The Warriors Movie Site Forum

seems to depend on the character and the scene...

Here's a capture of each, in order of speaking appearance, or first close-up (although not necessarily from the scene in which they speak that first line!):

CLEON


SWAN


FOX


COCHISE


SNOW


REMBRANDT


COWBOY


VERMIN


AJAX

I mentioned in another thread way back when, that one theory is that the vests might have been treated after the piping was added, and what we see in the diamonds is its original colour.  Being die-cut, the studio lights can cast shadows and reflect light to make it appear a different colour.

Heres some pics of movie worn vests that have been in private collections/auctions over the years.  They belonged to plato (rembrandt) Cochise and swan. 

Ninth Delegate wrote: ...one theory is that the vests might have been treated after the piping was added, and what we see in the diamonds is its original colour.  Being die-cut, the studio lights can cast shadows and reflect light to make it appear a different colour.

now that's a very plausible theory, as it always seemed odd to me that they'd go out of their way to add another fabric/color, and would account for why it seems lighter

hmmm, looks like I've got some diamond dying to do...

http://www.warriorsmovie.co.uk/content/ ... to_117.jpg


In this photo, even where there should be different light, the color underneath is lighter then the whole vest. In my business (incase this is the first post of mine you are reading I make patches, labels, buttons etc for all the major clothing brands), I make a tape (that’s is what this piping is really) that is die cut leather. It is probably synthetic leather (to keep cost down). The costume department probably put a different color under the die cut tape to stitch the tape to the vest (it would adhere and stay to the vest better then just stitching to the vest direct. Remember they were doing a lot of movement in the vests and it was hot, you wouldn't want to keep having to sew the tape to the vest)  and to give the diamond cut contrast from the rest of the vest. That is what it look like to me. Ninth you might be right that it is just the way the light hits the die-cut, but I think there is another piece under the diamond tape, especially in the above pic.

I remember from a few years back, there's a thread were we tried using the colour picking drop tool from photoshop to get the exact shade.  Using screen grabs from the film, the result was that the inside of the diamond piping was always DARKER than the rest of the vest  .
Like you say, it could be a smear of glue underneath that makes it look a shade brighter.
On a lot of the gangs, I dont think the patches were imbroided like the ones we can get now.  From the close up on the dvd extras, they look like they are made from sewn together peices of material, possibally felt.  Your on the ball when you say the costumes were made as cheap as possible.