Chemist Sidney Stratton (Alec Guinness) is at a crossroads in his career. He's been trying to invent a long-lasting clothing fiber, but his unreasonable demands for high-end equipment have gotten him fired from job after job. Finally, Sidney creates a white suit that is impervious to the elements it cannot stain or wrinkle. At first he is celebrated as a hero but, soon enough, the clothing manufacturers realize that the perfect suit is actually very bad for business.