- [Announcer] "Air" is a biographical sports film
directed by Ben Affleck that tells the story
of Michael Jordan's journey to Nike.
This is Phil Knight, the CEO and founder of Nike.
This is Dolores Jordan,
Michael Jordan's mother and unofficial business manager.
So how well did the film do
in conveying the looks of these legendary characters?
Let's take a look and find out.
We asked this fashion historian.
- Hi, I'm Raissa Bretana and I'm a fashion historian.
- [Announcer] So walk us through what "Air" got right
and mostly right about these looks.
- The film is set in 1984.
It's centers around a Nike employee named Sonny Vaccaro
who revolutionized the sports marketing industry
by signing NBA rookie Michael Jordan to a landmark deal.
Costume designer Charlize Antoinette Jones
chose to highlight the subtler side of the 1980s in "Air"
which felt right for a story largely set
in a business casual office environment.
We see Phil Knight wearing athletic ensembles
at different points in the film.
This was an important moment in history,
because they were starting to become part
of everyday leisure attire.
Dolores Jordan was not only a devoted wife
and mother to a superstar, but she was also
a savvy businesswoman who pulled no punches
when negotiating deals for her son.
We see her wearing a tailored suit,
which became the symbol of professionalism for women
entering the workforce.
We see this look at the very end of the film
and as the costume designer explains
it was thrown together at the very last minute.
Although we see it very briefly towards the end
it's actually the costume that's been
the most heavily featured in the advertising for the film.
This costume represents
the most culturally recognizable version of the 1980s.
It's colorful and visually dynamic
and provides a dramatic contrast
to the understated men's wear
we see on the other characters.
This ensemble is very fitting for Phil
who is an avid runner
and probably the only person
who can get away with wearing athletic apparel
in the office.
Some of the costumes were recreated
based on actual images of Phil Knight,
especially those of him in running gear.
The so-called running boom of the 1970s
coincides with Nike's rise to prominence
in the sector of running apparel and footwear.
This would eventually evolve
into the fitness revolution of the 1980s.
During this decade, athletic apparel
began to expand beyond the purpose of active sportswear
and into the realms of everyday attire and street wear.
This is why it's such a big deal
that Nike went from a running company
to a pop culture phenomenon.
I mean, everybody had a tracksuit.
Athletic apparel was extremely influential
during this decade because it forms the foundation
of the burgeoning hip-hop scene
and that ultimately popularized sneakers
beyond the world of sports.
- [Announcer] Let's break this look down layer by layer.
Our first layer underwear.
- Boxers were a popular style
of underwear for men in the 1980s,
but they were not exactly conducive to athletic wear.
Briefs were a more supportive option for active sports
and typically featured an elasticated waistline
and a Y front design.
Tall cotton tube socks were fading in popularity
by the 1980s and were replaced by the trendier slouch socks
which gathered around the ankle.
- [Announcer] For our next layer, the shirt.
- Phil is likely wearing a running shirt
underneath his jacket.
Tank top styles were preferred
by competitive and distance runners
because they were lightweight and unobtrusive.
However, it was pretty common to see t-shirts
on everyday runners as well.
These were most likely made of cotton
because the moisture wicking performance fabrics
that we use today were still being developed
and wouldn't be patented until the 1990s.
- [Announcer] Okay, and next we have the tracksuit.
- Phil is actually wearing a blue and red
vintage Nike windbreaker from 1992,
which the costume designer purchased
for research purposes without the intention
of putting it in the film.
When the need for another athletic ensemble
came up last minute, she went with it.
Even though this windbreaker is from 1992
there's a little chronological wiggle room here
because this look appears in the epilogue
which appears at an undetermined amount of time
after the main story takes place.
Tracksuits were traditionally created
as a matching jacket and sweatpants set,
but the two could be separated
and worn with other coordinating pieces as Phil has here.
