To some, the fashion industry might seem like a daunting empire of self-obsessed fashionistas who glitz around wearing Louboutins, talking only about their favorite brand-named eyelash curler. Needless to say it’s not quite like that. Thanks to some recent (and not-so-recent) silver screen attention, the fashion community has taken to the cinemas to give in-depth looks into the lives behind the lux of the world of fashion.
From documentaries to films inspired by real life, here are 15 extraordinary examples of what happens behind the runway—as well as a few comedic takes that are just too good to leave out.
1. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Life throws a few not-so-fashionable curveballs at our main protagonist Andrea (Anne Hathaway) who takes an assistant role “a million girls would kill for” with the iconic magazine editor Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), a role allegedly inspired by Vogue editrix Anna Wintour. Since its debut, The Devil Wears Prada has become the quintessential fashion flick for our generation, and no list of fashion films would be complete without this Meryl Streep beauty.
2. Coco Before Chanel (2009)
Coco Chanel is inimitable, but Audrey Tautou stars as a close second to none. This French film depicts the designer’s life before the famous fashion house, where she lived as a poor bar performer and milliner. A classic film for classic Coco—before the pearls, perfume and iconic place in history.
3. Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (2011)
From her years at Harper’s Bazaar or Vogue to reinvigorating the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute, Diana Vreeland is hands-down one of the last century’s greatest talents. The Eye Has to Travel showcases the life of the extraordinary woman, who through the best eras of the 20th century, discovered the power of fashion as art and revolutionized an industry of boring clothing into a franchise of invigorating fashion spreads and glossy coverage.
4. Funny Face (1957)
Speaking of Diana Vreeland, the editor played a large part in the next film on our list of fashion films, Funny Face. Audrey Hepburn’s debut musical performance, this elegant film carries us along as Jo (Hepburn), an intellect of a bookkeeper, falls into the modeling biz with a fierce and energetic editor (Kay Thompson, inspired by Vreeland) and a dancing, crooning photographer (Fred Astaire).
5. Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s (2013)
Take a behind-the-scenes look at New York City’s most legendary store, Bergdorf Goodman. From launching designer’s careers like Michael Kors and Bobbie Brown to catering to A-list fans, Bergdorf’s true lux appeal is on full display in this must-watch fashion documentary, created to celebrate the store’s 100th anniversary.
6. In Vogue: The Editor’s Eye (2012)
Aspiring to be a fashion editor or photographer? Do you wonder what the life of a fashion stylist truly entails? Well, with In Vogue: The Editor’s Eye, Vogue —the fashion Bible—describes just that, in a way both creative and insightful. During this HBO film, you’ll discover the men and women, past and present, behind the glossy pages of the iconic and historical magazine.
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