Fashion and film have always been intertwined over the decades. It’s no secret that costume design is an important element in the film. A well-designed costume can bring characters to life, transport the viewer to another time or place, and most importantly lend integrity to a director’s creative vision. Additionally, well-executed costume pieces can go a long way in a movie’s staying power. Get Breakfast at Tiffany’sfor example: despite being filmed in the 60s, the costumes remain as timeless and modern and as fashionable today as ever, and undoubtedly cemented the film’s reputation as a romantic Hollywood classic.
Over the years, several prominent fashion designers have lent their creativity to the film, from French designers to high-end shoe designers. In some cases, costume design launched their American careers, and some were already established designers before jumping into film. In any case, these artists definitely left their mark on Hollywood. From Jean Paul Gaultier’s futuristic fare to Miuccia Prada’s reimagining of a Shakespearean classic to Paco Rabanne’s otherworldly wonders, these designers’ creativity knows no bounds. To commemorate these remarkable designers and their amazing contributions to film history, we’ve curated a list of nine fashion films and the famous fashion designers who brought costumes to life. Here are nine designers who have created costumes for movies.
9 Jean Paul Gaultier – The Fifth Element
until Jean Paul Gaultier has collaborated on several films during his career, most notably Luc Besson’s 1997 sci-fi thriller. The fifth element. Not only has the film itself achieved cult status, but so have Gaultier’s innovative costumes. Tasked with designing the costumes for the four main characters, Gaultier exceeded expectations when he designed over 1,000 costumes for the film, paying attention to the main actors and extras. His work on the film earned him a second Cesar Award for Best Costume Design. If you want to relive the fashion extravaganza, you can catch the movie in theaters this year for its 25th anniversary.
8 Hubert de Givenchy – Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Breakfast at Tiffany’s is based on the novella of the same name by Truman Capote, which follows the life of elegant but feisty socialite Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) as she falls in love with her neighbor and struggling writer Paul Varjak (George Peppard). While the film itself is a classic, it cannot be denied that it gains much of its fame from its elegant and feminine fashion. Key elements of Hepburn’s wardrobe in the film were designed by Hepburn’s friend and Parisian designer. Hubert de Givenchyincluding the long black evening gown in the film’s opening sequence that is widely regarded as one of the most iconic pieces of fashion in history.
7 Tom Ford – Spectre
Budding young author and designer Tom Ford collaborated with designer Jany Temime on the 24th installment of the James Bond franchise, The spectrum, where Daniel Craig’s Bond discovers the existence of an underground criminal organization called Spectre. Temime discussed her partnership with Ford in a 2015 interview with Esquire, saying, “It’s great for me because I can design what I want and he just does what I like. Because he’s a filmmaker himself , he respects the role of costume designer very much”.
6 Giorgio Armani – American Gigolo
Giorgio ArmaniThe film love affair began with wardrobe design for Paul Schrader’s 1980 film American gigolo. The main protagonist in the film, Julian Kaye, embodied the spirit of an Armani man, and the impact the film had would help launch Armani’s career in America. The famed designer would continue to work in film throughout his career and go on to design costume pieces for the 1980s television series. Miami Viceand movies like The Untouchables, bodyguards, The Wolf of Wall Street, AND Inglorious bastards, to name a few. The film has recently inspired a remake of the Showtime television series, also named American gigolostarring Jon Bernthal as Julian Kaye.
5 Paco Rabanne – Barbarella
The designer Paco Rabanne is one of the co-creators of the space age fashion movement of the 1960s. Who better to design costumes Barbarella, which follows a futuristic astronaut on a mission to save the galaxy from villains. Rabanne’s creative costumes, including skin-tight bodysuits, zip-up mini dresses and metallic boots, have become as iconic as the film itself.
4 Miuccia Prada – Romeo & Juliet
Miuccia Prada has collaborated with director Baz Luhrmann on several of his films including Romeo & Juliet, the great gatsby, and Luhrmann’s last film Elvis. Prada, the creative director behind Miu Mui and Prada, first worked with Luhrmann on Romeo & Juliet designing Juliet’s iconic white dress and angel wings and Romeo’s navy wedding suit. In their second collaboration for The Great GatsbyPrada revamped 40 dresses from its archives to feature in the film as well as recreated a dress from its Spring/Summer 2010 collection to feature on star Carey Mulligan. The infamous duo reunited recently for Elvis to recreate the iconic costumes of the King of Rock n’ Roll.
3 Christian Dior – Stage fright
Christian Dior benefited from his friendship with Stage fright Leading lady Marlene Dietrich, who insisted that director Alfred Hitchcock hire Dior to dress her for the film with the famous words “No Dior. No Dietrich!”. With this, Dior would go on to dress the German-American actress in his popular ‘new look’ silhouette, which featured cinched waists and skirted dresses.
2 Coco Chanel – Last year in Marienbad
The famous designer Coco Chanel has a long history of involvement in film. According to Vanity Fair, film mogul Samuel Goldwyn of United Artists believed that “women went to the movies to see how other women dressed,” and so in 1931 he offered Chanel a whopping $1 million contract to wear his Hollywood stars, both on screen. and out, convinced that she would turn the class into Hollywood. In 1961, she returned to the role of costume designer for the film Last year in Marienbadwhich features magnificent gowns made of luxurious fabrics such as chiffon, tulle and lace, of course with its pearl detailing.
1 Manolo Blahnik – Marie Antoinette
Name Manolo Blahnik is synonymous with high fashion footwear. While the renowned designer was designing shoes for big names like Twiggy and Bianca Jagger in the 70s, Blahnik’s popularity grew in the 90s due to increased viewership from the popular TV series. Absolutely fabulous AND Sex and the City. In 2006, Blahnik would lend his creative energies to Sofia Coppola’s visual masterpiece Marie Antoinette. The seasoned designer’s gorgeous vintage shoes pair beautifully with Oscar-winning Italian costume designer Milena Canonero’s suits.
