13 Fashion Series and Films That You Need To Watch
This month brings a new triptych of fashion-filled films designed
to get your creative juices flowing — plus ten all-time favourites that need to be in you repertoire
Fashion and film have had a long love affair; enter the fashion films to watch this November…
There are films that have helped put designers on the map like Hubert de Givenchy dressing Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina, or a Giorgio Armani-clad Richard Gere in American Gigolo. Then there are those that give designer fashion an integral role to play in a movie, such as the Jil Sander by Raf Simons pieces that Tilda Swinton exclusively wore in Luca Guadagnino’s film I am Love or, not surprisingly, Tom Ford’s film Nocturnal Animals. Not to mention those movies that make fashion the backdrop of the entire film; The Devil Wears Prada, Who are You, Polly Maggoo? and Prêt-à-Porter by Robert Altma all instantly come to mind.
But truth be told, films with a fashion focus are sadly still few and far between. That is why this November, both cinephiles and fashion lovers are in for a treat, as three films that all have fashion at their heart will arrive in theatres. Each one incorporates luxury fashion in its own way into the stories that unfold, but they all prove that fashion is a powerful force to be reckoned with both on the silver screen and in real life.
Fashion Films To Watch This November 2021
HOUSE OF GUCCI
Ever since Lady Gaga uttered the line, “Father, son, and house of Gucci” in the first trailer for the film House of Gucci, fashion devotees have been chomping at the bit to see this flick.
Directed by Ridley Scott and featuring a cast of Oscar-winning and nominated actors, which include Gaga, Adam Driver, Jeremy Irons, Salma Hayek, Al Pacino and an almost unrecognisable Jared Leto, the movie covers three decades of Italy’s wealthy Gucci clan. But it focuses most specifically on the lead up and aftermath of the murder of Maurizio Gucci, who was the head of the Gucci fashion house, by a hitman hired by his ex-wife, Patrizia Reggiani.
Gucci’s current CEO, Marco Bizzarri, let the film production and its Oscar-winning costume designer Janty Yates have full access to the fashion house’s extensive archives for the movie. So count on the fashion in this film being as strong as the performances from the A-list actors that will undoubtedly be sporting quite a lot of the iconic double G logo.
House of Gucci premieres in theatres on Nov. 24
SPENCER
While not technically a film about fashion, Spencer, the biographical psychological drama by director Pablo Larrain, which centres on Diana, Princess of Wales at the moment in her life when she decided to end her marriage to Prince Charles, is chock full of statement-making outfits (and hats – lots of hats).
In a time before social media, Diana, played in the film by Kristen Stewart, used fashion to communicate her feelings and emotional state to the press, when she was unable to speak freely for herself. For example, who can forget the sexy, off-the-shoulder, fitted, short black “revenge dress” Diana wore in June 1994 on the night Prince Charles confessed to his adultery with Camilla Parker-Bowles in a nationally televised documentary?
In the new film, Chanel stepped up to create or supply many of the memorable looks worn by Stewart, who is also a brand ambassador for the French fashion house. From the silver-beaded, beige organza evening gown that is featured in the film’s poster to a vintage red tweed coat from Chanel’s Autumn 1988 ready-to-wear collection spotted in stills from the film, Chanel worked closely with the film’s Oscar-winning costume designer, Jacqueline Durran to create an on-screen sartorial story that pays homage to the style of Diana during that tumultuous time in her life.
Spencer premieres in theatres Nov. 5
HAUTE COUTURE
The title says it all for this French-language film that stars acclaimed French actress Nathalie Bayeuse as Esther, the head seamstress in the Christian Dior haute couture atelier.
The film focuses on the transfer of the famed skills of les petite mains seamstresses to bring a designer’s vision to life to the next generation of artisans. In this case, a character named Jade, played by the up-and-coming Algerian-French actress, Lyna Khoudri (who also recently starred in the new Wes Anderson film The French Dispatch) is the young apprentice that finds herself under the tutelage of Esther.
While very few details are known about this film, it is clear that Baye’s character is on a mission to pass on her skills as she prepares her last haute couture collection before she retires. Her dedication to her craft is something of a love letter to the artistry of fashion and in that way it makes this film a must-see for true fashion fans.
Haute Couture premieres in theatres Nov. 10
FASHION FILMS 101
Once you have binge-watched this month’s newest arrivals in the fashion film pantheon, why not take the time to discover, or re-discover ten of the most iconic fashion films and documentaries in the history of cinema? Once you have seen all these movies you can truly call yourself a stylish cinephile.
