Summary
1. “JAILHOUSE ROCK” - ELVIS BY ROMAIN BARET, FOUNDER OF THE VILLAGE PARIS BRAND 2. “CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE” - ELVIS BY NAWAL BONNEFOY, EDITOR AT BONNEGUEULE 3. “TRUE LOVE TRAVELS ON A GRAVEL ROAD” - ELVIS BY TIM KEEGAN, MUSICIAN AND SINGER OF THE GROUP DEPARTURE LOUNGE 4. “SUSPICIOUS MINDS” - ELVIS BY MARK LARGE, FASHION INFLUENCER UNDER THE NAME 1LRGCinema brings the Elvis legend to life in the guise of Austin Butler and the camera of Baz Luhrmann. This is an opportunity to review our classics. Who better to talk about it than enthusiasts? They are editors, influencers, musicians or brand founders and tell you why Elvis Presley is still a model of style today.
(Cover photo credit: Elvis Presley in 1957 - Photo Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Elvis Aaron Presley would have been 87 this year. But some believe he is still alive and well. If the legend of Elvis is still very present in people's minds, it is because his music brought rock'n'roll permanently into homes around the world and it never really left.
His career began in 1954 at Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. Elvis Presley achieved his first big success with “ Heartbreak Hotel ” two years later. His music and his hip movements literally panicked the society of the time.
Then come other successes, a parallel career in the cinema, a military service which will change everything and the return of the King on the glittery stages of Las Vegas.
Who imagined in 1956 that we would still be talking about Elvis some 60 years later? It's of course a story of music and charisma. On this last point, you can also extend the reflection here:
But Elvis combines a little bit of all of that at once. Because its story is also a clothing style, which some guests from the world of fashion or music tell us here .
© Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Elvis Presley, workwear style and Gibson guitar, 1957.
What are their favorite Elvis songs and outfits? And what do they remember about the stylistic heritage of the man we still call the King today? A brief overview of a legend in four songs, looks and testimonials .
1. “ JAILHOUSE ROCK ” - ELVIS BY ROMAIN BARET, FOUNDER OF THE VILLAGE PARIS BRAND
We have already mentioned the Village Paris brand several times in our columns. Its founder Romain Baret is passionate about vintage and if you even take a look at his Instagram page, you will see that he is also a lover of style and music , at Leonard Cohen or Syd Barrett for example.
How does Elvis inspire him on a daily basis? Romain has a ready answer: “He can inspire me on the dancefloor, especially! » . Does this mean that Elvis' style is necessarily written in movement ? All you have to do is listen carefully for what comes next: the swaying of the hips and the dance steps are almost obligatory.
When asked for his favorite Elvis song, Romain specifies that there are many. But his choice ultimately falls on the classic “Jailhouse rock”, a 1957 song written to accompany the film of the same name – “Le Rock du Bagne” in French.
Since 1956, Elvis has alternated between recording studios, the stage and film sets. “Jailhouse rock”, the film, is the third of his career. But Romain's musical choice is not entirely innocent.
FAVORITE OUTFIT?
“In the film “Le Rock du Bagne”, the excellent scene with his convict outfit: black and white sailor top, black denim ensemble, white socks and black derbies . »
It is a tailor-made outfit with an estimated value in 2012 of more or less $30,000 . The jacket is numbered "6240" and labeled at MGM Studios. Another surprise: by digging a little, we discover that the sailor top is perhaps in reality... a shirt !
You can take a look at one of the copies made for the film here . Black, red, gray, striped and labeled La Scala, this piece was also owned by MGM studios. We could still dig deeper, but the mysteries of black and white have something magical enough here to not go any further in our investigation.
If you want to get back into stripes or sailor style without falling into the maritime imagination, Elvis is the perfect time: try with denim, all in black and white contrast . If the denim ensemble ever intimidates you, some more tips here:
How to summarize the stylistic influence of Elvis? Above all, Romain has a thought for the fans. Like other great musical icons, we are in fact able to recognize true Elvis enthusiasts by their clothing choices :
“More than influence on fashion or in the contemporary wardrobe like Steve McQueen was, I would say that it was mainly Elvis fans who wanted to be like him .
