Carbon Costume

M. Jean (played by Jason Schwartzman) does not have a large role in The Grand Budapest Hotel. But the size of his role does not change how important he is in the film. M. Jean is a direct contrast to Bill Murray’s M. Ivan and Ralph Fiennes’ M. Gustave. Whereas the older men did their job with polish and pride, M. Jean seems to do his job simply because it is his job. The pins on his lapels mark him as a member of The Society of the Crossed Keys but he does not have the same polish as either Ivan or Gustave. And that is the point.

Because M. Jean represents the less splendorous present life of The Gran Budapest, his uniform is much simpler than the men that came before him. He wears a simple purple suit with a red tie and white undershirt. Black dress shoes round out the clothing while a thin mustache and a cigarette complete his appearance. And, of course, the pins signifying his membership in The Society of the Crossed Keys.

Klaus Daimler (played by Willem Dafoe) is the German first mate of the Belafonte research vessel in Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.  Klaus views Steve Zissou as a father figure, and becomes jealous of Ned Plimpton as the latter’s relationship with Steve grows.  Klaus always wears shorts, no matter the occasion, so this is a great costume option for someone who really wants to show off their legs.

M. Chuck (played by Owen Wilson) is a member of the Society of the Crossed Keys and a concierge at another hotel in Wes Anderson’s film The Grand Budapest Hotel.  M. Gustave is also a member, and the Society works to help Zero and Agatha prove Gustave’s innocence after Dmitri accuses him of murder.  All of the concierges wear tuxedo uniforms of varying colors, Chuck’s is light grey with a black waistcoat.

In Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, J.K.L. Berensen (played by Tilda Swinton) is a staff member at the titular newspaper.  As a writer, she is responsible for reporting interesting stories for her readers, and her outfits are equally as entertaining.  Berensen’s clothing is brightly colored in oranges, golds, and yellows, topped off with a well-coiffed head of red hair.

In The Royal Tenenbaums, Henry Sherman (played by Danny Glover) is Etheline Tenenbaum‘s accountant-turned-husband.  When Etheline’s ex-husband Royal lies about his health to regain her favor, Henry investigates only to discover the hoax.  Henry is a kind man who cares deeply for Etheline.  His clothing is simple, but elegant and falls in line with his profession as an accountant.

In Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums, Etheline (played by Anjelica Huston) is the ex-wife of Royal Tenenbaum and mother to Chas, Richie, and Margot.  Etheline is elegant and intelligent, always pushing her children to be more driven and successful.  Etheline often wears hues of cream and light pink while wearing her hair in a bun secured with a pencil.

Royal Tenenbaum (played by Gene Hackman) is the titular father from Wes Anderson’s film The Royal Tenenbaums.  Estranged from his ex-wife Etheline and distanced from his genius children Richie, Chas, and Margot, Royal fakes stomach cancer in a desperate bid to regain their favor and love.  Royal is a larger-than-life personality who wears slick suits and smokes using a cigarette holder while gambling, shoplifting, and getting to know his family again.

M. Ivan (played by Bill Murray) is a member of The Society of the Crossed Keys. This means that he belongs to an elite group of hotel concierges and attendants. It also means that when M. Gustave is in trouble, M. Ivan feels obliged to believe his side of things and help him out.

Like all members of The Society of the Crossed Keys, M. Ivan takes his job to heart. It is his passion and his raison d’etre. And this shows in the pride he takes when dressing himself. While this makes for an interesting costume it also, unfortunately, makes the costume a bit difficult to put together.

You can get white dress pants, a white dress shirt, black dress shoes, and a champagne colored bow tie easily. M. Ivan’s overcoat, however, will likely need to be custom ordered from a costumer like the one linked here. His waistcoat is another unique piece because of its deep cut, so one like that pictured above is a close alternative.

M. Ivan’s Society of the Crossed Keys pins are another key costume feature that will require a little DIY work using miniature keys. And, finally, his thick mustache in a truly vintage style is the last piece to this very unique costume that is as detail-oriented as the character himself.