Let’s be real. If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a designer label you can't afford, wondering if it would look better if you just added a Lacroix waistcoat and a bit of "Lacroix, sweetie," you’ve been influenced by Edina Monsoon. She is the chaotic, champagne-soaked engine that drove Absolutely Fabulous. While Jennifer Saunders created the character, Edina—or "Eddy" to her tiny circle of enablers—became something much larger than a sitcom trope. She is Patsy’s absolutely fabulous pal, the PR "guru" who somehow managed to make a career out of falling out of taxis and shouting at her daughter, Saffy.
It's been decades since the show first aired on the BBC in 1992, yet Eddy feels more relevant today than she did during the height of the "Cool Britannia" era. Why? Because we are living in the world she predicted. A world of constant rebranding, influencer culture, and the desperate need to be "in" on the next big thing before it even happens.
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The Dynamics of a Toxic, Sparkling Friendship
The bond between Edina and Patsy Stone isn't just a TV friendship. It’s a symbiotic survival strategy. Patsy, the skeletal, chain-smoking fashion editor who hasn't eaten a solid meal since 1973, provides the "cool" factor that Edina desperately craves. In return, Edina provides the house, the booze, and a platform for Patsy’s unapologetic nihilism.
They are codependent.
Without Patsy, Eddy might actually have to face the reality of her life—that she’s a middle-aged mother with two ex-husbands and a career built on thin air. But with Patsy? She’s a pioneer. She’s a trendsetter. She’s "absolutely fabulous."
People often forget that the show was based on a French and Saunders sketch called "Modern Mother and Daughter." In that original version, the roles were more grounded, but the sitcom pushed the absurdity to the limit. Edina’s house in Holland Park became a temple to bad taste, filled with high-end furniture that looked uncomfortable and "minimalist" art that was basically trash. It was the perfect backdrop for a woman who was constantly trying to find her "inner self" through Buddhist chanting, expensive crystals, or whatever new-age fad had just landed in Vogue.
Why Edina Was the First True Influencer
Long before Instagram, Edina Monsoon was living for the "grid."
She didn't just buy clothes; she performed in them. Whether it was the oversized Christian Lacroix prints or the terrifyingly tight Jean Paul Gaultier corsets, Eddy used fashion as armor. She was terrified of being "old" or, worse, "boring."
Think about her job. She was in Public Relations. In the 90s, that meant lunching. It meant knowing "names." Eddy’s roster of clients was often vague—Lulu was a frequent target of her "PR" efforts—but her real client was herself. She was selling a version of a life that was constantly on the verge of a breakthrough.
The Saffy Factor
You can't talk about Patsy’s absolutely fabulous pal without mentioning Saffron. Julia Sawalha’s portrayal of the sensible, cardigan-wearing daughter was the necessary foil to Eddy’s madness. Saffy was the adult in the room.
It’s a classic role reversal.
Eddy would stumble home at 4:00 AM, and Saffy would be there to judge her. The comedy comes from Eddy’s genuine resentment that her daughter won't just "be cool." To Eddy, Saffy’s refusal to participate in the fashion world was a personal insult. It was a rejection of everything Eddy held dear: surface-level glamour and the avoidance of consequence.
The Real Fashion Impact of AbFab
Fashion isn't just a joke in Absolutely Fabulous. It’s a character.
The show had a massive impact on how people viewed high fashion. Designers like Vivienne Westwood, Christian Lacroix, and Zandra Rhodes didn't just tolerate the parody—they embraced it. They realized that having Edina scream their names was better than any traditional advertisement.
- The Lacroix Effect: Christian Lacroix became a household name in the UK largely because of the show.
- The "Nineties Look": The show perfectly captured the transition from 80s excess to 90s experimentalism.
- The Cameos: From Kate Moss to Naomi Campbell, the fashion elite lined up to be mocked by Eddy and Pats.
Honestly, it’s rare to see a show that understands its subject matter so well that it can satirize it while simultaneously being a part of it. Jennifer Saunders wrote Eddy with a mix of mockery and empathy. You laugh at her, but you also feel the sting of her insecurity. We’ve all had those "Eddy" moments where we try too hard to fit in and end up looking slightly ridiculous.
