Rise of The Fashion Film
Posted by Dahlia on October 21, 2009 · Leave a Comment
The film industry has been a buzz about the fashion industry ever since The Devil Wears Prada wowed audiences in 2006. Since then, a few more fashion oriented films have attracted fashionistas and world premieres within fashion weeks to give them yet another level of exclusivity.
Among the films shown in the past decade (and that I’m aware of that has made significant impact on myself) are of the following:
Signé Chanel (2004) - Documentary about Chanel’s 2004 Haute Couture show, focusing more on Chanel’s legendary seamstresses under Karl Lagerfeld’s direction
The Devil Wears Prada (2006) - Meryl Streep’s performance as tough as nails Miranda Priestly is allegedly based on Anna Wintour’s character at Vogue.
Sex and the City - The Movie (2008) - Dedicated fashion followers have been waiting for years for a cast reunion of this infamous HBO series.
Valentino: The Last Emperor (2008) - Documentary chronicling the life of Valentino Garavani up until his last show that celebrates his 45th anniversary in the business.
Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009) - Comedy film that couldn’t come at a worse timing during the recession. Not particularly insightful, but definitely followed in fashion footsteps.
Coco Avant Chanel (2009) - Biopic of Gabrielle Chanel prior to her ascent in becoming one of the most iconic fashion figures in history.
The September Issue (2009) - Documentary chronicling behind the scenes of Vogue’s 2007 September Issue, their biggest ever, tagging along with Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington.
Upcoming Films
Sex and the City 2 (2010) - The sequel to the first movie, the casting of extras for this movie along had generated huge buzz among fans already. We’re not sure if the 40-50+ cast can whip up the magic a second time on the big screen.
Schmatta: From Rags to Riches to Rags (2010) - HBO documentary about the fall of the New York garment district in 40 years. Garments made in America went from 95% to a mere 5%.
Now there is yet other news that Ridley Scott, famed director of Academy Award winning film Gladiator, is set to film about the Gucci Dynasty. Though there is no official script yet, Variety.com reports that the direction plans on following the tumultuous lives of the Gucci family up until Maurizio Gucci’s death.
Of course these are simply the big budget movie films that I’m announcing. For a more artistic approach towards fashion film, you should definitely check out The Business of Fashion’s Top 10 Fashion Film list of some of the most innovative short films that has happened this past year.
Image credit: Valentino film
