HOW TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET BECAME THE BEST-DRESSED MAN ON THE RED CARPET: AN INVESTIGATION - Harper's Bazaar Online
When Timothée Chalamet broke free from signing autographs at the Sydney premiere of The King to chat to BAZAAR, a squiggle of pen ink on his iMessage-blue Haider Ackermann shirt was threatening to set into a permanent stain.
Could it be true? Is Timothée Chalamet—beautiful boy king, artthrob and sartorial renaissance man—really just a regular human who can't have nice things?
But then there's that hair, and that jawline that looks just as sharp as it does on the silver screen. Not to mention his ability to explore the human psyche through the complex characters he portrays, and the fact that he has Louis Vuitton and Off-White's Virgil Abloh on speed dial. So, no. Not a regular person.
"I'm really tight with Virgil and Haider, and they've been very kind to me," Chalamet told BAZAAR. "I was a fan of them before I could reach out to them, so I'm really appreciative of that."
On this tour for The King—which has seen him travel to Sydney via Venice, New York, London and South Korea in little more than a month—he's worn "big bro" Haider Ackermann on four red carpet occasions. New season big bro, too.
Chalamet doesn't have a stylist, and instead reaches out to designers directly. When he wore Louis Vuitton, it was a custom sequinned jumper that Abloh later posted on Instagram with the caption: "Texts with @tchalamet about red carpet looks turn into rare Louis Vuitton hoodies from the men's atelier quick."
Did such sparkling goodness really come from a few texts? "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Chalamet said with an excited little jump.
The paint-splattered overalls and shirt he wore in South Korea is arguably one of his boldest choices (my kingdom for the confidence of a 20-something Hollywood star). The look was the work of artist-turned-designer Sterling Ruby, whose fashion brand, S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA., launched earlier this year.
"That one was really exciting," Chalamet said of the look. "I was shooting Dune and saw Sterling's debut collection online and I was like, 'Oh man, this is incredible.'"
Who else does he have on speed dial? "I'm trying to mix it up," he said. "I also talk to [Alexander McQueen's] Sarah Burton and Clare [Waight Keller] at Givenchy."
There was a time when Chalamet was considered a safe dresser. Now, each red carpet outfit is the source of much controversy. So how did he get here? Settle in for a deep dive into the beautiful boy's red carpet journey.
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Florals—which were a highly praised mainstay of Chalamet's red carpet wardrobe in 2018—appeared as early as 2013. Here he is at 17 at the Entertainment Weekly Screen Actors Guild Awards pre-party on January 26 that year.
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Galaxy pants at a screening of Nymphomaniac: Volume I on March 13, 2014. Very tumblr.
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Celebrating the start of turtleneck season at the Toronto International Film Festival (where Chalamet is now a better-dressed regular—stay tuned) on September 6, 2014.
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At the 65th Berlinale International Film Festival on February 10, 2015. Forgive him, he knows not what he's wearing.
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At the Berlinale International Film Festival again, but starting to get famous now. Chalamet wearing Haider Ackermann's first collection for Berluti (A/W 2017) for a Call Me By Your Name photo call on February 9, 2017.
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Getting better at this turtleneck thing. Wearing Calvin Klein at the premiere of Lady Bird at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2017.
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Timmy's wardrobe for A Rainy Day In New York (which was filming around this time) seems to have inspired his look for Entertainment Weekly's Must List Party during the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2017.
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Welcome to the velvet era. Wearing Gucci at the UK premiere of Call Me By Your Name on October 9, 2017.
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In Berluti at a photo call for Call Me By Your Name in London on October 9, 2017.
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Looking incredibly touchable in Gucci at the LACMA Art + Film gala on November 4, 2017.
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A friendly reminder that we're living in the young Chalamet era. Calvin Klein at a screening of Call Me By Your Name on November 16, 2017.
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Berluti fast becoming a favourite. At the IFP Gotham Independent Film Awards on November 27, 2017.
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At this point, it's becoming rare to see Timmy in a classic, sharp suit. When he does go for strict black-tie, it's usually this Saint Laurent ensemble. Here he's at the 29th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on January 2, 2018.
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At the GQ Men Of The Year Party (where he belongs) in Gucci. December 7, 2017.
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In a Thom Browne pinstripe that doesn't look corporate at the 2017 New York Film Critics Awards on January 3, 2018.
