How One of Robert De Niro's Most Iconic Characters Changed Men's Fashion
Robert De Niro's Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver became far more than a film character . His disheveled military-surplus look, built around a worn M-65 field jacket, turned into a lasting menswear archetype. GQ writer Liza Corsillo described De Niro's wardrobe in the film as a "proto-punk style statement. " Military surplus looks like Bickle's have since become fully mainstream in menswear. According to Vogue, Bickle's transformation from a quiet loner into an "avenging angel" hinged on his look. His mohawk and M-65 jacket combination was described as nearly unheard of at the time. He paired both with his signature aviator sunglasses . Vogue noted the character's reach extended straight onto the runway. Alexander McQueen named his entire Fall 1993 collection after the film, complete with prints of Bickle himself. The BFI has also traced a direct line between the film and the punk movement . Bickle's escalating hairstyle appeared the same year ...
