THE CHARACTERS

Robin McCall (Queen Latifah), Harry Keshegian (Adam Goldberg), Mel Bayani (Liza Lapira), Delilah (Laya DeLeon Hayes), and Vi Marsette (Lorraine Toussaint). 

THE DIRECTION

Charlie's Angels. The show's creators envisioned the characters to be fashionable and cool, and unlike the look of a typical procedural. Set in New York City, hacker Harry (Adam Goldberg) and bar owner Mel (Liza Lapira) look edgy. Queen Latifah's Robin McCall is also fashion-forward, as a cool and modern vigilante. The look for Aunt Vi (Lorraine Toussaint), is all about being artsy. Costume Designer Paolo Nieddu (Empire; United States vs. Billie Holiday) began building mood boards and utilizing Pinterest to see which images he gravitated towards, then taking things a bit further by applying his accessorized, glamorous aesthetic.

THE LOOK IN A FEW WORDS

Tough street glam. Not your average tshirt and jeans, but a heightened version.

 SYMBOLIC WARDROBE MOMENTS

"It's a coat show, all day', says Nieddu. Camo on McCall in the pilot was a big jumping off point...a Valentino men's trench in distressed navy and black and grey.  It's a coat Queen Latifah's character has worn more than once, "And", explains Nieddu, "we don't do a lot of repeating!" What followed was a focus on her earrings because of how visible they get to be in every scene. Earrings are chosen to pair with looks based on how much action the show's star is taking part in.

THE COLOR PALETTE

Robin McCall wears navy and darker jewel tones. She sports color and print, but in a darker palette. Mel's look is the 'pop", as Paolo describes it. Harry has a denim palette, and with her psychedelic patterns, Aunt Vi's look adds contrast. McCall's daughter, Delilah, (Laya DeLeon Hayes) has grown up across four seasons, but she remains youthful, wearing a little bit or color and print, and always perfectly blending with what the rest of the characters are wearing. Dark costumes are worn when the characters are doing certain operations. Overall color tone is 'cement and Gotham-y'. In designing for The Equalizer's characters, Nieddu likes to play with color mood and feel of the world upstairs and outside, compared to the downstairs of the bar's "sanctum".

THE PRINTS, PATTERNS, TEXTURES

Leather. Faux fur. Distressed prints and darker prints on Robin McCall. "Psychedelic" and boho prints and patchwork on Aunt Vi. Cool tones and brights on Mel. Denim on Harry. Delilah's prints and textures mimic what her character might borrow from her mother or her Aunt Vi.

KEY ITEMS + ELEMENTS

For Robin McCall, a statement earring; a major coat. For Aunt Vi, a kimono. For Harry, Japanese denim. For Mel, cut-outs and asymmetry. Delilah is eclectic as a  teen experimenting with her look, with her signature Doc Martens and name knuckle ring.

THE BRANDS + RESOURCES

A broad spectrum of fashion resources are used, because each character is so different from the next, in terms of style. Vintage clothing; Farfetch; Net A Porter; pieces from Soho and Madison Avenue boutiques; designer items often transferred from designer stores in Las Vegas or Miami; Dior, Givenchy, and Urban Outfitters for Delilah, to name a few.

NOTES ON THE PROJECT

"Working with an icon like Queen Latifah has been amazing. Dressing her in high fashion while having to ground her look in reality and also keeping her stunts and action in mind, is a challenge that keeps things interesting! There are days when we are waiting until the 11th hour for my DHL deliveries to land, filled with the clothing multiples required to dress to her character."  -Paolo Nieddu

BTS

"No one carries a purse!" Nieddu shares that on The Equalizer, there's really no place for handbags. He and actor Lorraine Toussaint who plays Aunt Vi, joke during fittings about her character's always-at-home status. "You're going outta the house today!', Paolo teases. For The Equalizer's youngest character, Delilah, he creates a fashion narrative: a painted sweatshirt she wore was created for her by her artistic aunt; she rocks a pair of earrings she took from her mom. Actor Adam Goldberg told us he is a "dedicated follower of fashion" when Story + Rain interviewed him about his character Harry Keshigian in Screened, so much of his look and the pieces you see him wear on the series come straight from his own closet.

GET THE LOOK

If you're a Robin, ready yourself with an arsenal of statement coats and earrings. If you favor boho flow à la Aunt Vi, choose earthy and artsy prints, kimonos, and retro 70's pieces like bell bottoms. If Mel's style speaks to you, pick pieces that are cropped, think about colors that pop, and cultivate a collection of cut-outs. If your style is eclectic and youthful, it's all about Delilah. Experiment with it all, combining contrasting pieces. If you're into Harry's distinct dapper, ground your look in high-quality denim, and think wallet chains, silver necklaces, and statement eyewear.