There are often links between the various disciplines within the vast world of art, and one of the strongest and most enduring is undoubtedly the connection between fashion and film. For decades, the two artistic fields have been intertwined and influencing each other, often creating memorable cinematic works, which become must-sees for those who love fashion and want to get to know it thoroughly.

Whether it’s to satisfy one’s curiosity about the fashion industry - which is often shrouded in mystery -, to learn about the backstory of some of the most important moments in fashion history, or simply to indulge in a little sartorial and fashion escapism, watching the most iconic films on the subject is always a good idea.

So, we have prepared a list of the most relevant films on the world of fashion. Genres, decades and approaches to fashion vary, so that everyone can find the one that suits their tastes! 

Cover Girl, 1944

In the first half of the ‘40s, many women were dying to go to the cinema to see the female musical of the moment: Cover Girl. The main character is Rusty - played by Rita Hayworth - a chorus singer who works in a club in Brooklyn run by her boyfriend Danny. By winning a contest, her dream of being a ‘cover girl’ comes true, and she even gets the lead role in a Broadway musical.

The film won the Oscar for best original soundtrack, but the haute couture dresses designed by Paramount Pictures’ then chief designer, Travis Banton, are so breathtaking that they keep your eyes glued to the screen.

Blow Up, 1966

It’s one of the most popular films of the incredible director Antonioni. Blow Up is a mysterious and glamorous thriller that beautifully captures the swinging London climate of the ‘60s. The protagonist is Thomas, a fashion photographer played by David Hemmings, whose powers of seduction make the beautiful women he photographs unable to resist his charms. Adding to the plot, Thomas is convinced that he has accidentally photographed a murder in progress. The film is also sprinkled with a number of fabulous cameos, from Veruschka to Jane Birkin, and this is also what makes Blow Up a fascinating record of fashion history.

Prêt-à-Porter, 1994

In Robert Altman’s satirical, multifaceted and stellar portrait of the fashion industry, nothing is as it seems. Typical of this director, Prêt-à-Porter is a mockumentary-style film, meaning a description of fictional events staged as in a documentary. There are cameos by celebrities of the calibre of Julia Roberts, Sophia Loren and Lauren Bacall, all as various ’fashionistas’ busy preparing a fashion show during Paris Fashion Week. Slammed by the critics, the film is best remembered for its two-minute sequence in which models strut naked down the catwalk to the tune of Pretty by the Cranberries.

Zoolander, 2001

An enlightening satirical film starring Ben Stiller on the superficiality of the modelling world, which despite having a light-hearted plot props the viewer to seriously reflect on the world of fashion, especially men’s fashion. Here, the two lead models, played by Stiller and rival Owen Wilson, compete against each other with lean mass and little brains, until they become allies in the fight against the evil fashion boss Mugatu. However, amidst the laughter and ridiculousness, there is a reference to Bret Easton Ellis’s novel Glamorama centred on the challenges of a male model, just before it turns into a surreal thriller about international fashion terrorism.

The Devil Wears Prada, 2006

How many of you have already understood what we are talking about? The Devil Wears Prada is a fashion film staple that most women have seen at least once. The story follows the adventures of Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway), an aspiring graduate journalist who is hired as an assistant to the diabolical and charismatic Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), editor-in-chief of the fashion magazine Runway.

The many designers who lent clothes and accessories to the production made it the film with the most expensive costumes of all time. Even Anna Wintour - the editor-in-chief of Vogue America who probably inspired Miranda’s character - watched the film in amusement, naturally wearing Prada from head to toe.

And if you have already seen it, there are rumours that The Devil Wears Prada 2 might be released. We’ll have to wait and see!

The September Issue, 2009

‘Fashion is a religion. This is the bible’. The so-called Bible is the autumn fashion edition of Vogue USA, which weighed an impressive 2.27 kg and had 840 pages, the largest magazine ever published. The September Issues is a documentary by RJ Cutler about the icy editor-in-chief Anna ‘Nuclear’ Wintour’s preparations for this fashion milestone. Here, luxury photo shoots, fashion shows, designer cameos, laughter and drama are intertwined, due to Wintour’s prickly and respectful relationship with the creative director and Grace Coddington, called ‘the greatest living designer’, who resigned after a 28-year career.

Coco Before Chanel, 2009

Said Audrey Tautou as Coco Chanel in the docu-film Coco Before Chanel, and one can only agree with her.

If you want to know more about the history of fashion, all you have to do is watch this feature film that shows the designer before her great career. The narrative starts from when Coco Chanel worked as a seamstress and ends with the foundation of her eponymous fashion house, which would redefine the style of the modern woman. This biographical film delves deeply into the world of fashion as few have done, offering a moving insight into the designer’s private life.

Phantom Thread, 2017

Finally, the last film we would like to recommend is Phantom Thread, a title that perfectly sums up what the film wants to portray: the obsessive and demanding nature of haute couture. Director Paul Thomas Anderson explores this theme by showing the relationship between high society designer Reginald Woodcock and a young woman he met in a seaside café, who became his muse. Phantom Thread is an intoxicating and beautifully woven tale about the art of fashion during the post-war period, which like everything hides a dark sides.