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Joshua Hendren

Contributing writer for Style by SCMP, specialising in jewellery, watches and pop culture


At this year’s Venice Film Festival, Dwayne Johnson revealed a new red carpet look, trading his usual muscle-hugging tailoring for something more refined.
For the premiere of The Smashing Machine, the Rock’s newest biographical sports drama film based on the life and career of mixed martial arts and UFC champion Mark Kerr, the 53-year-old stepped out in a custom Prada suit – his first from the brand – cut in cool grey with a double-breasted jacket and softly draped trousers over a taupe shirt. The look marked a clear style evolution for Johnson – still powerful, but with softer lines and a looseness that brought a fresh sense of sophistication to his red carpet appearance.

A couple of days later, actor Jason Momoa, best known for his roles as Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones and as the DC superhero Aquaman, made his own statement at the Venice Film Festival premiere of the new crime thriller In the Hand of Dante wearing a pink relaxed-cut suit matching his pink toenail polish, on show courtesy of his Birkenstock x Concepts sandals. Both actors, known for their strength and stature, showed how menswear can look effortless on even the most powerful frames.
For men with larger builds – broad shoulders, strong torsos and muscular thighs – the challenge usually lies in achieving the right fit. Even the most stylish man can look ill-proportioned if his jacket pulls across the chest too tightly or his trousers strain against the thigh.

Oliver Spencer, founder and creative director of the London-based formalwear brand Favourbrook, sees the issue constantly: “For men with broader shoulders or more athletic frames, the challenge is achieving that classic silhouette without restricting movement. Off-the-peg suits tend to be graded for a regular proportion; size up in the chest and you often end up drowning the waist and upsetting the line of the jacket.” He notes that the balance between breadth across the upper torso and the taper through the waist is what separates a well-cut jacket from a bulky one. “Get that wrong and you start to look as if you’ve been upholstered rather than tailored,” he says.
Campbell Carey, head cutter and creative director at Huntsman, a tailor on London’s prestigious Savile Row, agrees. “One of the main challenges for men with broader or more muscular builds is achieving balance and proportion. Off-the-peg tailoring often caters to a standardised body type, so when someone has a fuller chest or wider shoulders, the jacket may fit across the top but become too roomy at the waist, throwing the entire silhouette off.”

Carey points out that athletic men tend to have a “drop 10” – the difference between the chest and waist – compared to the more standard “drop five”. “Getting the waist of the jacket in and down from the drop between chest and waist is the skill of the cutter,” he explains. “We also employ darts or cuts under the lapels, in both the cloth and canvases, to throw a third dimension over a prominent chest.” The result is a jacket that moves with the wearer, not against him, and that accentuates rather than conceals shape.

Cut and fabric, both tailors agree, must work together to style a larger build. “Wool flannels and our signature cotton-velvets we use at Favourbrook help provide the structure to hold the line of our suits, but are fluid enough to complement the frame of the wearer,” says Spencer. “They’re robust, they breathe and they hold their shape over time.”

Carey finds similar success with medium-weight cloths. “A structured cut with a defined waist and clean line through the shoulder tends to work beautifully on a larger frame. At Huntsman, our one-button coat is naturally flattering to athletic builds: the slightly longer line, strong shoulder and suppressed waist accentuate the torso without adding bulk. In terms of fabrics, medium to lightweight cloths with body, such as a fine worsted flannel or a high-twist wool, drape neatly without clinging.” He warns that heavier cloths can add unnecessary volume, while fabrics with too much stretch risk losing their shape entirely.
Patterns, too, can be used to great effect. “I always think, if you’ve got it, flaunt it,” Carey says. “A wide pinstripe or bold check will show exactly where that shape distribution is coming from. These patterns can actually enhance the line of the figure when cut well, emphasising the natural V shape of the torso.”

For men who are more active – actors like Henry Cavill or John Cena among them – comfort is often as crucial as appearance. “Comfort and structure aren’t mutually exclusive; in fact, they complement one another when the garment is well cut,” Carey continues. “A properly balanced pattern ensures that the weight of the cloth sits correctly on the shoulders and moves naturally through the body. A high armhole actually allows a greater range of motion. It’s also a common misconception that a well-fitted suit should be tight. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.”

The rise of gym culture has forced the tailoring industry to evolve. Over the past twenty years, fitness and sport have broadened the male physique – chests are larger, waists narrower, shoulders stronger – which has made the standardised sizing of ready-to-wear more challenging. “Bespoke will always be the pinnacle of tailoring, but I often say made-to-measure is the unsung hero,” says Spencer. “It allows us to still celebrate the craft of proportion, balance and structure, while respecting our client’s individual frame, and all without entering the rarefied cost and timescale of bespoke.”

That desire for refinement may be the biggest change of all. “Ironically, many clients who work hard to maintain an athletic physique tend not to want to show it off in an obvious way,” Carey adds. “They prefer their clothes to convey restraint, that quiet confidence which bespoke tailoring delivers so well.”
As the Venice Film Festival proved, strength and style are no longer opposites. For men with big frames, the right tailoring isn’t about minimising size – it’s about mastering proportion, finding balance and letting presence do the rest.


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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson traded in his usual muscle-hugging tailoring for something more refined at this year’s Venice Film Festival. Photo: Reuters

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Muscular men like Henry Cavill can look ill-proportioned with a jacket that pulls too tightly across the chest. Photo: WireImage

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson rocks another relaxed-fit suit at a special screening of The Smashing Machine, in September, in London. Photo: WireImage

Jason Momoa finished off his look at this year’s Venice Film Festival with Birkenstock x Concepts sandals and pink toenail polish. Photo: AFP

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The action stars showed off sophisticated tailoring and better proportions at the premieres of The Smashing Machine and In the Hand of Dante


The action stars showed off sophisticated tailoring and better proportions at the premieres of The Smashing Machine and In the Hand of Dante.


Why men with large, muscular builds should go for a relaxed-cut suit – like Dwayne Johnson and Jason Momoa

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The action stars showed off sophisticated tailoring and better proportions at the premieres of The Smashing Machine and In the Hand of Dante

The action stars showed off sophisticated tailoring and better proportions at the premieres of The Smashing Machine and In the Hand of Dante