By Faye Cottrill
As we get geared up for the Style In Film series here at VIFF, we are reflecting on the recent slew of fashion and style documentaries that have enlivened our senses, enlightened our minds and inspired our wardrobes.
The fashion industry is one whose polished image can be alienating as it is alluring, and thus documentaries, like Dries and Love, Cecil, laying bare its inner workings are particularly eye-opening. The documentaries expose everything from the ridiculous parodic fashion lingo to the genuine passion some luminaries fervently reflect.
Below we’ve compiled a list of five must-see fashion documentaries from the past five years, that you simply must add to your watchlist, pronto!
The Boy Who Made Shoes For Lizards (2017)
Giving an in-depth insight into one of fashion’s most acclaimed and influential ‘cobblers’, Manolo Blahnik, this is a film for anyone with a real shoe infatuation. A true artist, it’s a privilege to get a glimpse into Manolo’s visually captivating life.
In Vogue: The Editor’s Eye (2015)
Commemorating the magazine’s 120th anniversary, this doc takes a look at how some of the publication’s most famous editorials first came to life. With a focus on fashion imagery through the eyes of the editors, the film delights and brings to light the cultural impact of this iconic publication.
Iris (2014)
A true original, a free spirit adorned with her signature oversized Jackie O-style glasses, Iris Apfel is a flamboyant fashion icon. This fun and heartfelt character portrayal follows the then 94-year-old legendary fashionista in New York. An interior designer and magpie for costume jewellery, Iris teaches us how to break the rules with her eclectic vision. Her wit and excitement for life are truly inspirational.
Mademoiselle C (2013)
A lively portrait of Carine Roitfeld, former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris, a style maven who lives and breathes fashion. We are taken on a journey as Carine leaves Vogue and moves to New York to launch her own publication CR Fashion Book. A film about transition.
Dior and I (2014)
This documentary centres around Raf Simons debut season as creative director at Dior. Not an obvious candidate as a minimalist designer, Simons is thrown into the deep end with just 8 weeks to wrap his head around French couture for his first Dior collection. A realistic, stressful behind-the-scenes look at the Christian Dior fashion house.
Looking for some more sartorial eye candy? VIFF’s Style in Film series shines a spotlight on the folks – the artists, designers, photographers and their muses – who know their true value and aren’t afraid to flaunt it. Taking place through March 16 – April 10 at Vancity Theatre, the lineup includes Dries, Love, Cecil, Hollywood Haute Couture 2: Filmdom’s Phantom Threads presented by Michael van den Bos and C’est la vie!
Also, take a note in your diary to make way for Vancouver Fashion Week on the 19-25th March for the Fall Winter 18 season. Tickets available on the website www.vanfashionweek.com.
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