How Wong Kar-wai’s timeless masterpiece is still the ultimate fashion romance.
begins with a pronouncement. “It is a restless moment” reads the title cards that flashes before the main characters are introduced. The film, which premiered 20 years ago today at the Cannes Film Festival, could be summed up with those words, though its costumes do an excellent job of telling the story, too. In Kar Wai’s world, mise-en-scene conveys as much information as dialogue and character’s clothing choices reveal sides of their personality they never express verbally.
From the very first act, clothing plays a role in the film’s trajectory. Chow and Su both suspect their spouses are cheating on them, and their suspicions are confirmed via accessories, namely the tie that Su’s husband wears each day, purchased at the same store where Chow’s wife buys his. Each day she carries a new handbag identical to the Japanese purses Su’s spouse brings back for her after trips abroad. Those sartorial coincidences reveal the affair.
In a lesser movie, the romance would be revealed via a grand overture. Kar Wai and William Chang, who did double duty as the costume and production designer, relied on subtlety. The growing intimacy between the leads reflects in their clothes, and the sets that complement them, layers of visual cues that give the audience something to unpack. Granted, Cheng and Leung could generate heat in sweatpants, but their costumes are endlessly stylish.
Naturally, the fashion community responded to such eye-catching designs. In the years since its release, the film has become a popular reference amongst designers and photographers, making its mark on the runways of
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