Alain Delon – the movie star who became a style icon for generations

What is it, really, that makes a person a style icon? It can hardly be just about the clothes. Throughout history, countless actors have worn well-tailored suits and perfect outerwear without leaving any lasting impression. Yet, there are certain names that continue to emerge generation after generation when style is mentioned. Alain Delon is one of them.  

It is fascinating how strongly film and style are intertwined. Despite the fact that costume designers and stylists often stand behind the expression, it is the actors we remember. Just as Marlon Brando became associated with the T-shirt and Steve McQueen with American sportswear, Alain Delon became the face of European elegance.

Therefore, we have not chosen the films where Delon is merely well-dressed, but the roles that came to define the style ideals he is still linked to. Together, they capture three different facets of the aesthetic that made him one of the most enduring style icons in film history.  

Plein Soleil, 1960 

Plein Soleil takes place on the Italian Riviera and is based on Patricia Highsmith's novel The Talented Mr. Ripley. In this idyllic setting, Alain Delon moves as Tom Ripley – one of film history's most fascinating antiheroes. The film became Delon's major breakthrough, and many claimed he embodied Tom Ripley rather than just played him. With his boyish smile and enigmatic charm, Delon creates a character that is as seductive as it is unsettling. 

It is also in Plein Soleil that the image of Alain Delon as a style icon begins to take shape. Open shirts, knitted polos, high-waisted trousers, and loafers are worn with an effortless confidence. The style never feels particularly contrived or curated – and that is precisely what makes it so timeless. The film is often described as a classic summer noir, where the Italian idyll gradually takes on a darker tone. At the same time, it is a stylish portrayal of life by the Mediterranean and an early example of the relaxed summer elegance that became strongly associated with Alain Delon. 

Le samouraï, 1967 

In Le samouraï, we meet a completely different Alain Delon. The sun-bleached Riviera elegance is replaced by a style that signals authority and a more authoritarian expression. Here, Delon plays the assassin Jef Costello, one of the most iconic film characters of the 1960s. Under Jean-Pierre Melville's direction, he creates a figure who says very little but expresses much more through his body language and impeccable attire. 

Stylistically, Le samouraï is significantly more thought-out. Everything is stripped down, clean, and disciplined. Jef Costello became an icon for the light knee-length trench coat, often worn buttoned with a belt cinched at the waist. The silhouette is long and taut, with clean shoulders and a drape that evokes more of a uniform than a traditional overcoat. The narrow-brimmed fedora on his head enhances the same feeling of anonymity and mystique. Under the coat, he wears a dark suit, white shirt, and slim tie. The minimalist garments, combined with the subdued color palette, create one of the most recognizable silhouettes in film history, where every detail feels controlled and carefully balanced.

La Piscine, 1969 

När man talar om Alain Delons stil är det lätt att fastna vid de välskräddade kostymerna, ytterrockarna och formella rollerna. Om Plein Soleil lade grunden till Delons status som stilikon var det La Piscine som cementerade bilden av honom som den ultimata riviera-gentlemannen. Få filmer fångar den avslappnade lyxen och Medelhavselegansen som kom att bli så starkt förknippad med Delon.  

Garderobsmässigt präglas La Piscine av kortärmade skjortor, skrikigt mönstrade badshorts, öppna kragar och solglasögon. Men det är inte de enskilda plaggen man minns, utan sättet de bärs på. Här möter vi en mer mogen och självsäker version av den stil som först etablerades i Plein Soleil. Kläderna är enkla, men bärs med en självklarhet som gjort filmen till en av de tydligaste referenserna för den europeiska riviera-stilen. 

Find the Alain Delon Style 

Delon's style may never have been extremely prominent, but it recurs in various expressions; the sun-bleached Riviera elegance, the sharp suit style, and the sophisticated gentleman's wardrobe. Perhaps this is exactly why the style has aged so well. The clothes are never in the spotlight; they always feel self-evident. There is a nonchalance towards trends and surroundings. And perhaps it is that very self-evidence that distinguishes a style icon from someone who is simply well-dressed.