Léon Costume from Léon: The Professional

Charmskool

New Member
When I was younger my Halloween costumes had no limitations and I would often apply makeup that would take an hour or 2 to put on and another hour to remove at some ungodly time of the early morning after partying. I'm older now and still love the holiday but I've been choosing costumes that are simple "on-and-off" with no makeup to peel or wash off late at night.... just get out of costume and I'm back to me. With that in mind in January 2013 I decided my Halloween costume that year would be Léon from "Léon: The Professional". Simple right? Well not exactly. Actually it turned out to be quite a task and the most difficult costume I've ever made because I wanted to do it right. I work in special effects and have that gene telling me it has to be as authentic as possible.

Let's just say that references are not aplenty from this 1994 film so I had to make due with screen grabs from the movie and a rare out-of-print book by director Luc Besson called "The Story of Léon"... but none were available in English (Still can't find the English version) so I made do with it in the French language.

So I started my journey (obsession) on the web, looking up anything and everything I could think of that I might need. Sunglasses, cap, coat, suspenders, gun, case. But what about that vest? Aside from the iconic glasses and coat, it's the vest that really MAKES the costume. It's crazy original and cool as hell. I found a cosplay coat and vest online that I'm sure other Léon fans have found too. Awful stuff. Won't do. I guess I'll have to make it. I know people who work in leather who can point me in the right direction. Ok decided on the vest.

But what about the sunglasses? On RPF I found a few threads pointing to a couple of companies that make similar frames... but I want the REAL ONES! I spent countless hours browsing for glasses and found out the make and model number in question: Jean Paul Gaultier's "Junior Gaultier" model 58-0072, clear frames with gray lenses and gold supports in the arms. Long out of production. After delving 50 pages into a Google search there they were in Japan! Old "dead" stock but unopened and unused... only they had EVERY color but the clear ones I needed! Black frames, clear honey, and tortoise shell. (I got a couple of each anyway):rolleyes A few months later while checking out ebay world search for the 500th time I decided to mix up my criteria and typed in John Lennon glasses. I love the Beatles, especially Lennon and boy did it pay off! There they were in the UK listed as John Lennon glasses. They were Junior Gaultier. They were clear. They were model 58-0072. Jackpot! Wrote the seller, but of course didn't reveal what they really were or what he could REALLY get for them and made an offer. They were mine!

It didn't take long to find an Italian hat website that hawked a replica beanie:
Cuffia zucchetto pura lana Jean Reno Léon The Professional [cuffia-leon] - €19.16 : Cappelleria Melegari, L'arte del cappello

Bought an airsoft Beretta with compensator and also a resin version from an RPF member thinking I could use that one in public at parties but decided that it was still not safe. I had an idea. I work for a great company with many resources including 3D printers. I would make a 3D model of a gun to print or "grow" and thought of the concept that it could have words cut into the barrel to make it clear it wasn't real. Off the top of my head I thought it could say, "Toy Gun" or something but that went out immediately when I realized it should have something to do with Léon the character. "No women, no kids" is his motto and that's what I put on the gun. No Women on one side and No Kids on the other.

How about the gun case? An RPF member who is a propmaker listed an offer to make a replica but I didn't want to pay that price as this project was already costing me a fortune so I planned to make my own and would have if I didn't run out of time or if I hadn't already found an old British canvas hat box on ebay that was very close to the look. I will still likely make a lightweight case maybe for next halloween but this year I had a close enough case.

More countless hours were spent in search of a suitable coat that was herringbone patterned and charcoal gray and I found one I was happy enough with, even though it could have been a bit darker and a few inches longer. The pants and shoes were taken care of in one visit to a Salvation Army and I got a few different shirts that match the various ones Reno wore in the film.

I wanted to have other props too so I got a silk plant, an algaonema or "Chinese evergreen. I remembered there was a magic trick glass of milk that would be great to carry as it would never empty or spill so I found a suitable one. On ebay some guy was selling the "piggy" oven mitt Léon used to amuse Mathilda but at $75 it seemed ridiculously priced so in my infinite wisdom I thought, "if he had some, then they must be out there somewhere" so I did ANOTHER web search and there they were... once again in Japan! and only $14. I got 2. ??????????????????????????ANIMAL OVEN MITT PIG ?????/???/????????????
All those things fit nicely in the "gun case" to carry with me.

The vest was the last part to make and it was a tough one for me as I had never really worked in leather on a project this complex. Visited a leather specialty store and painstakingly studied the film screen-grabs and book photos for the right rivets, snaps and buckles. I had to look online (again) for the front buckle as it was a special one not readily available. So I got as far as to make a the belt and a whole vest before I realized I patterned it incorrectly and decided to remake the vest part. Ugh! But it paid off when I made patterns again and this time it fit perfectly. I cut the leather, worked it to soften, water formed certain parts, stained and antiqued and sewed and riveted the whole thing. Definitely a learning process but I think it MAKES the costume as it's custom made, just like in the film and as far as I can tell, no one else has one.

Anyway, I think I hit all the big points and I figure this initial description has been long enough but I will close with good news (for me) that not only do I have a kick-ass Léon costume but my bosses recognized the achievement by honoring me with the best costume grand prize at my workplace.

Not bad for a quick on-and-off costume idea!
 

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This thread deserves more attention, that costume is fantastic! Great write up on the research and development too.

You have the look of Leon down great and the costume and props attention to details is superb, and the 3D printed gun with the words on is genius, great work Charmskool!

I just happened to watch Leon: The Professional at the weekend and was glad to see someone recreate this so well.

John
 
Thanks a lot for the compliments John.
Funny, I was just in NYC over the weekend (I live in Los Angeles) and since I never get the chance due to warmer weather here, I wore the long coat, hat and glasses while walking around town and a couple of people called me Léon on the spot.
 
Great job!

This costume has always been on my "one day" list.

Would you be willing to share the vest template? I'm sure it would need to bd customized for each wearer but it would be a great starting point for a such tricky shaped piece.
 
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