Everyone has their favourite pop singer and their all-time favourite band. For me, I always found it strangely amusing that Michael Jackson preferred to be known as “King of Pop” rather than “The King”. While he was clearly a phenomenal singer, dancer, and songwriter, I always found it a little ridiculous that he refused to be called “The King”.
This seems to ring true for Robert Pattinson as well. The British tabloid newspaper The London Evening Standard has dubbed him “King Robert” (which, to be fair, is not entirely inaccurate), but he’s never really been interested in the title, and it’s clearly never bothered the other members of the band, which he co-founded with a childhood friend in 2004. He even went so far as to say that he was “never going to be famous”, and that he didn’t even know what his next step would be after quitting films in 2010. He may not have known what step, but he sure has taken a few. In 2014, he released his first album in 13 years, an acoustic mini-album titled, simply, Robert. And then there was the whole “Fashion” movie, followed by the album Vogue, both in 2015. Now, he seems to be starring in yet another music-related movie, this one a biopic about The Stroke, the groundbreaking British band that mixed punk with ska for a sound that influenced bands like The Clash and The Jam. The film is called simply, The Stroke, and it premieres today in theatres across the country.
Sobering Clues About The King
While there’s no denying that Robert has become somewhat of a cultural icon since 2014, it wasn’t always so. In fact, it was only after his third feature film, X-Men: The Last Stand, that he began to attract a large, follow-worthy fan base. In order to understand why, one has to go back to 2003, when he was first cast in what would be the first of many high-profile Hollywood films. At the time, he was just 21 years old and had never really acted before. He took on the role of a shy busker who befriends Macaulay Culkin (“Home Alone”) in the first film adaptation of Kevin McCloud’s semi-autobiographical novel, The Road to Wellville. It’s a strange choice for a leading role, considering the book is essentially about alcoholism, and it wasn’t an easy role for Pattinson, who had to portray someone who is, at times, extremely disturbed.
The movie was a critical and commercial success, and it finally put his name and face on the map. In the film, Macaulay Culkin as Jimmy “the Husband” Hoxton is seen sporting a Michael Jackson autograph on his jacket – something that Macaulay has repeatedly claimed is one of his favourite scenes from his entire career. Another interesting fact is that according to the Guinness Book of World Records, Macaulay is the youngest person to have his photograph taken with Michael Jackson.
More Than A Few Suits
Since then, Robert has accumulated a rather impressive wardrobe, which only seems to expand with each new release. For my own part, I always find it rather amusing when celebrities come up with a strategy to combat the endless paparazzi snaps by committing fashion faux pas. If you’re going to be in Hollywood, it’s best to look the part, and a lot of the time, that means dressing according to the current fashion trends. It seems that Robert has figured this out, and his penchant for stylish ensembles is clearly a part of the pop star’s strategy to avoid the spotlight. Case in point: in April 2017, he was seen leaving Chanel’s Haight Street store in San Francisco, California wearing a brand-new charcoal suit. One week later he was seen on the red carpet at the American Film Institute’s (AFI) Life Achievement Awards, also in a brand-new suit – this time in electric blue.
What is also interesting about this is that, up until that point, he had been rather faithful to bespoke suits from the famous British luxury brand. If you take a look at his entire filmography, you’ll see that he has, in fact, consistently opted for custom made suits as opposed to ready-to-wear. Perhaps he decided to take the risk and be different for once, or perhaps he recognised that there was a brand that he could trust to always provide him with high-quality clothing.
Robert Pattinson’s Stylish Style
But it’s not just about clothes. Since his rise to fame, Robert has also developed a keen interest in design. He has co-founded an elegant blog called thekingsrobertpattinsonstyle.com, where he shares his take on fashion and the world of style. He has also designed his very own clothing line, Camp Bondi, inspired by his love of surf culture and nautical themes. When he isn’t working on a script or designing a collection, he spends his time travelling the world and taking on all sorts of design projects.
While it is clear that fashion plays an important part in Robert’s life, it is equally obvious that he isn’t afraid to show off his more “traditional” or “regular” side either. For example, despite his love of all things fashion, he still considers himself a “real boy” at heart and has stated, “I don’t think a woman’s outfit can make or break a man’s day. It can make it extraordinary, but it doesn’t have to”. While we might not love to admit it, we can all identify with that sentiment.
A Look Back At ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’
It’s been three years since the release of The Road to Wellville, and in that time, Rob has continued to work as an actor, fashion designer, and blogger. In fact, he has so much on his plate that it would be impossible to keep track of it all. Although he has been relatively quiet on social media, he has continued to share his thoughts and feelings on fashion in his unique and candid way. And while it is always entertaining to watch celebrities’ every move, it is also rather helpful to see their evolution as an artist. This is something that we can all learn from.
So, to wrap things up, let’s take a step back and consider what we’ve learned from Robert’s prolific filmography. First of all, he’s definitely a risk-taker when it comes to fashion. Not only does he appear in a variety of high-profile films each year, but he also continually opts for new and unique outfits, seemingly unaware or unconcerned about what critics or fans think about his choices. He also maintains a very distinct style, which can be rather difficult to replicate. Most importantly, however, is that we can all learn a lot from Robert’s example. While he may not always choose the most practical decision (for example, letting his beloved dog walk the red carpet or opting to attend iconic fashion houses despite having an ankle problem), he continues to live his life and pursue his dreams with vigour and imagination.