Did Succession Just Prove That The Gilet Is The New Signifier Of Real Wealth And Power?

What does conspicuous consumption look like in the age of Silicon Valley, start-ups and Succession? Well, it's not actually very conspicuous at all. The well-known logos of luxury fashion houses are absent entirely, replaced with quietly impeccable tailoring, sumptuous fabrics (hello, Shiv Roy, in all your cashmere-clad glory) and – crucially – technical clothing. That's right, if this week's Succession is anything to go by, the most outrageous corporate power play shouldn't be enacted in an expensive suit. The deal should be sealed in a gilet.

Man wearing said gilet is Adrien Brody, who made a bold debut in the fourth episode of season three, playing billionaire investor Josh Aaronson. I'll avoid any major spoilers but for context: Aaronson is a minority shareholder of Waystar Royco, with the power to transfer control of the company away from the feuding Roys.

In this most recent episode, Aaronson is undoubtedly calling the shots. He is in control and, to prove it, he forces Kendall and Logan Roy to join him at his beach-side house, which could possibly more accurately be described as an enormous glass box on the Hamptons coast. But it's not the imposing architecture of his home that illustrates Aaronson's dominance in these scenes, nor is it what he says (although if you're a fan of thinly-veiled insults – who isn't?! – this one's for you). It's the layers, and layers, and layers of clothing he wears.

There's a T-shirt under a shirt, under a cardigan, under a hoodie. Which is then, when the three men brave the elements for a walk, worn under the gilet with an added scarf and beanie for good measure. Speaking to Variety about working with Succession's costume department, Brody said: 'They had some initial musings about him being into foraging, and I loved that he was a much more present and youthful guy, in the sense that he’s very connected with the environment. He’s happy to wear a beanie, but it’s not just a fashion statement. He’s prepared for inclement weather in a way that they’re not prepared for and wouldn’t be prepared for, even if they knew they were going to go on a hike. He’s in his element, and I wanted that to be immediately tangible.'

Aaronson is wearing the 'uniform of male corporate power'. He's showing the Roys he's ready for anything and is possibly even one step ahead. As Esquire so accurately wrote: 'This man is literally drowning in outerwear to make the point that he hiked 7 miles to forage nettles for his probiotic breakfast shake this morning, battling a skin temperature of 140 Fahrenheit.'

Perhaps this is Aaronson's own daily routine, a concept which has also become something of a status symbol. It brings to mind Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey breaking down his daily routine in a 2019 podcast interview. Think hour-long meditation sessions, ice baths, five mile walks and 'saving time' by only eating one meal a day. When confronted with the reality that this might be slightly, er, nuts, Dorsey replied that it proved that he was, in fact, 'disciplined'. it was the ultimate humblebrag presented in the form of a day-in-the-life-of a tech titan.

Dorsey's billionaire wardrobe? Unsurprisingly, it often includes a beanie. More recently, he's been sporting a – brace yourselves – tie-dye T-shirt.

We'll have to wait and see what other sartorial delights Brody's Succession character brings to our screens. The show may not hold any answers as to how to actually reach billionaire status but there's one question it is addressing: how to dress like one. The gilets, it seems, hold the power.

READ MORE: Succession Season 4: Everything We Know So Far

READ MORE: The Rise And Fall Of Shiv Roy In Succession Season 3 Is Mesmerising