As Schitt's Creek wraps up its final season, it's hard to believe that the Roses were once wealthy snobs who lost all their fortune in a business deal gone bad. With nowhere to go but the rural Canadian town they bought years ago as a joke, they had to give up their jet-set life and adapt to a new existence without the luxurious accommodations were used to. It's a good thing the residents of Schitt's Creek were there to show them that excessive wealth is no substitute for a personality.
As the years went by, the Roses discovered new gifts, talents, and relationships that had nothing to do with money, becoming better people in the process. David Rose, played by creator Dan Levy, evolved from a sarcastic rich kid who cared only for himself to a warm and caring brother, friend, and partner, with a fashion sense to rival the rest of his family's to boot. Read on for ten of David's best outfits, ranked.
The KTZ Sweater
The first thing you'll notice about David's wardrobe is that it is almost exclusively black and white. It bears a strong resemblance to Moira's avant-garde outfits, much like David's personality is more in sync with his mother's than his father's, at least when the show began. "David's very much his mother's son, so it made sense he would look up to her sartorially in his own way and try to reinterpret what she's been doing," Levy explained. The elaborate design on this sweater features the letters KTZ TWT.
The Love Sweater
The next thing you'll notice about David's clothes is that he favors graphic sweaters with bold, eye-catching designs, such as this one, which is decorated with what appears to be an intricate heart design.
Also pictured is Patrick, who began a romance with David as they combined their business acumen and eye for design to open Rose Apothecary. Their loving and openly affectionate relationship is one of the best and most groundbreaking parts of the show.
The Snowglobe Sweater
We've named this sweater after the circles on David's sweater. Each one has a pearly white, smooth center with the fabric becoming much more textured around the circumference. Up close, they look almost embroidered with an actual pearl in the center. From a distance, they look more like snowflakes against a dark background, sort of like particles falling through a sartorial snowglobe. Either way, it's another stunning look from the men's style icon we didn't know we needed.
The Monochrome Tie-Dye
Here is something a little different. David's tie-dyed sweater is mostly white instead of black, and the dye itself has a bluish cast to it. We can't tell if this is Rick Owens or Helmut Lang, but it sure looks great.
Dan Levy noted that he strived to make the fashion on Schitt's Creek authentic. "It was crucial to me...that we [didn't] take the sitcom approach like, 'Let's put a strand of pearls on her and call her rich!'" he said, laughing. He wanted people to watch the show and recognize some of the pieces and designers in it.
The Fair Isle Sweater
Of course, David can rock a classic fair isle design. The pattern is concentrated around his shoulders, drawing the eye up towards his distinctive features. Levy was bashful about being a sex symbol, confessing that he spends most of my year in sweatpants in front of the computer writing for the show. "So that kind of association is very far from my -- what I would ever think about day to day," he said. Nevertheless, he found it to be a wonderful compliment and was very surprised by it.
The Bird Sweater
This piece features a beautiful avian design across the chest and sleeves. When the Rose family lost their wealth, one of the few assets they were allowed to keep was their designer clothing. It set them apart from the other residents of Schitt's Creek and told their story on sight. When a character is wearing Alexander McQueen or vintage Balenciaga, it's hard to forget that they used to come from money.
The Flames
Perhaps the most colorful outfit on this list, the flame sweater made an appearance at Rose Apothecary's open mic night, where Patrick serenaded David with an acoustic rendition of "The Best." In a memorable scene, David returned the gesture with his own performance once the two were alone. How romantic.
RELATED: 5 Reasons Patrick Was Right For David (& 5 He Should Have Ended Up With Stevie)
Levy emphasized that there would be no bigotry in Schitt's Creek. "The town takes pride and is a loving and accepting community," he said. We'll find it is a liberal community, smart and caring."
The Panther Sleeves
Look at the graphic black and white panther design covering David's shoulders. The grey is a nice contrast to the black and white and allows the fierceness of the big cats to shine. Like many of David's clothes, this is a genuine designer piece. A lifelong fashion lover, Levy was thrilled about the opportunity to shop couture to his heart's content, calling it the joy of the job and a dream come true.
The Lightning Bolt
Of all the Roses, David knows himself the least, masking much of his fear and anxiety with his persona as a New York City art gallerist. In other words, David uses fashion to hide his insecurities. Neil Barrett sweaters such as this striking lightning bolt design gradually give way to softer, less attention-grabbing looks as David falls in love and gets to know a different side of himself.
"All character's styles change," Levy said. "They should slowly adapt to accommodate where they are." It looks like Schitt's Creek is a far better place for David than New York ever was.
The Leopard Print
Would the actor wear anything from David's closet? Probably not. "I don't think I would have the sartorial confidence to wear what David wears on the day to day," he said. He can't wear black and white, for one thing. Levy admitted that David has a confidence and aggression in his sartorial story that is a little bit harder than his own personality. Besides, many people have already told him he's wearing David's clothes, despite having had some pieces in his closet since before the show started.