The late British fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood was revered for her unique vision. “Ballroom Meets Back Alley” is the way I’d describe her aesthetic. It was elegant and extravagant - and subversive. Her collections forced over-the-top opulence to become distorted by a hardcore punk rock rawness. Yet, Dame Vivienne was quoted as saying, “Buy less, choose well, make it last.”
Coming from her, it seems like surprisingly sensible fashion advice for all of us, but especially if you’re a vampire. I mean, think about it. If you’re a vampire, your wardrobe needs are streamlined. You don’t need things like resort wear. Your clothes stay fresh because you don’t perspire - because you’re dead. With regard to Dame Vivienne’s “make it last” edict, timeless and classic fashion always works because you can just reinvent pieces from season to season, year to year, decade to decade… century to century.
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Most vampires are also notoriously…chic. They kind of have to be - because allure is key to, well, their nutritional needs. These types of observations are what costume designers have to think about (in a more involved, intellectual way) when tasked with creating clothing for vampire characters in movies.
It doesn’t get much more impressive, credential-wise, when the costumer designer/collaborator is fashion legend Yves St. Laurent. He was responsible for designing Catherine Deneuve’s wardrobe for 1983’s “The Hunger.” Deneuve has long been considered to be one of the greatest actresses of all time. Her beauty is as renowned - she is the official face of Marianne, the symbol of the French Republic. In the movie, her character, Miriam, is a vampire whose existence is dependent upon secrecy and security. Conversely, she’s not remotely compelled to blend into a crowd (the sort of confidence that comes with immortality, I’d guess). In the film’s opening sequence, Miriam and John (her companion of centuries, played convincingly by David Bowie), stalk victims at an exclusive and decadent night club. Of course, both characters are wearing dark sunglasses. Duh.
Deneuve, as Miriam, is appropriately attired in a fitted, black catsuit. She’s accessorized it with a flight cadet style hat, Egyptian anhk pendant necklace (a symbol of immortality), and black leather gloves with some major, metal-studded cuffs. The look is daring, but not dated. In another scene, her sharp-shouldered coat and over-sized, diamond-encrusted lizard brooch are pretty yet predatory - and we’ve seen a resurgence of these same style cues in current collections. A black cloche hat with an intentionally mysterious, pearl-studded veil topped-off the look (made sense for Miriam, but probably not an easy one to try mainstreaming).
Bowie, as John, wears a variety of looks. All are exquisite examples of classic menswear, whether edgy or elegant. His double-breasted suit is as cool and on trend today as it was when the movie was released - and would’ve been so decades before.
Tom Hiddleston’s character, Adam, in 2013’s “Only Lovers Left Alive,” is much more disheveled in a world-weary, rock & roll way. His vampire attire reflects the mental toll that five hundred years of existence can have - I would guess. He’s definitely a fashion minimalist who favors dark, drab tones as well as a lot of leather. He has that doesn’t-care-if-it’s-cool approach to dressing that ends up looking unbelievably cool. He does show sentimentality for a centuries old dressing gown (meaning robe) - which is not unlike many mortal men who have a habit of hanging on to clothing that has “expired.”
By contrast, his wife Eve, played by the perfectly-cast Tilda Swinton, is a bit of a clothes horse, or maybe more accurately, a clothes-horse-corpse. She’s thousands of years old, which would undoubtedly result in a “decent” selection of garments for just about any occasion. Her outfits are often bright and uplifting. They’re light and reflective, much like her personality - initially. There are floral patterns, silk scarves, and gold embroidered caftans involved in her diverse mix of globally-chic attire.
Eve and her husband Adam have been married for a very, very, very long time. It may be why they choose to lead a bi-coastal existence - she on The Straits of Gibraltar in Tangiers, Morocco and he in another port city - Detroit, Michigan.
“Only Lovers Left Alive” was largely shot on location here, in 2013. When Eve arrives for what’s clearly her first visit, the movie footage documents their nocturnal drive through a city that’s almost unrecognizable from the vibrant rebirth we’ve seen since that time. It’s dark and desolate and evocative of ancient ruin. As their journey continues, the following conversation occurs:
Eve: So this is your wilderness. Detroit.
Adam: Everybody left.
Eve: What’s that ?
Adam: It’s the Packard Plant, where they once built the most beautiful cars in the world. Finished.
Eve: But this place will rise again.
Adam: Will it?
Eve: Yeah. There’s water here. And when the cities in the South are burning, this place will rise again.
Hmmm...well-dressed and wise are traits I find very appealing in individuals …provided I don’t become a meal en route to getting to know them better.