8 Iconic Suits That Stole the Scene in TV & Cinema

1. Peaky Blinders (2013): Thomas Shelby’s Tweed Suit

Played by Cillian Murphy, Thomas Shelby’s distinctive combination of tweed, waistcoats, and flat caps became instantly recognisable. Costume designer Stephanie Collie drew inspiration from archive photographs. Shelby’s clothes are a distinct reflection of the practicality of post-First World War Birmingham. The use of tweed is important to the character, as it’s hard-wearing and practical, while the three-piece style gives Shelby a sense of authority. The popularity of Peaky Blinders sparked a renewed interest in vintage tailoring. Tweed, waistcoats, pocket watches and flat caps found their way into more people’s wardrobes. 

Suit details:

Grey herringbone tweed jacket

Matching single-breasted six-button waistcoat with lower welt pockets

Double-pleated, high-waisted trousers

Blue-and-white finely striped cotton dress shirt with a club collar

Brass or gold Albert watch chain

Black peak-lapel overcoat

Charcoal grey Baker Boy cap

2. Goldfinger (1964): James Bond’s White Dinner Jacket

While the secret agent has worn countless memorable suits throughout the franchise, Sean Connery’s ivory dinner jacket remains iconic.

The white dinner jacket dates back to the 1930s, when it became an elegant alternative to traditional black eveningwear. Bond’s version was made by legendary Savile Row tailor Anthony Sinclair, whose distinctive “Conduit Cut” became identifiable with Connery’s early Bond wardrobe. In Goldfinger, Bond wears the jacket during the film’s famous pre-title sequence in Miami, immediately establishing Bond as sophisticated and composed. 

Of course, Bond’s style has aged better than every aspect of the character himself. His legendary charisma is part of the franchise, but his attitudes towards women have not always aged quite as gracefully.

Suit details:

Ivory single-breasted dinner jacket

Black evening trousers

Formal white dress shirt with a vertical pleated bib

Black bow tie

Red carnation boutonnière

Black patent leather shoes

3. The Dark Knight (2008): The Joker’s Purple Suit

The Joker’s wardrobe in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight is the perfect conjuration between a familiar comic-book image, and something distinctly unsettling. Costume designer Lindy Hemming reimagined the character’s traditional purple clothing for a darker shade. Purple has been associated with the Joker since his first appearance in Batman #1 in 1940, but this version feels deliberately imperfect. 

The colour combinations are intentionally jarring, but that is precisely the point. The clothing reflects a character who refuses to conform to conventional rules. Rather than making the Joker look traditionally stylish, the costume makes him unforgettable. The deliberate clashes in colour and pattern demonstrate how tailoring can be used to communicate chaos just as much as sophistication.

Suit details:

Purple wool topcoat with notch lapels and broad shoulders

Contrasting orange satin lining

Purple wool trousers with thin white/lavender pinstripes

Olive green single-breasted waistcoat with a notch lapel

Grey and blue-purple hexagonal-patterned dress shirt

Gold/yellow silk tie with a geometric pattern

Charcoal grey two-button wool jacket with notch lapels

Dark purple leather dress gloves

4. Anniel Hall (1977): Annie Hall’s Three-Piece Suit

When Annie Hall was released in 1977, Diane Keaton’s wardrobe challenged conventional ideas about women’s dress.

The character’s distinctive style was created through a collaboration between costume designer Ruth Morley and Keaton herself, with many of the pieces coming directly from Keaton’s own wardrobe. The look drew inspiration from classic menswear and Hollywood figures such as Katharine Hepburn. The look helped popularise the idea that traditionally ‘masculine’ tailoring could be adapted into a more ‘feminine’ style without losing its character.

Suit details:


Black single-breasted waistcoat

Wide-leg, pleated trousers

White men’s Oxford button-down shirt

Wide patterned grey silk tie, loosely knotted

Black wide-brimmed felt fedora

Tie worn through the waistcoat as a distinctive styling detail

5. Killing Eve (2018): Villanelle’s Oversized Suit

Villanelle is a character who rarely blends into the background, and her wardrobe in Killing Eve is just as unpredictable and cool as she is.

One of her most memorable looks appears during the London bus sequence in Season 3. Costume designer Charlotte Mitchell used relaxed tailoring, from Chalayan’s Spring 2019 Men’s Collection, to create an interestingly casual contrast with Villanelle’s unpredictable personality. This look also reflects the growing influence of oversized tailoring in contemporary fashion, and that proportion can be just as powerful than colour or fabric.

