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The best films about fashion to (re)watch this summer
Often portrayed on screen as both a captivating and destructive world, fashion has attracted many filmmakers over the years, from Ridley Scott to Paul Thomas Anderson, Olivier Assayas and Federico Fellini even. Numéro has selected the must-see films for fashion lovers, including Saint Laurent, Cruella and The Neon Demon.
By Louise Menard.
Cruella (2021) with Emma Stone
Directed by Craig Gillespie, Cruella (2021) features Emma Stone at the heart of a crazy adaptation of the famous Disney cartoon. Alongside Emma Thompson, the American actress, who won an Oscar for the second time in her career for her role in Poor Creatures (2023), plays Estella, who turns out to be Cruella, a con artist with an explosive style determined to make a place for herself in the fashion world in 1970s London. In short, a pleasant surprise from Disney.
Cruella (2021) by Craig Gillespie, starring Emma Stone and Emma Thompson, available on Disney+.
Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris with Isabelle Huppert and Lucas Bravo
In Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, starring Emily in Paris star Lucas Bravo and actress Isabelle Huppert, British director Anthony Fabian (Louder than Words) delivers a moving comedy. We are back to the 1950s in Paris, and above all, into the haute couture archives of the House of Dior. Acclaimed at the British Film Awards in 2022, costume designer Jenny Beavan – also behind Cruella and Furiosa: Mad Max Fury Road – showcases exquisite craftsmanship worthy of a master goldsmith.
Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris (2022) by Anthony Fabian, starring Isabelle Huppert and Lucas Bravo, available on Canal VOD.
House of Gucci (2021) with Lady Gaga and Adam Driver
In order to make a biopic that lives up to the extravagant life of the Gucci family, British director Ridley Scott (Napoleon, Blade Runner) did not hesitate to assemble a star-studded cast. Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and French actress Camille Cottin have shared the poster of House of Gucci (2021), a very lyrical film whose looks, each more luxurious than the last, are composed almost exclusively of vintage pieces from the Italian house.
House of Gucci (2021) by Ridley Scott, starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver, available on Canal VOD.
https://www.imdb.com/video/vi1313129241/?playlistId=tt11610804&ref_=tt_ov_pr_ov_viHaute Couture (2021) with Lyna Khoudri
Bringing together Lyna Khoudri, who was recently seen in The Three Musketeers (2023) and the iconic Nathalie Baye, Haute Couture (2021), directed by French designer Sylvie Ohayon , is an ode to the know-how of haute couture workshops.
This feature film plunges us into the daily life of the little hands of the house of Dior and questions the notions of heritage and transmission that infuse fashion.
Haute Couture (2021) by Sylvie Ohayon, starring Lyna Khoudri, available on Canal VOD.
Phantom Thread (2018) by Paul Thomas Anderson
Who better than British-Irish actor Daniel Day-Lewis (The Last of the Mohicans, Lincoln) to play a nervous and maniacal couturier plagued by a sickly perfectionism?
Accustomed to dark and polished universes, director Paul Thomas Anderson offers with Phantom Thread (2017) a glamorous romance, which takes us to the heart of London fashion in the 50s.
With, as a bonus, the formidable Vicky Krieps.
Phantom Thread (2018) by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Vicky Krieps, available on Canal VOD.
The Dressmaker (2018) with Kate Winslet
Adapted from Australian writer Rosalie Ham‘s critically acclaimed novel The Dressmaker, the film (2018) is a moving tale carried by the splendid Kate Winslet. It tells the story of a seamstress who, after ten years of absence, returns to her native village where she tries to convince the inhabitants of the power that clothes can have.
The Dressmaker (2018) by Jocelyn Moorhouse, starring Kate Winslet, available on Canal VOD.
The Neon Demon (2016) with Elle Fanning
With its cold atmosphere and acid colors, this thriller by Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive, Only God Forgives) is probably the most disturbing film ever made about the world of modelling. Telling the story of a young woman with an angelic physique, played by American actress Elle Fanning, who has just arrived in Los Angeles to become a model, The Neon Demon (2016) reveals the shortcomings of an environment where beauty reigns supreme.
The Neon Demon (2016) by Nicolas Winding Refn, starring Elle Fanning, available on Apple TV.
Personal Shopper (2016) with Kristen Stewart
American actress Kristen Stewart is close to Chanel and have always dazzled us with her rock’n’roll looks. In 2016, she played the personal shopper of a celebrity in a psychological thriller by French director Olivier Assayas (Irma Vep, Clouds of Sils Maria). The opportunity for us to discover a splendid wardrobe made up of pieces by the greatest houses.
Personal Shopper (2016) by Olivier Assayas, starring Kristen Stewart, available on Canal VOD.
Saint Laurent (2014) with Gaspard Ulliel
In 2014, French director Bertrand Bonello (The Beast, 2024), filmed a decade (1967-1976) in the life of one of the greatest couturiers of all time, Yves Saint Laurent. Alongside Léa Seydoux and Louis Garrel, the late Gaspard Ulliel delivers a brilliant interpretation of the creator allowing us to intrude, for a moment, into the spirit of genius. Critically acclaimed, Saint Laurent (2014) was presented in official competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014.
Saint Laurent (2014) by Bertrand Bonello, starring Gaspard Ulliel, available on Canal VOD.
Yves Saint Laurent (2014) with Pierre Niney
Like Bertrand Bonello, Jalil Lespert relies on the archives of the house of Yves Saint Laurent to make his film. Less interested in the couturier’s private life, however, the French director and actor focused more on the creative process of the collections, thus painting the portrait of a hard worker. Thanks to this role, actor Pierre Niney, currently starring in The Count of Monte Cristo, won the César Award for Best Actor in 2015.
