Keisha Asamoah
Updated: Mar 27, 2022
Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 rendition of Romeo & Juliet exposed the ‘MTV Generation’ to the world of Shakespeare in a fittingly dramatic, comical and grandiose manner. From the popular soundtrack, to the anachronistic use of the Shakespearean English within a 1990s setting the film has forever left its mark on popular culture. In particular, the costuming stands out; aimed at being non-dated to create a timeless feel, the outfits continue to be one of the most enduring parts of the film's legacy.
The use of clothing in film is an underappreciated but extremely important element of expressing characters' personalities and motivations. Costume designer Kym Barrett expertly used fashion to convey the bubbling tensions in Verona Beach and forge distinct house identities, creating a visual spectacle perfectly befitting Luhrmann's cinematic vision. With a key theme in the story being youth rebellion, the younger main cast’s clothing contrasts heavily from the sharply tailored YSL, mob reminiscent suits and gowns used for the parents showing the generational gap.
Costumed in Dolce & Gabbana’s diffusion line D&G, the Capulet men are sleek, sophisticated, and sexy. Clad in blacks and dark colours, Tybalt (John Leguizamo), Abra (Vincent Laresca) and Petruchio (Carlos Martin) present themselves as refined but dangerous; their clothing is nicely tailored with clean silhouettes to show off their figures through their slim fit denim and dress pants but the gun holsters and quilted bulletproof vests they regularly sport reference the dangerous lifestyle they live. Leather, silk and velour are used frequently throughout their outfits further reinforcing the luxurious, sensual nature of the Capulet look. Topping it off are Cuban heeled boots, the most memorable being Tybalt's black boots with a silver heel featuring a cat symbol embossment, a nod to his nickname ‘The Prince of Cats’.
Adding to their luxe looks are blinged out, embellished pieces - thick belt buckles, custom designed guns and lots of jewellery adorn each look. Religious iconography is also present throughout from silver cross necklaces, to Tybalt’s maroon Jesus Christ painted bulletproof vest. Mixing the influence of LA based Latin gangs in the 90s and gun-slinging cowboys, the Capulets style is well groomed and heavily decorated, toeing the line between sultry and serious.
Conversely, the Montagues' looks have a more utilitarian and carefree feel to them. Barrett named American soldiers stationed in Vietnam as a direct influence - at the end of the war these soldiers altered their uniforms, pairing it with their own clothing, particularly ones that fit the hot weather. This influence is obvious to see in the film’s costume design - the Montagues ‘uniform’ is mainly made up of baggy cargo and workwear trousers paired with combat boots. Paired with these are the iconic Hawaiian shirts they don unbuttoned, which adds a more playful, beachy vibe to their overall look.
Whilst they severely dial down the gaudiness in comparison to the Capulets the Montague men still stand out and highlight their religious affinities, using colour and patterns instead of bling. Their cargo pants and baggy shorts come in various vibrant colours as do the Hawaiian shirts - green, yellow, red, blue shirts are all featured with religious iconography painted onto them by the costume design crew. Colour usage extends past clothing with Sampson’s (Jamie Kennedy) bright pink hair and frosted tips. Presented as more relaxed, they are less concerned with overtly showing off their wealth and more with expressing their youthfulness through funky colour combinations and Chuck Taylors.
Each clan's distinctive uniforms contrast the clothing of Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Juliet (Claire Danes), our two star crossed lovers. For them, Barrett employed a simpler style showing the distance between both characters and their respective families. For example, the first time we meet Romeo he wears a navy suit, with a white partially unbuttoned collared shirt. Whilst the suit’s baggy fit and the unbuttoned shirt are reminiscent of the Montague look, the smartness and darker colouring is something completely different.
Similarly, Juliet’s costumes are worlds away from the dark, sleek look that we see the other Capulets wearing. Throughout the film, Juliet wears lighter colours than the rest of her family, a visual representation of her resistance to their rules and her wavering loyalties. Their clothing tends to align themselves to each other instead of their families and subtly foreshadow their relationship - Juliet’s famous Angel costume finds her clad in an all white Prada (instead of D&G) dress the day she meets Romeo; later on, Romeo’s wears a Prada wedding suit, designed by Miuccia herself, a rose printed tie being the only reference to his Montague heritage.
Romeo does abide more by his family uniform as the film goes on by wearing various romantic blue Hawaiian shirts and workwear trousers. However, even in this his devotion to love and Juliet shines through; probably the most iconic piece in the film comes in the form of one of Romeo’s blue Hawaiian shirts. Emblazoned directly on the front is a red heart, with pink death lilies going across it and a dagger stuck inside; on the outside is fire and yellow light streaks. The image foretells the fatal end he will suffer - dead in a church surrounded by lit candles with his love Juliet, dressed in white, laying dead by his side.
25 years on, Romeo & Juliet's costume design shines as an exemplary example of style and substance. It aids Luhrmann’s postmodern, hyper-colourful world by being just as colourful and unique whilst adding a new layer of depth to the characters and storytelling.