Pierce Brosnan as James Bond wearing a Brioni tuxedo.
The word “tuxedo” technically refers to a men’s black dinner jacket, but the term is often used to refer to the entire suit worn to black tie events. Both the term and, supposedly, the fashion originate from New York’s Tuxedo Park, where Griswald Lorillard wore a black dinner jacket to the Tuxedo Club’s annual Autumn Ball.
Italian fashion house Brioni has been making men’s suits since the end of World War II. Each year, their 900 tailors—each of whom must undergo a four year apprenticeship—create 200 different models of men’s suits. Their tuxedos are meant to emphasize a man’s broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted physique. They’re most famously associated with that suave secret agent, James Bond, who has worn Brioni suits since 1995.
Brioni tuxedos start at $3,000 and can cost upwards of $10,000 or more.