Hot Threads for a Cool Cat: Shaft!
Giorgio Armani, known for his superbly fitted suits and neutral shades, broke his own designer mold when he was asked to lend a gritty yet elegant wardrobe style in the new “Shaft.”
Taking his cue from the movie’s costume designer, Ruth Carter, Armani created a sleek seamless leather jacket now regarded as the “Shaft jacket” as well as other pieces for Samuel L. Jackson to wear as Shaft.
“I was excited about the prospect of collaborating with Ruth,” the Italian designer said in an e-mail interview from his office in Milan. “Ruth is an acclaimed and respected costume designer, and Sam is one of the greatest and, certainly, most stylish, actors today.”
Question: What was your inspiration for the “Shaft jacket”?
Answer: When I was designing my fall/winter men’s 2000 collection, I was in the midst of creating pieces for the “Shaft” wardrobe. So, of course, some references to Shaft appeared in that show. The leather jackets were specifically made for the film. When Richard Roundtree created the original Shaft character, a classic leather jacket was that film’s wardrobe centerpiece. I was inspired to repeat that phenomenon for Sam Jackson but decided he could handle a more radical look. I played with the cowboy duster silhouette, giving it an urban warrior spin.
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Q: What did you want to accomplish with that look?
A: Because Sam is so tall and lanky, I made a deliberate decision to elongate the jacket. When you watch Sam in the film, you can’t help but notice how easily he works that extra fabric; he is almost like a bullfighter with a cape. Sam has a model’s instinct--he has a prance in his step that brings clothing to life. Several weeks worth of sketching and faxing, and the process was done.
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Q: Do you agree or disagree with Carter when she says that the Armani look is more about New York than L.A., and why?
A: I feel Armani transcends any geography, but I can see Ruth’s point. New York dresses with a darker and more serious edge than Los Angeles. It’s symptomatic of surviving the urbanity of New York, the claustrophobic streets, the hidden alleys, the potential menace. So, when we placed John Shaft in this environment, we had to let him be the infamous dandy, but with a brooding quality that came through in the clothing.
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Q: Please describe Shaft chic.
A: For me, Shaft chic is refined street-cool. It’s creating a hipness that is defined by your own rules, by your own choices. It’s a mentality that can be personified in a very small, focused wardrobe: sleek leather jackets, distinct cashmere knits and hip accessories like skullcaps and sunglasses. That’s all he needs to make a huge fashion statement.
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Q: How can the modern man update his wardrobe to look Shaft chic?
A: I have always felt that good clothing is a great investment. If there is one piece in Shaft’s wardrobe that is worth every cent ($2,500), it would be the great cut-leather jacket. Since my jacket is elegant and modern and not tricked up with gimmicks, you can wear it for years. That’s easy on anyone’s wallet. Throw in a pair of dark pants and a ribbed sweater, and you’ve completed the look.
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Q: What do you want moviegoers to remember about the Shaft look, especially when he’s in your designs?
A: I would like for them to remember the character’s coolness. His confident strut, his fearless demeanor, his utterly commanding style. Shaft is the alpha male with the ultimate attitude and a wardrobe to match. He doesn’t even need a badge; the leather jacket says it all.
