They are films about creatives, artisans and the devoted (and often beleaguered) teams that help them realise their vision. They document the dogged and their blood, sweat and tears.
They depict the opulence and the petulance of the industry. They show the motivations, the inspirations and the idiosyncrasies of those at its apex. They are rich with powerful people and influence wielded. They are a veritable feast for the eyes: vibrant colour; ornate detail; lithe bodies; famous faces. They expose the realities of the heavily adorned world of fashion, yet keep the allure of it intact. They can be funny, and they can, even to the greatest cynic, be real.
Maybe this is why we continue to be riveted? They are fashion films, and they are here to stay.
As winter looms, treat your sartorial self to 3 Fashion Films Not To Be Missed:
1. A nod to the influence of Vogue USA and its formidable Editor-in-Chief:
The September Issue (2009)
The ultimate behind-the-scenes fashion doco chronicles the compilation of the ‘September Issue’ of Vogue USA, featuring Sienna Miller on the cover and offering a fascinating insight into the world of fashion doyenne and Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour.
2. Farewelling fashion royalty:
Valentino – The Last Emperor (2008)
A lavish portrayal of the life and work of designer Valentino Garavani, who has always known what women want: to be beautiful. From Rome to Venice to the runways of Paris, the film explores Valentino’s success, his unique friendship with long time business partner Giancarlo Giammetti, and the new forces at work in the fashion industry, as the curtain falls on his stellar 45 year career.
3. The Triumph of the Newcomer:
Dior & I (2014)
A close up of the tears, fears and undeniable beauty that characterised newly crowned artistic director Raf Simons’ first haute couture show for the revered Paris fashion house. Your jaw will drop as the final scene unfolds to reveal the fruit of the talented Belgian’s labours (and that of Dior’s army of dedicated seamstresses).
For more on the latest fashion film that wows, see our interview with Anthony Lau, director of Behind the Prize – a documentary which follows the progress of five finalists from Australia, USA, China, Germany and Lebanon to Beijing, where they vie for the enviable title of the 2014/2015 International Woolmark Prize winner.
What are some of your favourite fashion films? Tell us below…
