The FX drama series "The Shards," based on Bret Easton Ellis's 2023 novel and produced by Ryan Murphy alongside Ellis, has drawn attention for its meticulous early-1980s Los Angeles fashion, referencing designers such as Halston, Claude Montana and Armani. Costume designers Lou Eyrich and Joshua Marsh spoke to The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the broadcast of episode five, "Murder on the Dance Floor," discussing how they recreate the period's distinctive silhouettes, from exaggerated shoulder pads to the New Romantics look popularised by acts like Adam Ant and Culture Club. The costuming is central to Murphy's signature approach of pairing striking, era-specific visuals with pop-culture storytelling, following similar stylistic ambition in previous shows such as Ratched and Love Story.

Episode five largely centres on the filming of a fictional dance show called Dance-Off!, an American Bandstand-style competition in which characters played by Kaia Gerber, Hayes Warner and Bella Valdes compete for the title of "Groover of the Week." Eyrich, who has collaborated with Murphy for almost three decades across shows including Nip/Tuck, Glee and American Horror Story, described his hands-on, highly visual direction style, often requesting last-minute wardrobe or hair changes on set. Marsh added that these spontaneous adjustments frequently produce some of the show's most memorable looks, with the costume team scrambling to gather options within minutes of Murphy's notes.