Our Favorite Style Moments From Knives Out, Ahead of the New Installment
If the first two films are any indicator, the third edition will be just as fashion-forward.
Director Rian Johnson announced on Instagram last week the newest entry in his whodunnit movie series: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. The film is set to start production this month and promises to be series protagonist Benoit Blanc's “most dangerous case yet.” And, like its predecessors, Glass Onion and Knives Out already boasts a star-studded cast. Among them are Josh O'Connor (Challengers, The Crown), Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla, Civil War), and most recently, Andrew Scott (All Of Us Strangers, Fleabag). Daniel Craig is also set to reprise his role as the questionable Southern accent-wielding detective, Benoit Blanc.
This comes after the whirlwind success of Knives Out, which grossed over 300 million dollars at the box office, received multiple Oscar nominations, and had a 450 million dollar deal with Netflix for two subsequent sequels. The first of these, Glass Onion, also received an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and became the widest theatrical release ever for a Netflix film.
In addition to critical acclaim, these Agatha Christie-inspired thrillers have also influenced several fashion and lifestyle trends.
Knives Out’s eclectic cast gave way to several trends, most notably the re-popularization of the cable knit sweater thanks to Chris Evans’s performance as the villainously charming Ransom. The chunky, unassuming sweater took the internet by storm after film critic Anna Menta tweeted, “Upon seeing Chris Evans in a sweater, the girl next to me gasped and said very softly and tenderly, ‘Sweater.’”
The piece became a sort of symbol of the film, with the official Knives Out Twitter account even changing its handle to “Chris Evans’ Sweater Stan Account” for two weeks. CNN included the sweater in its “Great Gifts for Guys” winter guide article. The sweater’s influence quickly extended to the fashion world, with similar cable knit apparel appearing in the 2020 Fall Menswear collections of Polo Ralph Lauren, Roberto Cavalli, and several others.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery also had its fair share of trend-setting moments thanks to Whiskey, the film's resident bleach-blonde party girl played by Madelyn Cline. The 26-year-old actress's wardrobe for Glass Onion was a collaborative effort between her and the film’s genius costume designer, Jenny Eagen.
Whiskey’s style unapologetically embraces a 2014-15 nostalgia for Coachella’s past. Her return to fringe cowboy boots and summer knitwear set her apart and led the character to a substantial social media fanbase.
During the following 2023 Coachella, this became abundantly clear as many returned to white and brown boho ensembles undeniably reminiscent of Cline's character.
It remains to be seen how Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will follow in its predecessor's footsteps. Will Jenny Eagen’s costuming mastery continue to inspire the masses? Here's hoping!