Tracksuits were first created in the 1930s
and were meant to be warmup attire
for track and field athletes.
It wasn't until 1967 that tracksuits would enter
the realm of fashionable street wear.
It was that year that Adidas made their first foray
into apparel and created an instant classic
that was recognizable
by the company's signature three stripes.
Shell suits were a variation of the tracksuit
that emerged in the 1980s.
They had a cotton inner lining and a nylon outer shell
that usually incorporated bold panels of color.
They were comfortable and lightweight
which not only made them popular
for the general public for the purposes of leisure wear,
but also popular amongst break dancers.
The tracksuit would soon become the unofficial uniform
for the hip hop genre and was frequently worn by musicians
like LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys and Run DMC.
- [Announcer] And of course, the sneakers.
- The costume designer cite two particular styles
that she used in the film.
One was the Waffle Trainer
which was the company's first shoe launched in 1974
and the other was the Air Pegasus launched in 1983.
Upon signing the landmark deal with Michael Jordan
the first Air Jordans launched in 1985
and made over a hundred million dollars in the first year.
This would establish Nike's presence
in the basketball market
and would transform the company
into a marketing sensation.
The Air Jordan ones in the black and red colorway
notoriously kicked off modern sneaker culture
and the line's annual releases
continue to be sought after by collectors.
It's safe to say that the launch of the Air Jordans
created the sneaker culture
that is still thriving today.
- [Announcer] Next layer, accessories.
- Phil wears a pair of wraparound sunglasses
that are boldly and unapologetically eighties.
This style was popular with runners and other athletes
because of their functional design and large lens coverage.
These sunglasses were Phil Knight's signature accessory
and were an essential component of the image he created
for the media.
As far as costume design goes,
they add a futuristic element to the look,
which supports his characterization
as a forward thinking innovator.
- This guy is who you think he's gonna be.
You're the best thing that ever happened to this company.
- [Announcer] So would you say this look is accurate?
- Obviously, tracksuits were extremely popular
in the eighties, but this one that he is wearing
is from 1992, which technically makes it inaccurate,
but it's totally correct in design
for this moment in the film.
It brings the recognizable elements
of eighties culture into this film.
- [Announcer] Next up, Dolores Jordan's power suit.
- Viola Davis plays Dolores Jordan,
who is Michael's mother and ultimately the one in charge
when making his business negotiations.
She wears this look
for the highly anticipated meeting with Nike.
It's a stark contrast from the casual at-home wardrobe
that we see her wearing in North Carolina.
This costume is based on the actual look
that Dolores wore for the meeting with Nike.
This is a much more informal ensemble
when compared to the looks that she wore
for the meetings with Adidas and Converse.
The costume designer did this with the intent
of conveying the comparatively low stakes of this meeting,
which emphasizes the Nike underdog narrative.
- I believe Mr. Faulk made it clear
that we weren't interested.
- Dolores's meeting looks
are the perfect example of power dressing.
This was a fashion phenomenon in the 1980s
that helped women establish authority
in professional settings
that had been traditionally dominated by men.
The popularity of power dressing coincides
with the influx of women joining the workforce in the 1980s.
During this time many women sought professional careers
outside the home and had to introduce business attire
into their wardrobes.
Dolores did come from a professional background,
so it's possible that she acquired this suit
for her former work as a bank teller.
This costume highlights Dolores as the nurturing
yet authoritative matriarch of the Jordan family.
- [Announcer] So how well did the costume designer
convey Mrs. Jordan's power suit?
Let's dive into the layers and find out.
First layer undergarments.
- Standard women's underwear for the 1980s
included a bra and panties.
Pantyhose was an absolute essential for business attire.
These tended to be sheer
and neutral colors were preferred
for professional environments.
Still a wide array of colors and textures
were available in the commercial market
and could add an extra hint of pizzazz
to any fashionable ensemble.
Dolores would also likely be wearing a slip,
which would be used to minimize the friction
between the pantyhose and the skirt.
