For nearly five decades, Robin Williams was America’s king of comedy. Everyone has their most memorable movie. For some it is Good Will Hunting; for others it is Mrs. Doubtfire. But we all know that true legends conclude that his best work is, without a shadow of a doubt, Flubber. And it’s not just because the film sucks, but because its lead star rocked up to the premiere wearing an unimaginable and unnecessary Issey Miyake fashion look.
You see, while his status as a Hollywood funnyman can feel like a deal-breaker when set against his ability to dress himself, he has repeatedly proven the rule wrong. Until his death in 2014, he continued to be funny and stylish, bringing Jean Paul Gaultier to the runways and BAPE to his personal wardrobe. Here are his iconic outfits that live in our minds rent-free.
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In New York, circa 1970
Before he became a household name in ’90s family movies, Robin Williams was a stand-up comic known for his quirky sense of humor. His outfits in the 70s reflected that crazy character, often resembling a child’s entertainer while delivering great adult comedy. Like this outfit: a skin-tight long-sleeved top with colorful patterns. You’re giving clowncore.
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Performing at the Roxy Theater in West Hollywood, 1979
In the late ’70s, Robin’s fame as a comic skyrocketed, with peers — like David Letterman — literally fearing for their careers as a result. He staged an HBO comedy special, Outside the Wall, but just as noticeable as the comedy was the odd look he wore throughout. As he pulled his mouth back, Robin held up his pants with rainbow suspenders, studded with flower pins, whales, and sheriff’s badges. The blouse, too, was interesting: a skin-tight number with a black strappy neckline and sleeves that framed a woman’s blown-up, porcelain face printed on the front. Who is she? What is her story?
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At The Roxy in Hollywood, 1979
A year into his HBO special, Robin was so used to swinging at his friend’s main event openings that the idea of ”dressing up” went out the window. Instead, his red carpet look was pretty low-key. Like this one he wore to the first night of Martin Mull’s comedy show at the Roxy: a navy bomber jacket — again studded with pins — and a plum and navy beret.
At a party, 1996
In the same year he collaborated with Francis Ford Coppola and Jennifer Lopez (you read that right) in the film Jack, Robin Williams made a stunning statement on the red carpet by rocking up to an event in this iconic number from Jean Paul Gaultier. A trompe l’oeil print shirt emblazoned with the print of a man’s muscular chest, it leaned into the playful parts of Robin’s character.
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Issey Miyake at the premiere of Flubber (1997)
Yes, the piece de resistance in Robin Williams’ wardrobe journey. In 1997, after years of relying on playful pieces for his style, Robin went big in this AW96 Issey Miyake jacket, part of a military style collection, with a hidden hood, cargo pockets and a pouch rear big enough for him. keep a notebook. The jacket is now considered a key piece of fashion history, with designers often emulating Miyake’s immaculate creation. Want to afford one for yourself? Start saving: it goes for $5,000, if not more, on Grailed.
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In Soho, London, 2002
Today, A Bathing Ape is one of the most hyped brands in the world, partly due to the streetwear boom of the 2010s, but mostly thanks to the rise of its founder Nigo, who has since risen through the ranks. of Kenzo. But in 2002, BAPE was definitely an IYKYK thing, and celebrities—never mind comedians—rarely wore it. Of course, being someone who knows his fashion history, it makes perfect sense that Robin would suit up in their stuff: spotted on the streets of Manhattan, he was photographed wearing a short-sleeved BAPE shirt and a colorway of the Nike Viotech Dunks. at that time it was only available for sale in Japan.
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In Manhattan, New York, 2009
It’s funny, so many of the tech wear guys of the early 2020s would have grown up watching Robin Williams movies as kids. Little did they know that the man himself was wearing those things a decade before they did. In 2009, Robin wrapped up for winter in New York in the J-16 jacket from Acronym when a paparazzi caught her, paired with The North Face gloves, a beanie and rolled-up shades.
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