Keeping a watch on Thor
Chris Hemsworth chats about style — and that oh-so versatile cape
He may be a movie star but he also does double duty as a TAG Heuer brand ambassador, which gives Chris Hemsworth the opportunity to discuss something less familiar than his role as everyone’s favourite hammer-carrying superhero. Fashion.
“I think I’m more on the practical side of things, especially at home. Board shorts and a T-shirt, it’s pretty minimal because the weather’s so hot. I spend a lot of time in the surf, in the water,” the Australian actor says of his day-to-day style. “But I also kind of love dressing up. That’s what I love about this job, is being able to go from being at home to a première and getting tailored and into a nice suit. I like a three-piece suit and I’ll often wear a tie. With an open neck.
“An open shirt,” he corrects himself with a laugh. “What do you reckon of my fashion lingo?”
Regardless of whether or not Hemsworth knows how to talk like a true fashion insider, he certainly knows how to dress like one. But, he assures, it’s all thanks to the support of a few key professionals — and a few style mishaps in his early red-carpet years, too.
“I’ve certainly had the luxury of being able to dress up more over the years and having people style me in far more positive ways than I would have ever been able to do for myself,” he says.
“There’s many a suit that I look back on that I had chosen and didn’t get fitted properly or didn’t know how to get it tailored or who to talk to concerning a tie. I feel like I was always pretty behind. I look back at my fashion and think everyone else was a little bit more up on their game.
“I was definitely lagging.” Along with his sartorial game, Hemsworth admits his timepiece tastes have been elevated in recent years — thanks in part to his ambassador gig with the luxury Swiss watchmaker.
“I think each watch tells a certain story,” he says of the timepieces. “There is the amount of detail and the history of the brand. Especially having worked with the brand now and being gifted some pretty special pieces, I have a much greater respect and appreciation for the detail that goes into them.
“It becomes like a piece of jewelry, or an added item to whatever you’re dressing up in.”
Or, if you’re Chris Hemsworth, something you surf with.
Versatility and practicality, as it turns out, are two vital criteria for the actor-husband-father when considering whether to add an item to his closet or home.
But, there’s one area where his style-to-comfort ratio doesn’t always work.
“My wife will — we are redesigning our house at the moment — and certainly there are some things that, if they visually appeal to her, they will take lead over the functionality of it,” he says. “And I’m usually going, ‘Hang on! No, no, no, no!’ It might look cool but it doesn’t serve any great purpose. It’s not going to work for me.”
It was time to put Hemsworth’s sartorial versatility to the test, to ask the hardest-hitting question that came to mind: If required to wear one element of Thor’s costume for every day of Hemsworth’s off-camera life, which one would he choose?
“Oh, the cape, of course. Because there would be so many things you could use it for. You could form yourself a tent or a shade cover. In the cold you could kind of wrap that thing around you like a blanket. “
Perhaps you could walk on it or use it as a parachute?
“Yes, a parachute,” he agrees. “You could even fill it full of toys if you were doubling as Santa Claus.
“You could do bullfighting, if you’re into that (pauses) ... nah, we’re against that.”
Who knew one cape could do so many things. But, he’s not done yet.
“Picnics,” Hemsworth adds. “Picnics are good. A towel — after a surf,” he adds with another smile.
That’s what I love about this job, is being able to go from home to a première and getting tailored and into a nice suit.