Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Costume Designer: Deborah Nadoolman

Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford)

Deborah Nadoolman worked closely with director Steven Spielberg and actor Harrison Ford to create an immediately recognisable look for the intrepid explorer Indiana Jones, inspired by films of the past including Secret of the Incas (1954). Nadoolman used earth tones to connect the adventurer with his professorship in archaeology. She designed the leather jackets with an ‘action’ pleat to accommodate the use of Indiana’s bullwhip. Nadoolman based the fedora on an Australian model found in Herbert Johnson’s on Savile Row. She adjusted the crown and brim to flatter Harrison Ford’s face. This character and his silhouette remain one of the most popular in film history.