Helmut Berger is what I consider a perfect artist – very serious in his craft, intelligent in his thoughts, without any time or patience for “bullshit” or empty phrases that litter many people’s everyday lives, conversations and relationships.

—Alexander Tuschinski, article about working with Berger on the film Timeless in 2015.

Helmut Berger doesn’t give a fuck what you think about him.

A icon of beauty, sex, and hedonism – the actor experienced great attention through the late 60s and 1970s for his work in film, most particularly with iconic Italian film maker Luchino Visconti whom took Berger under his wing as a muse in art and love.

How couldn’t he? When Visconti first cast the young and rebellious Austrian actor in his film Le Streghe (The Witches) in 1967, it was clear this was a rare star coming closer into orbit, and soon he was doing one iconic role after another playing Martin Von Essenback in The Damned (dressing in Dietrich drag in one of the film’s pivotal moments), King Ludwig II of Bavaria (earning him a David Di Donatello Award for Best Actor), and the title role in the flashy mod remake of Oscar Wilde’s classic – Dorian Gray.

 

He was also the first man to ever grace the cover of VOGUE alongside girlfriend Marisa Berenson – not surprising considering his classic beauty.

Those smouldering eyes, that golden blonde hair, his brooding masculinity mixed with a distinct dandy elegance – its a combination we don’t see in celebrities today.

On screen and off screen, Helmut Berger is definitely an idol of style we need to praise! So, here’s a classic {STYLE IDOL} collection of wicked photos of this bad ass legend of cinema to muse over and inspire your personal sense of style!

Yes, I am tainted by the beautiful things in life. But to all those who only want to see me as an agent provocateur and an eccentric I can only say: With every day of my life the number of people I don’t give a damn about grows and grows.

-Helmut Berger

As portrayed in the intensely provocative documentary by Andreas Horvath, Helmut Berger is a rebel without a cause – full of spunk, a lust for life, and a certain je na sais quois that really make a star ignite.

Not many people have the balls to to live as loud as this guy, so major props to him for that; and despite his seemingly reckless antics, we can’t deny the beautiful tapestry of work this man has created with his art and contributions to the legacy of cinema and of course, classic bad ass style!

For the most part, off duty, he’s a very classic jeans and oxford shirt kind of guy, but I love the extravagance and opulence he is able to pull of in many of his film roles, that I believe many other actors would have had a hard time making believable.

Tres chic and a bit of a rebel- Helmut Berger should definitely be at the top of your list for all-time style icons if you are into that kind of thing. We started this blog to help promote the beauty of the {past}, so hopefully we’ll be seeing a little more Helmut Berger realness in the near {future}.

 

What frightens you, what you see or what you don’t?

-Helmut Berger in Salon Kitty

 

Hope this was a good one for you! We love compiling these {STYLE IDOLS & DIVINITIES} for you guys, so let us know what you thought in the comments below!

Also, let us know if you have some interesting ideas!

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Until next time,

{theEye}

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