For a long time I have joked that Justin Timberlake is the safest human being on earth. He’s just such a nice guy. He picks nice roles in nice movies and makes nice music. His hair is also very nice; I bet it smells like sandalwood. It seems fitting then that for the release of his long awaited album: The 20/20 Experience, JT has teamed up with designer and all-round maker of nice clothes, Tom Ford. Word is old Trousersnake himself will have a say in designing a line of men’s formalwear alongside this fashion veteran.
Unsurprisingly, Ford’s brand of lavish minimalism is ubiquitous throughout the video for Suit and Tie, the album’s flagship song. The black and white recording depicts JT in an array of Tom Ford clothing, including Ford’s signature black peak lapel suit. Moreover, Suit and Tie affords the viewer unprecedented insight into the eclectic activities of JT’s fast-paced life. These include: casually tickling the ivories, picking up Tom Ford glasses, putting down Tom Ford glasses, and generally looking svelte in his bespoke Tom Ford three-piece suit. Suit and Tie also features David Fincher’s first directorial return to music videos in seven years. This marks JT’s first partnership with Fincher since The Social Network three years ago.
MTV Style
Overall the video is great to look at; the fruits of JT and Ford’s collaboration are handsome and exude tasteful wealth. The attention to sartorial detail is not dissimilar to the opening scene from A Single Man, Ford’s recent deviation from fashion. The single’s cover, a detail shot of a Tom Ford satin tux and piqué shirt, gets my vote for the best artwork of the year featuring ‘deets’. Yes, the video could have forgone the air of barefaced product placement, but it is pretty, so I’ll let that slide.
Since JT has recently been photographed at various events bedecked in Ford’s stuff, including the recent SAG awards where he looked killer, I assume we can expect this duo’s alliance to continue. That makes me happy.
The 20/20 Experience drops on March 19th.
