Gaining prominence as time passes, icons remain at the heart of our culture. Ranging from controversial politicians to fictional characters that almost anyone can recognise. These people are more than celebrities, holding a strong depth of significance in society as we know it and can be identified by their outfits, words of wisdom and actions – whether good or bad.

While we don’t have the answer to why some of the most iconic superstars are always remembered for wearing one outfit, from Marylin Monroe in her white dress and red lip combo to fictional characters such as Mickey Mouse, you can almost always picture them in their iconic form. 

We’ve undergone the research and found what we believe to be the most iconic suits on and off the screen. Keep reading on to see which suits have made the top list.

The Most Iconic Suits

The Infamous James Bond 

With legendary status comes  iconic outfits, and the 007 agent we all know and love raises the bar as one of the most recognisable movie icons in British film. Gracing our TV screens since 1963, James Bond has been played by various actors throughout the decades, and while ‘your Bond’ may highly likely come down to who you watched growing up – the iconic look of Bond remains the same. 

While 007 has been seen in many suits, one stands out. The film cover of almost all of the 25 films in this franchise showcase Bond in a bow tie known as a ‘thistle’ resembling a thorn-like plant alongside the classic crisp white shirt. The star of the show is the slim-fit, custom-tailored black tuxedo. Elegant and timeless, the black tuxedo represents the decades of prowess James Bond has earned. 

In the most recent release,  ‘No Time To Die’, Bond wore a tuxedo by Tom Ford, which was prominently shown throughout. Bespoke made for this film, Ford designed a satin quilted lapel with a black satin bow tie and an off-white silk pocket square, giving Bond a refresh while staying true to the all-important iconic Bond look. 

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf Of Wall Street (Jordan Belfort)

Released in 2013, Wolf of Wall Street became the movie of the year. Unleashing a vengeance story of a man who was quite literally portrayed to have ‘everything’, becoming more arrogant and conceited as his wealth grows until one day it starts to dismantle. While his downfall is an integral part of the storyline, that’s not the first thing we remember when we think of this film.  

For most viewers, the downfall is downplayed by the immense amount of aspirational glamour. The persistent flaunting may have you questioning what you would spend Belfort’s money on rather than the immoral things you have to do to get there.

Unapologetic and greedy, Jordan’s style shows more of his charisma. Offering a clean, presentable look, the style that a salesperson would have, always needing to be on target. A true hustler, Jordan invested in adequate suits. While he may have been out laundering money, his laundry was always catered to, offering the finest suits and shirts. The iconic look that springs to everyone’s mind is the deep navy suit, a crisp white shirt, a patterned tie and, of course, a luxurious watch which will undoubtedly be worth more than your dream car.

Sarah Bernhardt – The First Woman To Ever Wear A Suit

The evolution and empowerment of feminism back in the 1800s was absolutely an expression with high risks and consequences. Breaking gender norms, in 1873, a time when voting wasn’t legal for women, came the legendary Sarah Bernhardt. The first woman ever known to wear a suit.

An icon herself, she broke social norms by walking in her ‘boys clothes’, which was considered scandalous at the time. Bernhardt didn’t stop pushing the boundaries there. Sarah went on to star as the lead in Hamlet and is now highly regarded as the first ‘modern woman’. Within the next 10 years came rallies, marches and disobedience. An intolerance started to grow as society developed, beginning a new era for female empowerment, which is why we’d be remiss not to include Sarah as one of our icons. 

Vincent & Jules in Pulp Fiction (John Trovolta & Samuel L. Jackson) 

One of the most quintessential films in cinematic history is Pulp Fiction; with over 2,000,000 votes on IMDB, this film holds a strong score of 8.9/10, making it one of the highest-rated films from the 90s. A riveting story about two hitmen, a gangster, a couple of bandits, and a wife enrol in what can only be described as an unpredictable tale of violence and redemption. While it may be up for debate whether Pulp Fiction was the best movie in the 90s, it’s hard to deny that Vincent and Jules weren’t an iconic duo hung on almost every teen’s bedroom wall. 

With many iconic moments, including the notorious film cover and the famous image that has resurfaced time and time again, displaying both Vincent and Jules standing in their suits with their guns raised , this scene quickly became a phenomenon.

It was revealed by the customer designer on the film Pulp Fiction, Betsy Heiman, that the iconic suits Vincent wore were made to look messy and disgruntled – as if he was a cowboy. 

Little did Betsy know at the time that her decision to cast Vincent and Jules in black and white suits would create a film and fashion phenomenon that would last throughout the entirety of the mob/gangsta genre. In an interview with Esquire, she stated, “I’ve been credited with inspiring a whole change of silhouette for men’s fashion. For me, it was just about body types. All the guys in the film had a certain vanity, like Steve Buscemi saying, ‘why do I have to be Mr. Pink?!’ Even if you don’t have money, people want to look good and right for their character”

The Duke Of Windsor

While The Duke of Windsor certainly wasn’t the best King, being the shortest in the British Monarchy to ever reign, he didn’t hesitate to represent the Royal’s sense of style. Not afraid to wear whatever colour came to mind, he is widely considered a style icon within the royal family and the fashion world. 

Sources show The Duke of Windsor had a deep passion for fashion, making it his interest to discover the best tailors and designers at the time. With a height of 5,5ft, The Duke needed tailoring regularly and would have his jackets cut abnormally high to elongate his legs. 

The Duke of Windsor was somewhat seen as problematic in the royal family. He didn’t want to follow the rules or the footsteps of his father, which led them to a rocky relationship. While his father wanted him to become a traditional royal, he had rebellious plans – tailoring his trousers to be cuffed. The royal version of dying your hair because your parents told you not to do so.   

Find the suit to feel iconic in at Cavani today

While you may not be James Bond or part of the Royal Family, here at House of Cavani, we believe you should be able to channel your inner Bond without splurging thousands on a customer-tailored suit. Offering the finest range of premium quality materials, we have the perfect suit for any occasion, and you can explore the whole collection now.