Outlander's eighth season has at last premiered following considerable anticipation, delivering a striking instalment that returned viewers to Fraser's Ridge.

Audiences now have a further nine episodes to savour before the series concludes permanently.

Outlander's season eight premiere concluded with a touching dedication card appearing just prior to the final credits, reports the Daily Record.

The dedication card stated: "In loving memory of our friend and colleague Loulia Sheppard."

Many viewers are curious about the individual commemorated at the conclusion of episode one.

Loulia, also known as Lou Sheppard, was a hair designer and stylist whose remarkable career stretched across almost six decades.

Born in 1944, Loulia tragically passed away in January 2025 aged 80; nevertheless, her professional achievements have created an enduring impact on the entertainment sector.

She worked as a hairstylist on numerous films and television programmes, including Netflix's The Sandman, the Fantastic Beasts franchise, The Marvels, Loki, and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, amongst countless other productions.

Loulia received Oscar and BAFTA Film Award nominations, alongside Daniel Phillips, in 2017 within the Best Makeup and Hairstyling category for the Judi Dench and Ali Fazal picture Victoria and Abdul.

She had also previously secured three Primetime Emmy nominations for The Lost Empire, John Adams, and The Pillars of the Earth. The Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (Bectu) Hair Makeup and Prosthetics Branch honoured her on their website: "Lou was an outstanding period hair stylist whose passion and dedication to her craft inspired and shaped the careers of many in the industry.

"Incredibly hard working and generous with her expertise, she was a master of every period style. Her knowledge of the history of hair was immense and unmatchable."

She launched her career as a teenager in a hairdressing salon, before working as a wig dresser at Wig Creations and subsequently Wig Specialities.

Loulia went on to share her expertise at the BBC Makeup and Hair School and the London College of Fashion, instructing some of today's leading fashion designers.

Furthermore, she served as a personal hairstylist to numerous global celebrities and is credited with creating some of the most memorable hair and wig designs ever seen on screen.

She previously posted a photograph of Scarlett Johansson on Instagram and captioned the snap: "Lovely memories of working on the Avengers with lovely #ScarlettJohansson and #ChrissieBeveridge makeup #louliasheppardhair #marvel #avengers."

According to her Instagram profile, Loulia also maintained an extensive collection of wigs available for rental through herself and her colleague, Terry Jarvis.

She also co-authored the bestselling book Timeless: A Century of Iconic Looks with Louisa Young, released in 2017.

Timeless has established itself as essential reading for professionals in the hair and makeup sector.

Given Loulia's tremendous influence on hairstyling, especially historical hair design, within the entertainment sector, her contributions would have shaped Outlander, a production celebrated for its extensive range of period-appropriate styles and sophisticated wig work.

Outlander season 8 airs on Starz in the USA on Fridays and on MGM+ via Prime Video in the UK on Saturdays

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