Why Elvis channeled Marlon Brando in iconic leather look

December 27, 2025 by salah

The story behind Elvis’s iconic outfit has been known for some time, but with the advent of new AI technology, old black-and-white photos can now be colorized, offering an even stronger sense of how groundbreaking Elvis’s look was.

The bold black leather jacket, in particular, is often seen as a powerful statement —many have interpreted it as Elvis’s way of showing the world that he still had it, proving that the King was back and ready to reclaim his throne.

The comeback was also a resounding success, with the special earning huge viewership and the soundtrack hitting the top ten on the Billboard 200.

”He hadn’t performed in seven years… so many things had changed since he was the guy who could captivate audiences,” Hehir says. ”He used to have screaming teenage girls, but those teenage girls were now mothers.”

Changed almost everything in his life

Sure, the album sales weren’t exceptional, especially when compared to the huge success Elvis Presley had achieved earlier.Continue reading…