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Suede Berluti that harks back to the purple jacket from the early days (read: a year ago). At at the BAFTA Los Angeles Awards Season Tea Party on January 6, 2018.
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His love for Berluti is bordering on obsession at this point. At the the 75th Golden Globe Awards on January 7, 2018.
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Pants cropped to almost-too-short are becoming a signature. In Thom Browne at the 23rd Annual Critics' Choice Awards on January 18, 2018.
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Berluti (again!) at the Paris premiere of Call Me By Your Name on January 26, 2018.
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Timothée sits FROW at Berluti A/W 2018...
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... and then wears it to the 38th London Film Critics' Circle Awards, honouring the best in film for 2017, on January 28, 2018.
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This Gucci suit transitions seamlessly from day (left; the Annual Academy Awards Nominee Luncheon on February 5, 2018) to night (the Hollywood Reporter 6th Annual Nominees Night) with a simple swap of a collared shirt for a tee and chain. Well played, Chalamet.
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The Off-White look that sparked a thousand petrol station attendant memes at the Film Independent Spirit Awards March 3, 2018.
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White on white on white Berluti for baby's first Oscars on March 4, 2018.
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Here's where things start to get really interesting. The King bowl cut is growing out and the floral suit motif is in. Haider Ackermann has left Berluti to start his eponymous label, and Timmy has remained loyal. Wearing Haider Ackermann A/W 2018 at the Beautiful Boy premiere during the Toronto International Film Festival September 7, 2018.
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Combining his two loves: Haider Ackermann and velvet at The Hollywood Foreign Press Association and InStyle Party during the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2018.
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Kicking off his love for Alexander McQueen in a show-stealing powder blue suit with embroidered flowers and birds. (Also ft. a moustache we must never speak of again.) At the premiere of Beautiful Boy as part of the San Sebastian International Film Festival on September 24, 2018.
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Looking very good in red from Virgil Abloh's first collection for Louis Vuitton (S/S 2019). At another screening of Beautiful Boy on October 8, 2018.
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More groundbreaking Alexander McQueen A/W 2018 florals at the premiere of Beautiful Boy as part of the BFI London Film Festival October 14, 2018.
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In Louis Vuitton at the Hollywood Film Awards on November 4, 2018.
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A look from Haider Ackermann's unisex S/S 2019 show for the 10th Annual Governors Awards on November 18, 2018.
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A Thom Browne suit and a comb-over (that bowl cut won't go quietly) at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on January 3, 2019.
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The iconic Louis Vuitton bib that (probably) caused a spike in Google searches for "What is a mid-layer garment?" BYO power stance for the Golden Globe Awards on January 6, 2019.
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Was this Alexander McQueen paint-swipe suit a precursor for the S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA. overalls? At the Critics' Choice Awards on January 13, 2019.
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Wearing head-to-toe Celine by Hedi Slimane, including leather pants that would make Ross Geller cry. At the Screen Actors Guild Awards on January 27, 2019.
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Sustainable dude in Stella McCartney at the Charles Finch x Chanel pre-Bafta dinner on February 9, 2019.
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A return to Haider Ackermann (A/W 2019) for the British Academy Film Awards on February 11, 2019.
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Timmy wore this Haider Ackermann S/S 2020 look before it appeared on the runway. It was the first of many HA ensembles on The King tour, beginning with the Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2019.
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The custom Haider Ackermann suit that divided the internet (also worn before iterations of the same suit appeared S/S 2020 runway) at the world premiere of The King at the Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2019.
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Proving that he's one of the few people who look good in yellow. Wearing Givenchy at the New York premiere of The King on October 1, 2019.
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The sequin Louis Vuitton jumper that was the result of texts between Timothée and the brand's menswear artistic director, Virgil Abloh. At the UK premiere of The King as part of the BFI London Film Festival on October 3, 2019.
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Haider Ackermann, again, in South Korea at the 24th Busan International Film Festival on October 8, 2019.
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How you'd manage to keep your boots so white if you had really come straight from the studio is a mystery. The S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA. look Timmy found while shooting Dune. Here he's in South Korea at the 24th Busan International Film Festival on October 8, 2019.
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Thom Browne pants, Christian Louboutin shoes, Alexander McQueen jewellery and Gentle Monster sunglasses in South Korea at the 24th Busan International Film Festival on October 9, 2019.
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Haider Ackermann at the Sydney premiere of The King on October 10, 2019.
This story originally appeared on harpersbazaar.com.au in October 2019. Images: Getty.