The seasons change and time moves on, and so do fashions. But there are some items that never go out of style, and the tuxedo tops the list. Whether on the red carpet or on screen, the tuxedo is the epitome of eternal chic, worn by many a big name – David Niven, James Dean, Sean Connery, Robert Redford, George Clooney, Daniel Craig, Ryan Gosling... the list goes on. But let’s look at two stalwarts of the big screen, known not only for their acting prowess, but for their suave sense of style, and for looking pretty damn good in a tux. With their peaks of fame spanning more than half a century, the formal attire modelled by Cary Grant and Leonardo DiCaprio demonstrates just how classic the tux really is.

Cary Grant

Cary Grant, English-born screen icon and one of Hollywood’s quintessential leading men, starred in countless successful pictures during the 1940s and 1950s, and epitomised the essence of glamour. Just look at the wide satin shawl lapel on this double breasted masterpiece! He was known for his elegant and timeless attire, and for his love of a tailored suit that would last him years.

Grant was perhaps most famous for his work on Hitchcock films, in which he often donned a sharp dinner jacket. In spy noir film Notorious, also starring Ingrid Bergman, Grant, as government agent T.R. Devlin, dons yet another glorious example of a tux tailored to perfection, a single breasted jacket with single-button closure and with sharp satin peak lapels. Grant never let his clothes wear him: he wore them, and to perfection.

Jack Davison Bespoke

We could go on – but now let’s look at a master of the tux today, a man who needs no introduction. Whether it’s a tux worn on screen (with white bowtie and waistcoat as in Titanic, or a three-piece in The Great Gatsby), or displayed on the red carpet, Leonardo DiCaprio always brings his A-game. In 2016, when he finally won that elusive Oscar for The Revenant, one could be forgiven for thinking his Giorgio Armani tux, a textured black two-buttoned jacket with peak lapel, had brought him that extra bit of luck. Look out for his 2012 Golden Globes Armani, too, with its lapels as sharp as knives and satin buttons.

More recently, at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, Leo opted for midnight blue, seen best when stood alongside co-star Pitt and his black number; Brad doesn’t scrub up too badly either, pairing his suit with a black cummerbund. The tux spans the years. From Grant to DiCaprio, never has a man looked quite as dapper as when dressed to perfection in this sartorial staple.

Cheers to that.