick, crepe, wedge shoes worn originally in the ‘50s by Teddy Boys. Then they became very popular again in the ‘70s with tartan bondage trousers. Sid Vicious always wore them.”

Sources: For Edina, Burns shops mostly at Brown’s in London, and favors designers Karan, Vivienne Westwood, Dolce & Gabbana, Norma Kamali and Lacroix (for her heart-shaped necklace) this season. Bubble’s clothes are from the stores Sign of the Times and Big Apple.