It’s become de rigueur these past several years for major fashion houses and acclaimed directors to collaborate on short films that blur the lines between advertisement and art. Prime example: Prada. Last year, we saw Ben Kingsley and Helena Bonham Carter team up for a therapy session. And now, we have Wes Anderson transforming wunderkind Jason Schwartzman into a mustachioed, introspective race-car driver. (Continue reading to watch the video.)
This is actually Anderson’s second collab with Prada, the first being a series of shorts depicting blonde enigma Candy (deftly played by French actress Léa Seydoux) and her rival admirers. The Wes Anderson fans here at Nordstrom HQ are more partial to this new offering, though—it feels more Andersonian, with the qualities we’ve come to expect from the love-him-or-hate-him director: wide-angle tracking shots, deadpan wit, beautiful and unimpressed women—plus a serious devotion to style.
Old School. Anderson’s long had a penchant for enviable costuming. Take the prep-school uniforms from Rushmore, Anderson’s sophomore movie and his first time teaming up with Schwartzman. It’s safe to say lovelorn, revenge-fueled, 15-year-old Max Fischer owns that navy blazer and button-down shirt combo (although we’d recommend pairing it with some grey trousers to tone down the private-school vibe).
Man of the House. Perhaps a more seasonally appropriate look: the double-breasted coat worn by Pagoda in The Royal Tenenbaums. (A moment of silence, if you please, for the recently passed Kumar Pallana, the actor behind the poker-faced role). Check out those lapels (the OCBD and shades aren’t bad, either). That rich camel color is timeless, and it goes with practically anything. Clearly, it’s a shade that Anderson favors, as a similar look shows up in one of his later movies…
Fall Flavor. Never thought we’d envy a wild animal’s wardrobe, but here we are—The Fantastic Mr. Fox is totally killing that autumnal palette. It probably helps that said fox is voiced by the always-dapper George Clooney. But really, with a corduroy sportcoat like that, you can’t go wrong.
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Epilogue: You may not want to emulate these looks verbatim—they are, after all, costumes. But as far as freshening up your own style? You could do a lot worse than looking to Wes Anderson films for inspiration (we haven’t even touched on Steve Zissou and his iconic red hat, or Bill Murray’s sweet madras pants in Moonrise Kingdom). Just steer clear of wet suits and Boy Scout uniforms—at the office, anyway. What you do on the weekend is your own business.
Editor’s Picks to Get the Look:
John Varvatos Star USA Peacoat | Prada Sneakers | Band of Outsiders Blazer
Topman Oxford Shirt | Prada Sunglasses | BOSS HUGO BOSS Blazer
SHOP ALL: PRADA
And find most of Wes Anderson’s modern classics
as part of The Criterion Collection.
[By Laura Oxford—our men’s site editor, and a fan of feminist sci-fi, Yeezus, and gin, in addition to the works of Wes Anderson.]