Yves Saint Laurent (2014) by Jalil Lespert, starring Pierre Niney, available on Canal VOD.
Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky with Anna Mouglalis
We all remember Audrey Tautou’s brilliant performance in Coco Before Chanel in 2009. However, it’s impossible to forget Jan Kounen’s film released the same year, which tells the story of Mademoiselle Chanel’s famous love affair with Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, who scored The Rite of Spring (1910–1913). Starring renowned Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen and the house’s smoky-voiced muse and ambassador Anna Mouglalis, this film is as alluring as it is unsettling. Much like one of the most iconic love stories of the past century.
Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (2009) by Jan Kounen, starring Anna Mouglalis, available on Canal VOD.
Coco Before Chanel (2009) with Audrey Tautou
In the film Coco Before Chanel (2009), Anne Fontaine (Bolero, Police) retraces the eventful and extraordinary destiny of Gabrielle Chanel, who has become one of the most emblematic characters in French fashion. The young woman is gracefully played by the actress Audrey Tautou, perfect in this role of a rebellious flapper who revolutionizes the codes of fashion over the years. In 2010, the film was awarded the César for best costume design.
Coco Before Chanel (2009) by Anne Fontaine, starring Audrey Tautou, available on Canal VOD.
The Devil Wears Prada (2006) with Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep
When we talk about fashion in cinema, The Devil Wears Prada (2006) is probably the first film that comes to mind.
And for good reason, this cult fiction bringing together actresses Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, reveals in a “barely exaggerated” way the backstage of one of the biggest New York fashion magazines.
Brands such as Chanel, Marc Jacobs and Valentino have even participated in its realization by lending fabulous outfits, enough to delight fashion enthusiasts.
The Devil Wears Prada (2006) by David Frankel is available on Netflix and Disney+.
Zoolander (2001) with Ben Stiller
Directed by American Ben Stiller (also an actor in the film), Zoolander (2001) is a critique of the fashion industry and the characters that make it up.
While his destiny seems to be mapped out, a somewhat naïve and very egocentric model will see his life disrupted by the arrival of a young man with excessive ambition.
If you watch this film closely, you can also see the iconic Paris Hilton and Claudia Schiffer.
It couldn’t be more cult…
Zoolander (2001) by Ben Stiller, starring Ben Stiller, available on Canal VOD.
Ready-to-Wear (1994) with Julia Roberts and Sophia Loren
Between documentary and fiction, Ready-to-Wear (1994) focuses on one of the biggest events in fashion: Paris Fashion Week. Among the stars who make up the cast are the legendary Italian actress Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, the iconic Julia Roberts and the American actress and model Lauren Bacall. A charming comedy, sublimated by ultra-elegant outfits, which is nevertheless a bitter satire.
Ready-to-Wear (1994) by Robert Altman, with Julia Roberts and Sophia Loren, available on Canal VOD.
Fellini Roma (1972) by Federico Fellini
Fellini Roma (1972) by Italian director Federico Fellini is probably one of his greatest masterpieces and one of the most beautiful tributes ever paid to the city of Rome. The feature film captures his adopted city in all its preciousness and banality, from its monuments to its inhabitants with its traffic jams… And a religious fashion show.
Fellini Roma (1972) by Federico Fellini, starring Peter Gonzales, available on DVD.
Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? (1967) by William Klein
William Klein paints a magnificent portrait of the model Dorothy McGowan nicknamed here Polly Maggoo. The French-American photographer and artist reconstructs the life of the young woman, alongside French actors Philippe Noiret, Sami Frey and Jean Rochefort, and is particularly interested in the relationship she has with her own beauty. For the opening scene, William Klein recreated a splendid avant-garde show, with dresses made of sculpted metal and aluminum.
Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? (1967) by William Klein, with Sami Frey, Jean Rochefort, Dorothy McGowan, available on Apple TV.
Funny Face (1957) with Audrey Hepburn
When Audrey Hepburn agreed to play the role of a young model in the musical Funny Face (1957), it was obvious that it her friend, the fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy , would be in charge of some of the looks, along with costume designer Edith Head. From the short trench coat to the satin wedding dress and a floral strapless dress, the suits enhanced with hats and long gloves, add a je ne sais quoi to this beautiful feature film.
Funny Face (1957) by Stanley Donen, starring Audrey Hepburn, available on Canal VOD.
The Bride Is Much Too Beautiful (1956) with Brigitte Bardot
In The bride Is Much Too Beautiful (1956) directed by Pierre Gaspard-Huit, the gorgeous Brigitte Bardot – dressed by Pierre Balmain – plays a model who enters into a love rivalry with the editor-in-chief of a women’s magazine who has an extra-marital affair with a young man.
You have to complete the viewing with the viewing of the series entitled Bardot, available on Netflix, in which we can see many of the star’s looks recreated.
The Bride Is Much Too Beautiful (1956) by Pierre Gaspard-Huit, starring Brigitte Bardot, available on Canal VOD.
Falbalas (1945) by Jacques Becker
According to journalist Isabelle Vignon, the film Falbalas is “the first major French film devoted to the study of the Parisian haute couture scene with a commendable concern for veracity“. Imagined by French director Jacques Becker, this story is that of a couturier obsessed with his profession and whose life will be turned upside down by the encounter with a woman. The dresses, made by perfumer and couturier Marcel Rochas, have contributed to the fame of this classic.
Falbalas (1945) by Jacques Becker, starring Micheline Presle, available on Canal VOD.
