How The Muppet Show made its stars style icons

Vulture

Polly Smith, who was costume designer for four of the show's five years, says she wanted to make The Muppets look realistic when it came to the clothes they wore. In fact, she worried about the effect an unfinished hem could have on a young fan. “In their mind, especially kids, the minute they look in the Muppets’ eyes they think they’re talking to a real thing,” she says. “I didn’t want it to be on my watch that they become distracted and realize that isn’t the case.”