Chaplin
Costume
1992 (designed and made)
1992 (designed and made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Film costume worn by Robert Downey Jr. as Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin, designed by John Mollo and Ellen Mirojnick, 1992.
Richard Attenborough’s biopic was partly based on Charlie Chaplin’s own autobiography. The film follows Chaplin’s life, from an impoverished upbringing in London to becoming the world’s first international film star. Robert Downey Jr. won a BAFTA for his performance as ‘the Little Tramp’. Costume designers John Mollo and Ellen Mirojnick shared credit for the film.
This costume was part of the British Film Institute (BFI) costume collection, which the BFI developed for display at the Museum of the Moving Image. The Museum existed on the South Bank in London between 1988 and 1999. The collection was made up of costumes from British, European, American and Japanese films, covering the period from the silent film era to the mid-1990s. It contained a wealth of historic and significant film costumes, worn by major performers and designed by some of the 20th century’s most important film costume designers. The collection was transferred to the V&A in 2015.
Richard Attenborough’s biopic was partly based on Charlie Chaplin’s own autobiography. The film follows Chaplin’s life, from an impoverished upbringing in London to becoming the world’s first international film star. Robert Downey Jr. won a BAFTA for his performance as ‘the Little Tramp’. Costume designers John Mollo and Ellen Mirojnick shared credit for the film.
This costume was part of the British Film Institute (BFI) costume collection, which the BFI developed for display at the Museum of the Moving Image. The Museum existed on the South Bank in London between 1988 and 1999. The collection was made up of costumes from British, European, American and Japanese films, covering the period from the silent film era to the mid-1990s. It contained a wealth of historic and significant film costumes, worn by major performers and designed by some of the 20th century’s most important film costume designers. The collection was transferred to the V&A in 2015.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 10 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
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| Title | Chaplin (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Cotton, wool and silk (costume), leather (shoes) |
| Brief description | Costume worn by Robert Downey Jr. as Chaplin in Chaplin, designed by John Mollo and Ellen Mirojnick, 1992 |
| Physical description | S.1680:1-2015 Battered tight-fitting grey-brown jacket with tapering front edges, lapels, breast pocket, two pockets with flaps, and, at back, two buttons at the waist. There should be two buttons at the front, but the lower button is deliberately missing. S.1680:2-2015 Collarless white shirt with buttoned cuffs. S.1680:3-2015 Baggy black trousers. S.1680:4-2015 Waistcoat with lapels, two pockets and a button front with five buttons, the front in grey-brown with vertical stripes, the back in black. S.1680:5-2015 Detachable shirt collar. White. S.1680:6-2015 Spare detachable shirt collar. White. S.1680:7-2015 Brown and black striped tie. S.1680:8-2015 Battered bowler hat with hat band. S.1680:9-2015 Distressed grey-black lace-up shoe. S.1680:10-2015 Distressed grey-black lace-up shoe. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by the British Film Institute |
| Summary | Film costume worn by Robert Downey Jr. as Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin, designed by John Mollo and Ellen Mirojnick, 1992. Richard Attenborough’s biopic was partly based on Charlie Chaplin’s own autobiography. The film follows Chaplin’s life, from an impoverished upbringing in London to becoming the world’s first international film star. Robert Downey Jr. won a BAFTA for his performance as ‘the Little Tramp’. Costume designers John Mollo and Ellen Mirojnick shared credit for the film. This costume was part of the British Film Institute (BFI) costume collection, which the BFI developed for display at the Museum of the Moving Image. The Museum existed on the South Bank in London between 1988 and 1999. The collection was made up of costumes from British, European, American and Japanese films, covering the period from the silent film era to the mid-1990s. It contained a wealth of historic and significant film costumes, worn by major performers and designed by some of the 20th century’s most important film costume designers. The collection was transferred to the V&A in 2015. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.1680:1 to 10-2015 |
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| Record created | May 29, 2015 |
| Record URL |
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