- [Announcer] Next up, the blouse.
- The 1980s favored rich jewel tones like this one
and the color palette of the period included vibrant hues
like fuchsia, emerald green, royal purple, and cobalt blue.
Her blouse has a standard notch collar,
but other fashionable alternatives
included feminine details like ruffles
or a pussy bow to soften the harshness
of the tailored jackets.
- [Announcer] And of course, the power suit.
- Central to power dressing is the all important power suit.
This was a woman's suit that drew upon
the sartorial codes of men's wear
and garnered respect and authority
previously reserved for men in positions of power.
The style could be feminized
by replacing trousers with a pencil skirt,
as we see in Dolores's case.
This type of skirt suit has since become
a staple in women's business attire.
However, the power suit of the 1980s
had a few distinctive traits.
Perhaps the most notable
is the dramatic silhouette of the era,
which featured enormously padded shoulders
and a nipped waistline.
Wide lapels and double breasted closures
were popular Design details
and the addition of shiny metallic buttons
added even more visual impact.
Power suits were popularized by designers
like Eve Salarant and Giorgio Armani,
and were frequently worn by fashion icons of the eighties,
like Princess Diana.
- [Announcer] Next layer shoes.
- For the meeting, Dolores has on a pair
of sensible pumps that were popular during the period.
These were standard in women's professional attire
and typically were solid colored
and featured a low to mid heel height.
- [Announcer] Next up, accessories.
- Delores wears a pair of large pearl earrings
and a coordinating pearl necklace.
Earrings of the 1980s tended to be very big and very heavy.
Clip-on styles tended to be more popular than pierced ones,
because the clips offered better support.
Dolores wears a gold broach on the lapel of her jacket.
Broaches were quite common during the period,
and like the rest of the jewelry
tended to be larger in scale.
- [Announcer] Up next, it's all about the hair.
- Viola Davis' hairstyles in the film
bear pretty close resemblance to the ones in photographs
of Dolores Jordan from the period.
When it came to hair in the 1980s
it was all about the perm.
Hairspray like Aquanet was essential
to get the desired height and volume.
Which during this period was pretty extreme.
- [Announcer] And lastly, makeup.
- In this and other scenes in the film
Dolores wears frosty eyeshadow
with a dark liner paired with a neutral mauve lip.
It's definitely more subtle
than the vibrant makeup we associate with the 1980s.
Usually you think of bright streaks of blush
and colorful eyeshadow that covers the entire lid,
but that wasn't necessarily what people
were wearing in everyday life.
- [Announcer] So what do you think of this look, Raissa?
- I think this look effectively depicts
the strength of women in the 1980s
and that's especially the case with Dolores's character.
Women like Dolores knew how to get the job done
and looked pretty good while doing it.
This isn't the most extreme version
of a power suit we've ever seen,
but it's definitely accurate
to the period and to the character.
- [Announcer] Any final thoughts, Raissa?
- "Air" captures this moment
when sports became more popular with a wider audience,
but also when sports wear
entered the realm of fashionable dress.
From Nike tracksuits to Air Jordans
we see the foreshadowing of trends to come
that continue to today.
"Air" captures the more understated reality
of a period that we typically associate
with bold and colorful styles.
But ultimately, this is a movie
that doesn't heavily feature fashion.
What we're seeing instead
is an emphasis on everyday dress.
Often costume design is not about creating
the most style stylish version of an era.
It's about finding the balance
between accurately portraying a time period
and supporting the narrative of the film.
Charlize Antoinette Jones challenges our perception
of the 1980s with subtle costumes
that put the focus on storytelling.
Our shared cultural memory of the 1980s
is one that has been highly stylized.
Turns out what we think of as quintessential eighties style
is really just an amalgamation of pop culture references.
That means the clothing that we remember
was not limited to the fashion world,
but also saw the influence of music, media and sports.