There’s a large portion of social media dedicated to the Wes Anderson aesthetic. There’s ‘Accidentally Wes Anderson’, an Instagram page turned book that shows photographs of real-life scenes that look like they belong in one of his movies. It depicts street corners, train stations and building facades in his distinctive, symmetrical, tilt-shift lens style, all with bright pops of colour. There’s the Wes Anderson trend that popped off on Tik Tok in 2023 in which thousands of users ‘Wes-ified’ their daily tasks, mimicking his film’s unique cinematography with their phone’s video cameras. That’s not to mention the countless websites and guides on how to nail the Wes look for yourself. But the director’s personal style is just as captivating as his on-screen aesthetic.

With an appetite for vintage design, Anderson’s wardrobe is a covetable mixture of soft corduroy tailoring, classic beige outerwear and suede, crepe soled moccasins. He always looks incredibly relaxed, which is perhaps down to his easy, uniform-like approach to getting dressed, and the inherent confidence that comes with knowing what looks good on you. His eye for clothes also means his characters are among some of the best dressed in movie history. Chief among them is the cast of the Grand Budapest Hotel, one of Anderson’s most loved and critically acclaimed films.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is classic Wes Anderson. Its universe is full of subtlety and detail, with gorgeous interiors, a strong, complementary colour palette, witty innuendo and beautiful clothes. Set in the 1930s in a fictional Eastern Europe mountain resort, it follows the story of the hotel’s long-running concierge M. Gustave played by Ralph Fiennes and his young protege Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori). Gustave is known for his commitment to his guests’ needs, so much so that he voluntarily satisfies their sexual requests when called upon. But when one of his regulars suddenly dies, he becomes the lead suspect in her murder, as well as the new owner of a priceless painting she left him in her will.

When he’s not on the run for attempted murder, and manning the fort of the hotel’s grand reception, there’s no second guessing who is in charge. One look at Gustave’s daily uniform and you’re certain that he’s the one calling the shots. There’s his bright purple wool tailcoat, which has distinctive red piping on the generous peak lapels and a ‘Society of the Crossed Keys’ pin either side. He pairs this, as always, with a grey low buttoning waistcoat and matching tailored trousers, which too feature red piping down the sides. Completing his work attire is a pair of black patent leather shoes, a wing collar evening shirt complete with dress studs, and a burgundy velvet bow tie. It’s a bossy look, and one that shows the power that fine tailoring, and a formal shirt, can portray. Is it one that you can easily adopt for your day to day wardrobe? Most likely not. But if you apply the same attention to detail and commitment to your tailoring, and develop your own signature whether in the form of a lapel pin or a particular colour palette, you’ll be well on your way to Wes-ifying your own wardrobe.