• “Supergirl” star Melissa Benoist will be ditching the red skirt and tights for pants when the CW show returns for season five on Sunday, October 6.
  • Victoria Auth, the show’s costume designer, told Insider that the “modern” look marks the beginning of a “sophisticated” era for the hero.
  • “It sort of came hand in hand with taking her out of the cheerleading curb and moving her into something a little more action-oriented, cleaner silhouette,” she told us.
  • Auth also said that it was Benoist’s personal choice to have bangs, but it brings “balance” to the new look.
  • See Insider’s exclusive first-look photo from the show’s premiere above.
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

When The CW’s “Supergirl” returns this fall, the titular character’s new pants will debut a more mature hero.

“The executive producers, Robert Rovner and Jessica Queller, wanted to move the whole show into a bit more of sophistication this year,” Victoria Auth, “Supergirl’s” costume designer, told Insider.

Since the show premiered in 2015, Melissa Benoist has worn the comic-book character’s signature red skirt and tights. For the upcoming fifth season of The CW series, the actress will be wearing a “modern” suit that took almost four months to create from start to finish.

"The civilian clothes have upgraded," Auth, who joined the show as a costume designer during season four, told us. "We did a lot of armies and that kind of thing last year, but they've been on a trajectory to give a little sophistication to Melissa, which she has wanted. It sort of came hand in hand with taking her out of the cheerleading curb and moving her into something a little more action-oriented, cleaner silhouette."

Supergirl's new outfit was first revealed in a photo shared by Benoist in July. Shortly after, fans got a glimpse of the look with an official image and a season five teaser released at San Diego Comic-Con. And now, you can see Insider's exclusive first-look photo from the premiere episode above.

Read more: The CW's first official image of Supergirl wearing pants is out, and fans are praising the new look

supergirl new suit pants season five

Foto: Melissa Benoist stars as the titular character on "Supergirl."sourceThe CW

Auth went on to say that developing the outfit was a collaborative effort, with executive producer Rovner helping to select the ideal shade of blue for the redesign and Bill Hargates Costumes and Iron Heads constructing the suit.

In addition to a new costume, Benoist will have bangs on the new season. The hairstyle change was a personal choice for the actress, but tied in with the show's new direction.

"We were moving the whole concept of 'Supergirl' into a bit more sophistication, and I think she just thought, 'new suit, new 'do,'" Auth said. "It kind of worked to balance each other. They were going to put her in a wig and hold on to the old cut, but then once they saw it, they thought it was a nice freshening."

Season five of "Supergirl" premieres on The CW on Sunday, October 6 at 9 p.m. ET.

Watch the trailer below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_FBPbfkcrk