The Untouchables: Thirties Giorgio Armani – Part 2 | Clothes on Film
Posted by Chris on September 18, 2009
Second in a two part journey through the Giorgio Armani fashions of The Untouchables (1987). Sean Connery’s character Malone prefers a more relaxed style of dress to Elliot Ness, as illustrated the first time we see him out of his beat uniform in civvies:
Norfolk jacket in brown twill tweed. Light green shirt with pointed collars and single button cuffs. Red cable knit waistcoat. Brown tweed peaked cap. Dark green loose fitting wool trousers. Black lace-up leather shoes.
“Soft clothes” huffs crooked Police Chief Mike Dorsett (Man in Suitcase’s Richard Bradford) at Malone’s colourful attire. This is directed as an insult, but is also wholly accurate. What Malone is wearing constituted ‘dressing soft’ in the 1920s, and is clearly a look the old cop left hanging in his closet for the next ten years.
This would not have been seen as an insult in the previous decade however as every man (with money) was dressing soft. Whether it be in comfortably wide Oxford Bags (trousers named after the Oxford students who wore them over their sports gear during lessons), open necked white flannel shirts or flannel pants; the 1920s was a time when looking as though you worked at nothing for a living was decidedly trendly.
Armani went overboard with this concept. He created a look close to the relaxed man of wealth he championed during the 1980s. Though it does work for the character; Malone is defined by his casual arrogance and nose thumbing to convention.
The box-pleated Norfolk jacket was originally constructed (probably for the Duke of Norfolk, hence the name) in the latter half of the eighteenth century to aid in the comfortable lifting and aiming of one’s rifle when hunting. It is loose fitting, practical, and still surprisingly popular one hundred and fifty years later. Timeless and yet, ironically, never really fashionable.
Back with Eliot Ness…this time for some serious quality hide:
Dark brown hip-length leather coat, cinch belt with high notched lapels, inset pockets and front flap chest pocket and buckle cuffs. Narrow spread white pinstripe shirt with red knitted tie. Light grey trilby hat with brown silk band. Blue/red tartan wool scarf. Light brown shearling leather gloves with button fastening.
This is a decadant item of sporting leather, not ideal for equestrianism however as it needs to be cut higher or have a longer single vent to fall either side of a rider’s buttocks. The quality of leather is captured beautifully by director Brian DePalma. Cowhide would be strong and typical, but deerskin on an Armani budget more likely.
This sequence suggests that Ness and his troupe are desperados as much as lawmakers and, as becomes evident, they are starting to enjoy themselves. By designating each team member a signature look, e.g. newly incensed Oscar Wallace with his rage red shirt and tie, DePalma, Vance-Straker and Armani have immortalised these men as a prohibition era Wild Bunch: Costner the leader, Connery the old hand, Andy Garcia the sharp shooter, Martin Smith the brains.
During the aftermath of the border shoot-out, Sean Connery’s shawl neck cardigan with leather buttons also gets plenty of screen time. This ribbed wool knitwear is an Armani staple and in recent years a designer fashion staple in general. Daniel Craig wears a shorter, more fitted update by Dunhill in Quantum of Solace (2008). One James Bond influencing another there.
For the villains of the piece, despite Robert DeNiro’s overt pomp (in suits made made by Al Capone’s real life tailor), there really is only one ensemble worth examining – hitman Nitti’s (Billy Drago) white DB.
It is likely the best remembered outfit from The Untouchables by people who do not normally remember outfits from films. Then again a white linen suit in a sea of blue and grey is not easy to forget.
White linen four on two double breasted suit, ventless, peaked lapels with watch fob. Matching high buttoned waistcoat. White double-cuff shirt with light blue pinstripes and gold cufflinks; pin collar with silver pin. Cream silk tie. High brim straw Panama hat with black silk band. White and black kid brogues.
Totally on the nose, Nitti the cold blooded killer wears white, a colour that actually represents mourning in some cultures. This angel of death wears slouchy 1980s on-trend trousers that, if they had come in taupe, may as well have had Armani’s branded logo on the side.
Armani might have been self indulgent in his overall approach to this film, but – like the flashy editing on a Michael Bay or Tony Scott movie – his work was not designed to go unnoticed. Hence the prominent feature of his name during the opening credits. You can’t miss Armani because, as proven with Nitti’s showy double breasted suit or Wallace’s deafening red shirt and tie, you are not supposed to.