Suit details:

Oversized mid-grey wool tailored jacket

Matching grey waistcoat

Jacket with notch lapels and dropped shoulders

Distinctive drawstring details hanging from the jacket

Matching relaxed, wide-leg grey trousers

Plain white crew-neck cotton T-shirt

Heavy black leather chunky shoes by Proenza Schouler

6. John Wick (2014): John Wick’s Black Suit

Costume designer Luca Mosca deliberately built Wick’s clothing around a monochromatic palette, such as blacks, greys and charcoals, to reinforce the sense of grief and isolation that surrounds him. Mosca took design cues from the industrial appearance of a Glock pistol, while hidden stretch-fabric gussets were incorporated beneath the arms and around the crotch to allow Keanu Reeves to perform demanding action sequences without tearing the suit.

The films also introduced the fictional idea of bullet-resistant bespoke suits. In the first film, Wick wears a concealed Kevlar vest, while later instalments depict suits incorporating flexible armour panels. More than 100 copies of the suit could be constructed for a single film to accommodate stunt doubles and different stages of production.

Suit details:

Single-breasted dark charcoal wool jacket

Narrow notch lapels

Flap waist pockets and welt chest pocket

Matching five-button waistcoat

Dark grey dress shirt with a point collar

Charcoal-black matte silk tie

Slim-cut, flat-front matching trousers

Black leather lace-up Oxford shoes

Hidden stretch gussets for increased movement

Flexible armour panels in later films

7. The Great Gatby (2013): Jay Gatsby’s Cream Suit

The glamour of tailoring is truly highlighted in Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. Costume designer Catherine Martin collaborated with Brooks Brothers to create more than 500 costumes for the film, using historical references from the 1920s. Brooks Brothers opened its historical archives to Martin, providing access to original tailoring patterns and fabric references.

Gatsby uses clothing to project an image of wealth and optimism, as well as romantic possibility. His pale suit is striking during his nervous reunion with Daisy, where the clothing helps communicate the idealised image of himself that he wants her to see. Although the film takes creative liberties with the period, the costume successfully captures the liveliness associated with 1920s fashion while giving it a cinematic polish.

Suit details:

Cream single-breasted wool-linen blend jacket

Classic notch lapels and three-button front

Flap waist pockets and left chest pocket

Dark caramel five-button waistcoat with subtle herringbone pattern

Pale blue dress shirt with pointed collar

Ornate gold collar pin

Mustard-gold silk tie with diagonal stripes

Bronze pocket square

High-waisted, off-white straight-leg trousers

8. Scarface (1983): Elvira Hancock’s Ivory Skirt Suit

Elvira Hancock’s, played by Michelle Phfieffer, wardrobe in Scarface provides one of cinema’s most memorable examples of women’s power dressing. 

Costume designer Patricia Norris used clothing to communicate wealth and status throughout the film. Elvira’s wardrobe drew inspiration from the minimalist glamour of designers such as Halston and Giorgio Armani, whose clean style and luxury tailoring were closely associated with the late 1970s and early 1980s.

At a time when Miami fashion was often associated with bright colours, bold jewellery and conspicuous glamour, Elvira’s restrained palette makes her appear even more expensive and untouchable. The outfit also reflects the rise of the women’s power suit, when tailoring became increasingly associated with authority and independence.

Elvira’s look demonstrates that tailoring can communicate power without relying on traditional menswear conventions. The combination of structure, luxury fabric and a restrained colour palette creates a distinctive silhouette that remains memorable decades later.

Suit details:

White silk tailored blazer

Sharp notch lapels

Pronounced 1980s shoulder pads

Deep V-neckline

Ruffled peplum waist with matching fabric sash

Matching white midi-length pencil skirt

High-thigh front wrap slit

Oversized cat-eye sunglasses

Minimalist gold jewellery

Wide-brimmed white sun hat

The Legacy of Iconic Screen Tailoring

The best costume design works because it feels inseparable from the character, and while you may not be stepping onto a film set anytime soon, there is no reason your own wardrobe cannot borrow a little inspiration from the screen.

At King & Allen, the design elements that make these legendary looks so distinctive can be adapted into a suit that feels entirely your own. With bespoke tailoring, you have the freedom to personalise every element and create something that truly reflects your style and personality.