Martin Scorsese is a legendary director known for his dark, provocative films that blend technical brilliance with imposing characters. Two of his best-known films are “The Departed” and “Taxi Driver.” Scorsese is a fashionista who seeks to offer a mesmerising glimpse into Italian-American style through his films.
The variety of men’s clothing featured in the Oscar-winning director’s films is one of the peculiar delights of his work. In Scorsese’s classic gangster film “Goodfellas,” for example, we see Ray Liotta’s mafia soldier character smoking in front of a bistro. In leather tassel loafers and a slim sharkskin suit with an open-collar sweater, he looks like he belongs in the Rat Pack.
The dress and speech of Scorsese’s characters are commonly used to identify them. In the film “The Irishman,” which garnered a record 17.1 million views during its first five days on Netflix, Joe Pesci’s 1970s mafia boss character was dapperly dressed in elegant suits replete with a spear-point “capo” collar reminiscent of Scorsese’s childhood neighborhood. That shirt design, in reality, was the insignia of a convicted member of a criminal gang.
The significance of style in Scorsese’s films can be traced back to his family. Both of his parents were first-generation Sicilians who worked in New York City’s garment sector, which used to manufacture the bulk of the country’s apparel. Charles, his father, worked as a presser, while Catherine, his mother, worked as a seamstress. They went on to work as wardrobe consultants on films including “Goodfellas” and “The Age of Innocence,” both of which earned an Academy Award for costume design in 1993.