Guy Ritchie's Man From U.N.C.L.E hits cinemas this Friday and not only does it include a cameo from Mr David Beckham, it also has the coolest on-screen fashion of the summer. It's an action film, yes, but each character looks like they have stepped out of a vintage ad campaign rather than spent a morning dodging bullets. Well a little action shouldn't get in the way of accessorising, eh?
The 70s and 80s might be having their moment on the catwalk, but Alicia Vikander and Elizabeth Debicki will make you want to time travel back to the 60s. The film's costume designer Joanna Johnston said to Grazia Daily about the time period: "It was the latter end of the 60s and the dynamics of style that were going on then. There's a lot of great images from 66-68 which was the window that I concentrated on." It's fabulously 60s, but she doesn't fall into the cliched trap of Austen Powers prints and fancy dress fringing.
Rather than go on a vintage treasure hunt, she created most of the looks from scratch. So who were her references? Joanna explains: "Marisa Berenson, a great model in the 60s, a lot of the work that she did as a model I found incredibly influential. Not only in her clothing, but the hair and makeup particularly was for Victoria (Elizabeth Debicki's character) because she was very sophisticated and incredibly aristocratic girl with an extraordinary style in herself which came through in the fashion work she was doing."
Alicia Vikander's character meanwhile has a different look: "For Gaby she was younger and fresher, so I would say Jean Shrimpton. The clean, uncluttered look of Jean Shrimpton, was interesting to me. But in parts not as a whole."
As for particular designers which Joanne looked towards she explains: "There were a lot of French and Italian designers of the time - Pierre Cardin, Pucci, Valentino. It's difficult to isolate some because there was a long list."
The not-one-hair-out-of-place vibe was the challenge on set. Joanne explains: "It was keeping that look going with all the ruff and tumble stunt stuff. Everybody still looks grommed, even though they have been through a lot of action work."
Joanne said of working with Guy Ritchie: "He was very lenient with the design process. Some directors want to go every step of the way with you, and others leave you to it. He was more of the later and as long as it hit his brief - which was a good looking sexy spy film. He didn't want it to be towards any particular time in the 60s so he gave me a free rope on that." She added: "He has been one of the most relaxed about the design process."
Now anyone else tempted to rock a Versace headscarf? Or at the very least make a trip to the cinema?
The Man From UNCLE is out 14 August 2015.