The Bear may not be obviously about fashion, since it follows the journey of Carmen (played by Jeremy Allen White) and Sydney (played by Ayo Edebiri) as they launch their own restaurant. In fact, you'll mostly see the characters in their chef's whites. However, their unassuming, everyday style outside of the kitchen has garnered a small, but strong following.
The standout pieces? Carmy's classic white t-shirt, his Ralph Lauren nautical-inspired jacket, Sydney's sailor outfit and her sleek black outfit from Season 3, amongst others. Behind these iconic outfits, you'll find Costume Designer Courtney Wheeler, who, with the help of the cast, makes sure each character expresses their own personal style and evolves through their journey.
Here, she takes me through the creative process, and should you wish to recreate these looks, you can shop them below.
The costumes in The Bear have been the unsung heroes of the show, how do you explain their success?
I think because it’s a show where, even though it’s not about fashion, the characters have a point of view and an ease in their dressing that appeals to people. It feels like the person you’d pass on the street, that maybe you want to stop and ask where they got a piece.
Which outfits from the latest season have been a hit with viewers?
I’m getting frequently asked about Carmy’s vintage Filson vest from his time in Copenhagen and his Ralph Lauren jacket. Sydney’s Ever funeral look and her sailor outfit from her meeting with Shapiro. Honestly waiting for someone to ask me about Fak’s ties because that’s my real pride and joy.
How have Syd and Carm's styles evolved throughout the series?
Our other characters like Richie and Marcus have more of an evolution through the series. Richie of course wears suits now (along with Sweeps and Fak) and Marcus has also changed what he’s wearing in the kitchen. Big graphics the first season, and then as he becomes more serious about his career path – he’s cutting out that noise when he’s at work but also being influenced by his experiences: meeting Carmy, going to Denmark.
Carmy & Sydney are pretty constant in terms of their point of view. Especially Carmy, he’s pretty settled in how he approaches dressing. Sydney, we may not use a season 1 sneaker or something that Ayo & I decided Sydney is done with, much like what we do in our own lives, things get put away for a while and we play with new items or rediscover other pieces in our wardrobe.
Same goes for Sydney. With this season we are seeing a lot of our characters in settings we’ve never seen them in before so that’s the difference. Sydney is interviewing and meeting these industry legends and so she’s dressing up more than we’ve seen her. It’s still very much her, just more polished when it’s called for.
How would you describe their styles?
Carmy is very classic, very well worn, but great quality and perfectly cut. Carmy approaches each piece in a considered way when he buys it, so later he doesn’t have to think about what he’s wearing at all. He has a uniform and because of that he can be dialed in at work.
Sydney’s style is definitely more about self-expression and experimentation. She gets a lot of joy from what she wears and putting it together. It’s a way to show a little of who she is without speaking. From her passed down vintage shirts & her bandanas to her more coveted, elevated pieces. She’s thinking about composition, something that comes naturally to her and why she’s such a great chef.
Do Ayo and Jeremy get any input in the costumes they wear on the show?
Totally, all of our cast does. A show is a collaboration and at the start of every season, and as we move through the season there are always check ins and discussions in the fittings about what feels right for our characters and what might be interesting to try. It really makes for a fun fitting, but also helps the actors get into their characters in a very natural way.
Seasons 1-3 of The Bear are now streaming on Disney+
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