If you want to feel like you’re in outer space, run — do not float — to see Alfonso Cuarons spectacular 3D-space epic Gravity. But if you want to experience space-age fashion, look no further than your local shopping mall.
For blogger Jake Gallagher, who writes for one of our favorite sites, A Continuous Lean, seeing Gravity starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney (arguably the most mannered actors in the universe) reminded him of Stanley Kubrick‘s equally impactful 1967 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Gallagher makes some interesting points when comparing the two films. While Gravity is about space-suited humans surviving in the jaw-dropping vastness of outer space, 2001 uses outer space as a set for costumes created by British designer Hardy Amies.
Amies ideas for futuristic fashion were well thought-out; he predicted that standard business garb would be recognizable for the space-age corporate characters, and married Savile Row tailoring with modernity in his designs for 2001 — with some slight adjustments. To wit: there were no neck-ties as they were in zero gravity. The military and spacecraft uniforms looked much as they do now with no dramatic changes. Women wore space-age travelling hats while carrying handbags. The stewardesses’ uniforms mirror late ’60s unisex pant suits.
Although the 2001 wardrobe was practical, it did reflect the mid-1960s slim, steamlined silhouette. At the time, many critics complained that the clothes seemed to reference the Swinging Sixties fashions from London, not the distant future. These snipers little realized how prescient Amies’ designs would prove to be.
In 1991, Kubrick’s films -– costuming included — were deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. And the 2001 look lives on in our own closets.
According to Tom Julian, director at The Donegar Group, a retail and merchandising consulting firm, “All the tech fabrics and tech innovation in design is leading menswear designers into the figure. It’s no surprise that in the U.S. and abroad, streamlined and space-age are the buzz words. Think jackets without lapels, shirts with collars. These all continue to be powerful influences in modern menswear.”
Look for more men’s style inspiration from the future via classic Sci-Fi streaming on FilmOn:
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