“There are different layers of rich, and you have to choose which rich she is. She’s the heroine of the film, so you can’t choose to make her a dumpy rich person. She’s also Faye Dunaway. You can choose to make her rather chic. I’ve never seen Babe Paley wear anything but brown, gray, off-white, and black. I assume Faye does the same thing as Mrs Mulwray”.

Anthea Sylbert, Costume Designer for Chinatown 1974 (Dressed by Deborah Nadoolman Landis)

My friend, Emma, picked up this 2006 W magazine for me, on one of her home shoots, and I discovered this wonderful 30’s style photoshoot which is just so reminiscent of the uber- chic, slightly masculine style of Mrs Mulwray in Chinatown, I just had to put the two together:

Photos: Michael Thompson for W Magazine