His stage outfits are incredible , with his most famous costume in 1977 in Las Vegas and his famous pair of glasses later worn by Christian Slater in the Quentin Tarantino-written film "True Romance". »
For the record, from 1968 until the end of his life, Elvis' stage costumes were entrusted to the American Bill Belew. Died in 2008, the latter told a little about his stylistic adventure with the rock'n'roll icon here and there .
Another useful resource for immersing yourself in the Elvis universe: the two volumes devoted to him by the writer and historian Peter Guralnick: “Last Train To Memphis” and “Careless Love”.
2. “ CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE ” - ELVIS BY NAWAL BONNEFOY , EDITOR AT BONNEGUEULE
At BonneGueule too, we have a few Elvis fans, starting with Nawal. We already knew that she had regained her taste for cardigans thanks to Taylor Swift , today we discovered that she has a weakness for Elvis Presley's style. His favorite song? A 1961 classic written for the film “ Under the Blue Sky of Hawaii ”:
“Without any hesitation, “Can’t Help Falling In Love.” I admit it's a bit cliché, but for me, it really is THE romantic song from the early 60s - and those lyrics, olala!
But I admit that “ You're The Devil In Desguise ” and “ Little Less Conversation ” follow right after in my top 3 - more danceable, more fun, they immediately put me in a good mood. »
As you know, Nawal is at the origin of our first articles dedicated to women's fashion . But his contribution does not stop at women's style. Moreover, the style of Elvis Presley does not fail to inspire him.
FAVORITE OUTFIT?
“Late 50s early 60s, these are definitely my favorite looks. My favorite outfit is probably the one in the photograph below, worn on a promotional shoot in 1957:
© Paramount Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images
Elvis Presley, for the release of the film “Loving You” in 1957.
“It brings together everything I love about Elvis style: the kitsch side, the cowboy side, the rockabilly side … I love the ultra-fitting white/red mix, broken up by a pair of brown boots. And if I ever find the same shirt in a vintage store, I would be happiest! »
The denim jacket that can be seen in this film is a Levi's . If the costumes are signed by the legendary costume designer Edith Head, Elvis' outfits and the one chosen by Nawal in particular were custom-made by the no less legendary Nudie Cohn .
We owe him many famous costumes, notably the gold lamé costume that you can see on this cover:
In terms of style, there are obviously several Elvises: western, rockabilly, fifties dress, sport, leather or all in rhinestones and sparkling costumes . There is something for everyone, even the most adventurous among you. So how can we summarize his mark on fashion? Nawal, for his part, sees this as a precursor.
“Long before Mick Jagger, David Bowie or Elton John, Elvis was one of the first male artists to have worn fanciful stage outfits incorporating codes at the time reserved for women's wardrobes - I'm thinking in particular of a tight pink jumpsuit , embroidered with multicolored rhinestones designed by designer Nudie Cohn…
A way to push the limits of masculine style , to have fun with clothes without forcing yourself to wear the panoply of what is considered "manly"... Today, we wouldn't be surprised to see Harry Styles arrive on a red carpet in this type of outfit, but for the time, this type of outfit was really daring and offbeat , and inspired more than one (stars but also ordinary people). »
“Apart from this dimension, many current artists are inspired by his style, or take elements from it, whether it is Britney Spears in the 2000s or even Brandon Flowers, singer of the group The Killers, who himself says with humor: “I’m just a glorified Elvis impersonator”.
On the pure fashion side, I remember a Jérémy Scott fashion show a few years ago, during which top model Gigi Hadid wore a 100% Elvis outfit, based on a white ensemble covered in multicolored rhinestones. Proof that his style, despite its originality, has a timeless side . »
That's for the general view. And if you ever wonder what a timeless style is, we think about it here:
I might as well tell you right away, if I had played the playlist game myself, I would very likely have made choices similar to those of Tim Keegan. If the name of this English musician is not familiar to you, I invite you to immerse yourself in his world, whether solo or in a group with Departure Lounge.
Tim lived in Paris for a while. He also knows the USA quite well, and in particular the city of Nashville, one of the most famous cities of American music that Elvis himself frequented.
