As he toured a Moscow prison this week to research his role in Iron Man 2 Mickey Rourke stood out a mile from his surroundings.
Not only because he's a recognisable Hollywood star, but also for his bold fashion choices - a shirt with buttons undone to reveal a string of leather necklaces, his hair pulled back into a top-knot and a pair of blue, red-tasselled moccasins on his feet.
The outfit is typical of Mickey's quirky look, which his stylist reveals is both deliberately eye-catching and a homage to his return from the Hollywood wilderness. "When I first met with him we discussed how he wanted to reflect the resurrection of his career in the way he dressed," says Michael Fisher.
"We both wanted the clothes to be as stand-up and as noticeable as his performance was in The Wrestler. We wanted to go for a dramatic, super-luxe look."
While Mickey's style choices, which have included combinations of shiny shoes, cowboy hats, loud shirts and feminine scarfes, may seem random, Michael – who has also worked with Anne Hathaway, Mariah Carey and Beyonce – says the outfits are very carefully thought out.
"People think it's haphazard, but everything about it is very deliberate and has taken time to get absolutely right," he tells the Daily Mirror.
For the past five months 33-year-old Michael has been a full-time fashion advisor to the Academy Award nominee. He even prepared an outfit for Mickey's beloved pet dog Loki for the February Oscars ceremony. The tiny suit was identical to the white Jean-Paul Gaultier number Mickey wore on the night. It was never worn, though, as Loki passed away just days before the ceremony, leaving Mickey heart-broken.
Photo: Rex
Photo: Getty Images
