For the Man on the Go

The Movie: “The Fugitive.”

The Setup: Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford, pictured), convicted of his wife’s murder, escapes prison and eludes U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) to find the real killer.

The Costume Designer: Aggie Guerard Rodgers, making her fourth movie with Harrison Ford. (The others were “American Grafitti,” “The Conversation” and “The Return of the Jedi.”) Her other credits include “The Color Purple,” “The Witches of Eastwick,” “Cocoon,” “Grand Canyon” and “Benny and Joon.”

The Look: As the film opens, with his sharp tuxedo--a traditional single-breasted model worn with a vest made from a Japanese silk kimono--Ford displays the kind of personal style that makes fashion hounds run at the mouth. Then events segue to a few seconds in a courtroom--and another smooth-looking suit. After that, Ford is on the run from the law. So much for his wardrobe.

From here, the wonder is how Ford plays threadbare but macho at the same time. His three Salvation Army-quality outfits do subtly progress from bad to better. At first he steals an old man’s clothes, a zip-up sweater and baggy old low-rise trousers. Bad. Next is an Army surplus jacket and ill-fitting khakis. That’s slightly macho. Finally, Ford squeezes into snug jeans and a tight tweed jacket straight out of the ‘70s. Bingo. The well-built actor isn’t bursting out of it, but close.

Good Hair Day: Ford’s new Michael Douglas haircut is brushed back off his forehead and worn with and without a beard. Without is better.

Trivia: To empower Jones’ lawman, Rodgers cloaks his standard-issue polyester jackets with a dark overcoat and black all-weather jacket to make him look “Darth Vadarish,” as the designer puts it. On his feet: black Army jump boots.

Quoted: “There is something to be said about movie stars and how audiences will accept them when they are supposed to be bums. I knew they may not want to see Harry in rags, but it does get tenuous as to how to present him in clothes that fit so badly the police wouldn’t recognize him and still keep women interested,” says Rodgers.

Sources: Ford’s tuxedo and courtroom suits are Oxxford. His geriatric sweater is London Fog. With the vintage tweed jacket he wears Wrangler jeans and a J.C. Penney work shirt. The one tie he wears as an escaped convict is hardly Salvation Army, but a silk-rayon knit from Neiman Marcus. Jones’ jackets and suits are J.C. Penney; his dark overcoat, Brooks Brothers.