The Modern Legacy of Edina Monsoon
If Edina were around today, she would be obsessed with TikTok trends. She would be trying (and failing) to use Gen Z slang. She would be "pivoting to video" and trying to launch a lifestyle brand that involves questionable wellness patches.
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The 2016 Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie showed us exactly that.
Eddy and Patsy are on the run in the South of France after accidentally pushing Kate Moss into the Thames. It was a chaotic mess of a film, but it stayed true to the core theme: these women will never change. They will never grow up. They will never apologize for their excess.
And that’s the appeal. In a world that is increasingly focused on "wellness," "mindfulness," and "clean living," Edina Monsoon is a glorious middle finger to all of it. She drinks too much, she spends too much, and she cares far too much about what people think of her shoes.
What We Get Wrong About Eddy
Most people think Edina is just a vapid fashionista. That's a mistake. She’s actually a deeply anxious woman trying to fill a void with Bolly (Bollinger champagne) and Stoli (Stolichnaya vodka).
Her "pal" Patsy is the one who is truly detached from reality. Eddy still has a tether to the world through her mother (played by the legendary June Whitfield) and Saffy. She wants to be good; she just doesn't know how to do it without an audience or a brand sponsorship.
Actionable Takeaways from the Monsoon Method
While you probably shouldn't adopt Edina's lifestyle if you value your liver or your bank account, there are a few "lessons" we can take from Patsy’s absolutely fabulous pal:
- Confidence is 90% of the look. Even when Edina looked insane, she walked like she owned the sidewalk. There is something to be said for wearing your mistakes with pride.
- Loyalty matters. Despite the insults and the mutual destruction, Eddy and Patsy are loyal to the end. Find your "person" who will hide the body (or the Kate Moss) with you.
- Don't take "no" for an answer. Eddy’s persistence in the face of total failure is actually kind of inspiring. She keeps pitching, keeps planning, and keeps trying to get into the party.
- Know your brands, but don't let them own you. Use fashion as a tool for self-expression, not just a status symbol. (Though Eddy would definitely disagree with this one).
The next time you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the pressures of modern life, just channel your inner Edina. Put on some loud music, pour a glass of something bubbly, and remind yourself that you are, indeed, absolutely fabulous. Just try to avoid any open bodies of water if Kate Moss is nearby.
To truly understand the Edina Monsoon phenomenon, you have to look at the cultural context of the 1990s. The UK was shaking off the grey years of the 80s. Everything was getting louder, brighter, and more expensive. Eddy was the personification of that shift. She was the "new money" that the "old guard" hated. She was loud, she was proud, and she was completely obsessed with the future.
Even today, her influence persists in every "momprenuer" trying to make it on social media and every PR executive trying to "disrupt" an industry. We are all living in Edina’s world now. We just don't have her wardrobe budget. Or her stamina.
The reality of Edina is that she represents the eternal struggle between who we are and who we want the world to think we are. She is the mask we wear when we want to be more than we feel. And as long as there are magazines to read and champagne to drink, Edina Monsoon will be there, falling out of a car and looking for the nearest party.
If you want to revisit the madness, the original series remains the gold standard. Watch the episodes "Fashion," "France," and "Hospital" for the peak Edina experience. You’ll see exactly why she remains the most iconic "pal" in television history. There’s no one else like her. Thank god for that.
Start by auditing your own "fabulous" habits—are you buying things because you like them, or because you think you should like them? If it’s the latter, you might be closer to Eddy than you think. Embrace the chaos, but maybe skip the second bottle of Bolly. Your head (and your daughter) will thank you in the morning.
The best way to honor the legacy of this fashion-obsessed icon is to stop caring so much about being "sensible." Every once in a while, buy the ridiculous shoes. Shout at the clouds. Tell your Saffy to lighten up. Life is too short for beige cardigans.
Stay fabulous. Cheers, sweetie.