I met Tim 20 years ago now and if he had ever been an aficionado of the Perfecto jacket, he would certainly have already been part of this little adventure:
But his thing is workwear jackets and painters' jackets in particular. On the other hand, it is impossible not to suggest that he contribute to this subject dedicated to Elvis. He's a big fan! He tells :
“My favorite Elvis song when he was younger was “Don’t be Cruel” and I’m covering it always this song during my live residencies here in Worthing .
But my favorite song of recent years is a version of “True Love Travels on a Gravel Road” which is on a CD box set that I found in the early 2000s. It’s a great version and very different from that of the album “From Elvis in Memphis”, with a little accidental sound that I love in the middle of the song.
That Tim is fascinated by Elvis' music is obvious - he also loves Bob Dylan, Lou Reed and many others. But his love for the King doesn't just stop with songs.
That Tim is fascinated by Elvis' music is obvious - he also loves Bob Dylan, Lou Reed and many others. But his love for the King doesn't just stop with songs.
FAVORITE OUTFIT?
If we broach the subject of clothing, Tim explains that he is interested in lots of different outfits and eras of Elvis, but that he particularly likes the jackets and loose pants from the year 56 .
We tend to forget it, but men haven't always worn their blazers and fitted pants. A contemporary brand like Scott Frazer Collection plays with this fifties aesthetic dedicated to scale .
At Elvis, for example, it gives outfits like the one above. Instead, aim for fullness of the leg. If you ever wanted to find a bit of this imaginary 50s in a more contemporary version, look for example here:
But for Tim, the Elvis Presley style is not confined to the 50s. He mentions among his favorite outfits another example taken from a forgotten 1968 film:
“I also have an affection for the car racing outfits in the movie 'Speedway' - especially his red jacket with the white stripes. ".
This jacket is a tailor-made wool piece which you can find a trace of here . Clothing that belonged to Elvis Presley is obviously a collector's dream. But according to Tim, the particularity of the King is also to have brought back into fashion a style that is both very American and popular :
“In the same way as Marlon Brando or James Dean, Elvis' jeans and shirts in the film “Loving You” helped make the American workwear wardrobe cool .
I never felt very comfortable in suits or fancy clothes. His more casual looks gave me more inspiration for my own style - Elvis' Andy Warhol look, minus the gun. »
4. “ 1LRG
Mark Large is what we now call a fashion influencer. He lives in London and regularly posts his looks on his Instagram account. If you are constantly looking for inspiration, you can take a look at his keen sense of style and more generally follow our favorite accounts here:
If you ask Mark to summarize himself in a few words, he'll say something like: "I've been wearing what I like since 1970." It's a good formula, which also says a lot about his relationship to style and clothes.
Among his little gimmicks, you will note for example the beautiful recurrence of the leopard pattern on his shirts. And the King in all this? Well, imagine that for Mark too, Elvis Presley is an influence. His song can be found on the album “From Elvis In Memphis” in 1969.
“My favorite song is “Suspicious Minds”. It has always resonated with me. I've loved this song since I was a child. »
FAVORITE OUTFIT?
At this point, you're probably starting to understand the whole Elvis style dilemma: from the '50s to the '70s, his career is punctuated with memorable outfits, from casual to dressy. It is likely that almost everything suited him, particularly in his younger years. Mark agrees:
“ I couldn't choose a particular outfit, he was such a stylish guy . Particularly when he was younger, he had a panache and elan that you rarely see . He also had an artistic longevity that few have known.
Even today, I see some Japanese brands recreating things he wore. There's something about him that sparks the imagination . »
What to do with this rich heritage? Museums and collectors treasure his clothes. If Elvis continues to inspire contemporary fashion and music in one way or another , Mark always keeps the character in the back of his mind, especially when shopping:
“As a lover of vintage fashion, there's nothing better for me than finding something and thinking 'Elvis would have worn that.' If I'm lucky enough to find an original item from the 50s and it has this style, I'll buy it.
Elvis didn't really go wrong with what he wore, it always looked good . He just had that certain something. Which, I suppose, is part of why he still influences so many people today . »
