The Coat. The Cheekbones. The Collar. How Sherlock's Costume Was Designed to Make You Feel Inferior.

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The Coat. The Cheekbones. The Collar. How Sherlock's Costume Was Designed to Make You Feel Inferior.

2026/06/17 Report

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The Coat. The Cheekbones. The Collar. How Sherlock's Costume Was Designed to Make You Feel Inferior.

When costume designer Sarah Arthur was brought onto Sherlock, she received one clear instruction from the producers: Holmes should look like someone who makes other people feel slightly underdressed just by walking into the room.

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She delivered.

The coat — a Belstaff Milford in dark wool — became arguably the most iconic piece of television costuming of the 2010s. It wasn't chosen for period accuracy. It was chosen because it moved correctly. When Cumberbatch walks in it, particularly in exterior shots, it gives the character a physical presence that communicates before he's spoken a word: this person operates on different terms than everyone else.

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