The Draper Effect

by Layan Barakat
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For the past seven years, we’ve been following the life of advertising executive Don Draper in his highly fantasized world beautiful women and lavish luxury set to the backdrop of vintage New York City. One of the greatest things that the series has done was introduce its audience to the retro style of the 50’s and 60’s. You could say that fashion is a supporting character on the hit television series which we have recently learned will be coming to an end after this current season. Drawing inspiration from old Vogue magazines, Sears catalogues, and vintage movies, costume designer for the AMC hit Janie Bryant is the mastermind behind the period pieces that take us, as Don Draper would say “to a place where we ache to go again”.

The Draper Effect - Fresh Print Magazine

Janie Bryant sketch, image courtesy of smithsonianmag.com

When talking about fashion, we instantly think of the women: Betty’s feminine pastels, Joan’s curve hugging A-line dresses and Peggy’s conservative flannel’s, but men’s fashion plays a huge role in the television series as well.

The Draper Effect - Fresh Print Magazine

Janie Bryant sketch, image courtesy of smithsonianmag.com

I pay huge attention to the men.” Says Bryant  “They all have different shirt collars and different cuff links, or may not have cuff links—like Roger Sterling, each one of his shirts is embroidered with his initials on the cuff. They each have a different color scheme. Each of the male characters wears a different kind of suiting. The variation really is endless, and I do love to make each one of those characters different. I think it’s really important for them to be very character-specific and character-driven.”

The Draper Effect - Fresh Print Magazine

Janie Bryant sketch, image courtesy of smithsonianmag.com

The show has glamorized vintage fashion so much, that the demand for these pieces grew stronger and stronger, which is when Bryant’s collaboration with Banana Republic for their line “Mad Men Clothing” was born. The line featured classic looks with a modern twist, allowing the wearer to indulge in the fantasy world of the television series while enjoying the practicality of the garments which have been altered for our current lifestyle. Although the line gained major success with fans of the show, it was short lived, but that doesn’t mean we can’t draw inspiration from the classic pieces to fit into our wardrobes. Take a hint from Janies creations for a custom retro look. Remember, too vintage can come off costume-y, tasteful and elegant cuts with modern colours and patterns will have you re-living the television series long after it has ended

 

The Don Draper Effect

Banana Republic Mad Men collection Image courtesy of coolmaterial.com

 

The Don Draper Effect

Banana Republic Mad Men collection Image courtesy of swingfashionista.com

 

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