MAN OF STYLE
Laurence Fishburne

Written by Danyel Smith

Few Hollywood actors have as much passion for their personal style as they do for their work, but the supersuave Laurence Fishburne III is definitely one who does. His longtime love affair with fine tailoring, one-of-a-kind clothing and perfect grooming has become his trademark, both personally and professionally. Fishburne's onscreen costumes don't always reflect his own style preferences (remember the sequined bell-bottoms and vests he courageously wore as Ike Turner in What's Love Got to Do with It?), but many wardrobe pieces have found their way into his closet. In the nineties cult classic King of New York, Fishburne played drug dealer Jimmy Jump, whose bowler hat has become the actor's favorite type of headgear. When he wore custom-made boots for the title role in Othello in 1995, he had two additional pairs made for himself. And what about that killer ankle-length leather trenchcoat Fishburne wore in last year's smash The Matrix? "That," he says with a wide grin, "is a coat."

Leaning back precariously in an office chair while sipping wonton soup, Fishburne manages to project both brawn and grace. And although the soup might be steaming, the actor is dressed to chill in a teal cashmere sweater paired with cuffed corduroys and brown suede wing tips. The 38-year-old divorced father of two reports that he has managed - yet again - to stay style-conscious in his upcoming movie Once in the Life, despite wearing four different hats (figuratively speaking, this time) as the film's writer, director, producer and star. In a stage-trained voice that betrays nothing of his birthplace, Augusta, Ga., or the long periods he has spent in New York and Los Angeles, this Renaissance man makes a careful distinction: "Style isn't what you do. It's the way you do it." A winning formula, for sure.

Is there any particular item that makes you feel extra confident?

I had a pair of purple silk boxers that I used to wear when I wanted to feel lucky. Also, a friend of mine makes me intricately beaded scarves that are really beautiful. I wore one of those to the Essence Awards in 1994.

Being on the road so much, do you prefer to travel light, or do you overpack?

When I head out, my bags are small. When I come back home, my bags have gotten bigger. I must confess, I am a shopper.

Did you enjoy shopping back when you were a child growing up in Brooklyn?

Yes. But back then, I didn't have money to shop. I live in New York now, but I spend most of my time on the road. When I get around to shopping in New York, it's really only for groceries. And I do go to Bed Bath & Beyond. It surprises people that I just come walking into stores. I've got to have those extra rolls of toilet paper.

Does it surprise people to see you dressed so differently for every role?

People definitely freaked out about the Beatles-style wig I wore in What's Love Got to Do with It. They also went head over heels for my outfit as Cowboy Curtis on the television show Pee-wee's Playhouse [in 1986].

Do you have a favorite accessory?

I do love cuff links. Cuff links are the bomb. They've got such elegance and detail. I also like braces. Arm braces. They help you keep your sleeves down and your cuffs exposed. Of course, I've got shoe trees. And handkerchiefs - one for showing and one for blowing. You know what else I may run out and grab? Some spats.

Like the spats you wore in The Cotton Club?

Yeah, I had spats for that. And we haven't even begun to talk about hats. I just love the silhouette you get wearing a hat.

You must really enjoy the winter.

I love winter. The whole hat and coat and scarf and gloves thing. And I love driving gloves. They're very sexy. Los Angeles is very much an automotive town, so I learned to appreciate cars when I lived there.

What about socks?

Most men seem to buy socks indiscriminately. I don't know any of those gentlemen [laughs].

What's your take on sandals?

You mean sandals on men? Rumor has it that chicks dig them. You've got to have the right feet, and I've got the right feet. I've also got three pairs of the right sandals.

Boxers or briefs?

Guess.

Boxers.

Nope, boxer briefs [laughs again].

What's your philosophy on bathing suits? How far are you willing to go?

I've been wearing Nikos for the last couple of years - something I picked up when I was in Australia. There's not a whole lot of bathing suit involved, but they're comfortable. I've got one in electric blue and another in deep blue. They're generous in the waist - definitely a nice cut for my figure.

Are there certain people in your life you try to impress with your clothes?

There are several people who earn that distinction.

Let's say you're out with a woman and her friends. What do you wear so they'll think you're fabulous?

Day or night?

Night.

What city are we in?

New York.

Which restaurant?

An elegant Italian one - a place where you're a regular.

What time of year?

Fall.

Well, then! I'd be in a custom suit. Either a herringbone or a Prince of Wales windowpane. If it's herringbone, it's with a simple brown turtleneck. If I'm doing the Prince of Wales thing, it's with a charcoal gray shirt with links and black-and-gray suede shoes. With the herringbone, I'd wear the shoes I have on now - brown suede. Cashmere coat. White cashmere muffler. Camel Stetson driving gloves.

What must your closet be like?

My closet is practically an entire room. I'm moving into a new house, so I'm in the process of downsizing a lot of stuff. I've been collecting clothes for about five years, so my closet looks like a costume shop.

Is it organized?

It's organized to the point where I know where all my stuff is. Not to the point where it's become obsessive-compulsive though.

whom do you consider to be style icons?

Oswald Boateng [the London-based tailor]. That's a very British style. Sammy Davis Jr. had style. He was the style king. Muhammad Ali has style. Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole too. Jimi Hendrix. Sidney Poitier's style comes from the inside. It's about how he wears what he wears. Always the gentleman. Belafonte? True style. Eric Clapton. Jodie Foster.

What do all these people have in common?

Confidence. Demonstrating that you believe in yourself. It's all in the way you choose to meet the world. Some people don't ever dress up, and that's OK too. What you wear lets everyone know who you are or, more important, who you think you are and who you would like to be.