Detective Kevin Bernard of 'Law & Order'
The mythical fashion police would be empowered to arrest those wearing white shoes before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. Men or women with waist measurements larger than 37 inches would not be allowed publicly in thongs, though the fashion judge should revisit the legality of thongs in public anyway. And bike shorts for those not switching gears? Automatic life sentence!
If only there were such a squad. Oddly, though, the real police do have fashion laws, and they must be obeyed.
In New York, detectives must wear jackets, shirts with collars and ties, and slacks that are not jeans, and in some precincts, even more casual khakis are banned, says Jennifer von Mayrhauser, the costume designer for Law & Order since 1993.
It's an interesting challenge; police officers, even detectives, don't make huge salaries, but they must dress well. A couple of seasons back, Dennis Farina played a suave detective who wore custom-made shoes and spent $600 on shirts (which he once announced), but his integrity may have been compromised.
For Detective Kevin Bernard (Anthony Anderson), financing his wardrobe through ill-gotten gains is not an option. Bernard is a by-the-book, moral detective who happens to dress quite well.
"The way his character is, to me, he is the essence of a true New York homicide detective," von Mayrhauser says. "He has a little bit of flair, which they often do, but he is also almost slightly conservative with the little bit of flair. And he has an elegance and presence."
Though she has many of Bernard's clothes made, she also shops for him at Rochester Big & Tall.
"Rochester Big and Tall has beautiful clothes for bigger and taller men," she says. "The most beautiful clothes that are for sale anywhere."
She also buys some of his ties at Saks.
Most of his shirts and coats, though, are handmade by Giliberto Designs, a midtown Manhattan specialty shop that caters to men who appreciate a well-tailored garment.
Von Mayrhauser, who has also created costumes for Broadway plays and films, pays close attention to the actor's relationship to the character.
"Anthony has a lot of grace and dignity, so he wears the clothes really well, and that supports a true homicide detective," she says. "It is about character, and it's fun to think about him too. How they present themselves to the world. When you are dealing with something as delicate as murder, you have to look very official and look capable and strong and look reliable, all those things. And I do think that the way that Anthony looks really supports that."
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