Peter Capaldi’s Doctor Who Costume Was Influenced by David Lynch & Bowie

Doctor Who actor Peter Capaldi has said that his iconic outfit as the Twelfth Doctor took inspiration from Twin Peaks creator, David Lynch, and musician David Bowie. Capaldi played the lead role in the show from 2013, taking over from Matt Smith after the 50^th anniversary special under the stewardship of Sherlock creator Steven Moffat. A fan since childhood, this was a dream come true for the Scottish actor who would go on to fight the Daleks, Cybermen and Ice Warriors that sent him hiding behind the sofa in his youth.

Capaldi was viewed as a throwback to classic Doctors, being an older man in appearance who was significantly more alien and disagreeable than his immediate predecessors. His tenure saw him wrestle with his own morality, becoming a kinder more amiable figure before passing the role to current Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, in the 2017 Christmas special “Twice Upon a Time.” Since leaving the show, Capaldi has continued to be a great ambassador for Britain’s flagship sci-fi series, reflecting positively on his time in Doctor Who after moving on to comparatively bigger things such as a supporting role in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.

In an interview with The Guardian, Capaldi admitted that the stripped back, somewhat minimalist, costume he had worn as the Twelfth Doctor was inspired by both filmmaker David Lynch and musician David Bowie. While promoting his first solo album, the actor was asked about his musical influences growing up, one of which was the late glam-rock star, David Bowie. This led to a discussion on whether the eccentric pop artist’s style had influenced the outfit worn by Capaldi’s timelord, which the actor confirmed saying “Yeah, him and David Lynch, who used to do that buttoned-up white shirt thing.” He then further elaborated that there was a third, even more heart-warming, inspiration behind the minimalist look to his outfit in the quote below:

“Another reason was I thought kids could look like the Doctor without having to spend any money. Rather than buying a costume, they could just button up their school shirt.”

When looking at Capaldi’s outfit, the inspirations from both of these icons of pop culture become quite clear. As he mentions, Lynch has sported a signature look through most of his career, with a buttoned-up shirt that lacks the traditional necktie associated with smart wear. Conversely, Bowie’s array of suits always carried a particular bohemian energy via strange colors or slight alterations, which are reflected in Capaldi’s different styles of shirt or occasional donning of a red velvet coat. When Capaldi’s costume was first unveiled back in 2014, it came with the actor’s declaration that the outfit conveyed “No frills, no scarf, no messing, just 100 per cent Rebel Time Lord,” which is all the clearer in taking inspiration from two counter-cultural icons.

What could be more interesting is Capaldi’s clarification that the stripped back look was also done for the benefit of children looking to imitate their favorite hero. It’s true that, in reality, the Twelfth Doctor’s outfit is quite an expensive piece with pristine Doc Marten boots and a custom-lined Crombie coat. However, while this may be a bug bear for the professional cosplayer, a young fan can easily imitate the silhouette of Capaldi’s Doctor using the clothes they already have in order to feel like an adventurer in time and space. Such a thoughtful detail shows Capaldi kept an awareness of Doctor Who’s primary audience while tailoring the cosmic wanderer look for his take on the character.

Source: The Guardian

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