Fashion Designers and Film

Films about designers have surged in the last 10 years or so.

There’s films about such designers as Coco Chanel, Yves Saint-Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, and Valentino.

Coco Before Chanel came out in 2009 and stars Audrey Tatou, who is now the spokesmodel for Chanel No. 5.  The film focuses on the early life of French fashion designer Coco Chanel.  The film was so popular that it was nominated for four BAFTA Awards and even an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

While Coco Before Chanel is a film, there’s been tons of documentaries focusing exclusively on designers.  L’amour fou is about Yves Saint-Laurent and his lover, Pierre Berge.  The film came out in 2010 and has been critically alluded.

Lagerfeld Confidential is about famed Karl Lagerfeld, who has his own label, and also is the head of Fendi and Chanel.  The documentary came out in 2007 and focuses on the day to day life of the designer.  It’s apparently a great film and really lets you understand Lagerfeld.

Lastly, Valentino: The Last Emperor is a documentary about the life of Valentino Garavani.  The film premiered in 2008, and is an exploration of Valentino’s closing act of his career, the story of his life, and what’s affecting the fashion business today.  The film also focuses on the relationship between Valentino and his business partner and companion of 50 years, Giancarlo Giammetti.

These films has helped show the behind the scenes of some of the biggest fashion designers and companies in the world.  It’s really cool to see how designers work and what it takes to run multi-million dollar businesses.  So check out these films and watch out for new ones.