Style Heroes: 1960s Alain Delon

On paper, Delon’s 1960s style was unremarkable. He favoured simple tailoring in greys and blues and when he wore a tie, invariably to a red carpet affairor other formal event, he chose dark solid colours in knitted or textured silk. Pocket squares were generally shunned and the only other accessory of note would be a cigarette, hanging impossibly from the corner of his mouth. On the more casual side, Delon was an adept wearer of knitwear and paired his with tailored trousers and slip ons, adding no small amount of continental flair.

There’s strangely little to say about Alain Delon’s style, despite him having so much of it. There’s no secret to it, no combinations of garments unique to him; just well made, simple clothing that flattered the wearer. There’s a scene in Plein Soleil where he strolls through an Italian market, cigarette glued to his lips, jacket artfully thrown over his shoulder. He’s wearing a white shirt unbuttoned half way, sleeves rolled up, and mid-rise grey trousers that taper gently over his loafers. There’s nothing special about what he’s wearing, yet in this scene he epitomises ‘cool’. It’s an overused cliche that it’s not what you wear, but how you wear it, and Delon proved this. Sometimes, simpler is just better.