THE STEVE MCQUEEN
LOOKBOOK
"When I was growing up, he (Steve) was really stylish, but his persona was about flying under the radar, being stylish but low-key." Chad McQueen Rumoured to have once cancelled a date with Hollywood actress Ali MacGraw to re-wax his favourite motorcycling jacket, Steve McQueen was clearly a man who cared about his clothing. Equally at home in a sweatshirt and chinos as in a tailored 3 piece suit, Steve’s inconspicuous style has left an indelible mark on menswear - with le many of the styles seen in our lookbook still at the forefront of men’s fashion today.
1
FLAT BROW OR AVIATOR SUNGLASSES
Steve had an admirable all-weather attitude to shading his icy blue eyes. Come rain or shine, a pair of foldable Persols were never found far from his face - an endorsement the Italian sunglass maker ma has since recognised with the re-issue of a Steve McQueen inspired range finished with his favoured blue tinted lenses.
2
THE SHEEPSKIN JACKET While the ‘60s saw Steve McQueen take centre stage in fitted suits and sharp tailoring, the ‘70s gave birth to wide lapels and more generous cuts - a style cue exemplified by Steve’s double-breasted shearling jacket, as seen here onset during the filming of ‘Le Mans’.
3
THE SIMPLE ROLL NECK Steve’s roll necks, often coloured in a white/off-white hue, wouldn’t have been out of place on this season’s runways. Seen here paired with an orange jacket, McQueen elevated the humble polo neck to something resembling a cult item throughout his film career, caree dressing it up (see: Bullitt) and down to suit whatever
4
THE PLAYBOY BOOT
Steve McQueen was a fan of the playboy boot - an ankle length chukka with a thick crepe sole throughout the 60’s and 70’s. Steve’s brand of choice during this time was the Hutton Original Playboy, who were subsequently Playbo forced to change their name due to a legal dispute with Hugh Hefner!
5
BARBOUR WAX FLAT CAP Steve McQueen’s relationship with Barbour started with his participation in The International Six Day Trials, where the Barbour International jacket was the jacket of choice for members of the American team. The rest, as they say, was history – Barbour’s jackets and wax flat cap, Barbou as seen above, went on feature heavily in Steve’s on-set wardrobe throughout the filming of ‘Le Mans’ and beyond.
6
COSY KNITTED PULLOVER In a wardrobe filled with understated classics the casual pullover was undoubtedly a mainstay of Steve’s look, often teamed with a Sunspel whitel t-shirt for a timeless casual look.
7
TIMELESS RACING JACKET
Steve McQueen’s take on technical outerwear, a waterproof jacket emblazoned with the classic ‘Gulf Oil’ branding, was never seen too far from him whilst on the ‘Le Mans’ set.
8
LONG CAPE WAX JACKET A waxed Barbour number was Steve’s go-to lightweight jacket throughout the filming of ‘Le Mans’ – seen here teamed with aviators, pullover and loafers, for which Bass Weejun and Alden were said to be his favourite brands.
9
SUEDE HARRINGTON The first Harrington jackets were imported from the Baracuta factory to the US in 1950 by Isaac Miller. Steve McQueen was one of many US film stars to fall for its versatility, and the Baracuta G9 fast became one of his wardrobe staples both on and off screen.