You spoke in our comments section and we listened, Phil, as this week we are examining the Academy Award winning acting legend that is Marlon Brando. Famed for his sultry, brooding roles as Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire and Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront, the actor was regarded as a sex symbol and one of the greatest actors of his time.

But was he a style icon as surely any self respecting heart-throb actor should be? This time around we’re going to say yes but with a few provisos. The first thing we need to point out is that his career was a long one. From his acting debut in 1944 to his final curtain in The Score in 2001 via, among others, Superman and The Godfather, Brando’s image changed over the years as he went from a buff t-shirt, slacks, chunky belt and casual shoe-clad icon on the set of Streetcar (right) to a rather large, mumbling and difficult character.

Thankfully, with his early roles we can still hold him up as a style icon (with a couple of weight-lifters lending a hand admittedly). Take his look for his turn in On the Waterfront (left). He’s got this season’s hottest pattern, the check, going on in jacket form as well as a great grey shirt and black denim combo. And even as Vito Corleone much later in his career he still knew how to work it with a crisp white shirt, a classic dinner suit and a blood red rose to finish it off. Slightly irritated cat – optional.

Think Brando deserves to be called a style icon? Can we forget his later, larger years? And who would you like next time? Get tapping on your keyboard in our comments section below.

Comments

[Phil]

Wooooo you guys rock, good job !!!!

[nikhil kumar]

brando is most definitely, not only a style icon but trendsetter..the jeans and t-shirt look is associated with him...and brando with jimmy dean are regarded as the pioneers of the jeans culture and its association with rebelliousness...Brando could pass off as 50s american youth as well as a roman general with equal finesse and style..the iconic photograph with him wearing the leather jacket on his bike still looks so fresh....brando will always remain an icon in every way.