Best known today as the man who dressed up Peter Parker, James Acheson’s career has meandered a long way through some memorable Hollywood adventures.

The 58-year-old Briton -- he hails from Leicestershire -- started his career with BBC Television as a set designer and was a stage manager for the Russian Ice Circus on its tour of Spain in 1977-78.

After he moved to the film industry in 1979, he has worked on several notable Hollywood hits, including Monty Python’s The Meaning Of Life (1983), Wuthering Heights (1992) and The Man In The Iron Mask (1998). He won Oscars for costume design in Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor (1987) (he also worked on Bertolucci's Little Buddha), Stephen Frears’ Dangerous Liaisons (1988) and the Ben Affleck starrer Daredevil (2003).

Until he pulls something else out of his hat, Acheson’s most memorable design will be the much-adored body suit donned by the friendly neighbourhood superhero in Spider-Man (2002) and its 2004 sequel.

The costume, along with several others, was displayed at 50 Designers 50 Costumes – Concept to Character, an exhibit presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, California.

Text: Bijoy Venugopal
Design: Uday Kuckian
Photographs: Getty Images