Fashion And Film

From epaulets at Jean Paul Gaultier and samurai-inspired skirts at Alexander McQueen to "fetish-gladiator" leathers at vintage shops like Cherry in New York City and Los Angeles, 'tis the season to get in touch with your inner warrior. The trend should only grow after Tom Cruise's star turn in The Last Samurai, due out in December. Costume designer Ngila Dickson scoured museums in Japan, studied countless patterns and worked with blacksmiths, jewelers and Japanese actors to create 300 suits of armor. "We didn't want to let anyone down--especially the Japanese," says Dickson, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Lord of the Rings. Just remember: if you do suit up, real samurai wear their swords on the left.