When Fashion Meets Film: Fashion Icons in Movies

Develop a deeper passion for fashion with the help of these films that feature the stories behind influential style personalities like Yves Saint Laurent and Coco Chanel.

Yves Saint Laurent and Saint Laurent (2014)

A still from Yves Saint Laurent

A still from Saint Laurent

These two biographical films about the iconic fashion designer both came out in 2014, and both depict the hectic life of the designer at the prime of his life. They chronicle Saint Laurent’s days at Dior to his meeting with partner Pierre Bergé, which subsequently led to the establishment of one of the most luxurious fashion houses in the world.

Coco Before Chanel (2009)

A still from Coco Before Chanel

True to its title, Coco Before Chanel tells the story of a young Gabrielle Chanel, who, at the time, is a seamstress and singer in a provincial bar. The biopic also takes on a romantic note when Chanel falls in love with an English businessman who helps her start her fashion empire.

Valentino: The Last Emperor (2008)

A still from the documentary

This fly-on-the-wall documentary about Valentino Garavani lets viewers get a glimpse of the colourful and dramatic end of the Italian fashion icon’s celebrated career, before his retirement in 2008. The film crew was granted unprecedented access to Valentino and his entourage’s day-to-day activities over the course of two years, resulting in a treasure trove of candid moments.

Vidal Sassoon: The Movie (2010)

A promotional image for Vidal Sassoon: The Movie

Also a documentary, Vidal Sassoon: The Movie features a mix of raw footages of the renowned hairdresser, from his days as a soldier to his rise as a defining personality in his field, and interviews of family members, staff, reporters and historians who have interacted with him.

A Single Man (2009)

A behind-the-scene photo of Colin Firth and Tom Ford

A Single Man serves as Tom Ford’s first foray into the film industry, as he wrote, produced, and directed the film adaptation of the novel of the same name. Taking place over the course of one day, the film centres on the life and demise of Colin Firth’s character, George Falconer, a depressed gay British university professor dealing with the loss of his partner. The film earned various accolades from different award-giving bodies, with critics lauding Ford’s stylized execution of the film and his promising start as a filmmaker.

Photos from aceshowbiz.com and IMDB