The son of Hollywood royalty, who is quite literally a product of the times, Malcolm Washington is rising as a visionary director and stylist who left his mark on the industry. Keen-eyed detail person and a woman who loves to mix storytelling and sartorial expression, Washington is creating a fresh new what being a modern auteur looks like. Ayers shies away from a remount of the August Wilson play with which she is not familiar, a theme of legacy, family, and the power of generational narrative.
Legacy of Style & Substance
Washington, the son of Denzel and Pauletta, grew up in a world of bold style and creative expression. Something about his parents’ choice of dress, Denzel’s cool and casual suits, and Pauletta’s fearless experimentation stuck.
Much of the style speaks to Malcolm’s LA roots — balancing pieces from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and simply Dickies with the requisite West Coast workwear staples and Nike Cortez sneakers. Sometimes, he will incorporate something of his heritage and his journey with his wardrobe by combining utilitarian staples with a soft, fluid silhouette for a well-grounded yet elevated sense of style.
Cultural Storytelling
To Washington, clothing is a way of showing identity and acting as a medium for storytelling. I had a powerful sense of identity and consciousness, which has much to do with appreciating the Black American experience. The interconnectedness of Black culture, music, fashion, and film, to point out, often references and even builds on one another.
His work, both on and off-screen, also uses this cultural self-referencing. You can go about fashion about consumerism, and that’s fine, but it is also a powerful link and story vehicle. “I am saying it is so you can embody pieces of history, culture, and legacy in what you wear.”
From Red Carpet to Reel: A Holistic Approach
On the Piano Lesson press tour, Washington teamed up with stylist Matthew Henson to style a series of looks that felt both sartorially elegant and utilitarian. “We just drew from that Malcolm has got incredible personal style,” Henson continues. Bottega Veneta, Prada, and rising designers like Setchu fit with a contemporary flair, and the look was also outstanding for the eye.
The LA premiere saw him in a Willy Chavari suit. Washington says, “Proportions were perfect, it encapsulated everything we were trying to do, which was respect, elevation, and a tender yet strong masculinity.”
Clothes as Characters in Film
Washington even takes care of the costuming in his films. Clothing is an essential storytelling factor in The Piano Lesson and is a theme for spirituality and legacy. Boy Willie inherits his father’s hat, which does not fit, a visual metaphor for trying to fill his father’s shoes.
Bernice, played by Danielle Deadwyler, is in a yellow dress and white at the end of the film, representing cleansing and renewal. These are all a little more delicate about how they further progress the story to contain many levels of meaning that play into the unconscious parts of the audience.
Future of Storytelling, Style
Malcolm Washington creates nuanced, culturally rich stories with each medium at the fashion and film meeting. Whether in a tailored blazer on the red carpet or creating a visual narrative on the other side of the camera, Washington’s way of dancing with legacy and innovation is a masterclass.
As he continues to rise as a filmmaker and style icon, one thing is clear Malcolm Washington is not just telling stories.
Sophia Walker is a fashion journalist who reports on the latest trends, events, and industry news, keeping readers informed about the dynamic world of fashion.
