Designers In Film: The Relationship Between Fashion And Film
Since the very early days of cinema, fashion designers have helped create Hollywood style icons.
Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" wearing Givenchy. (Filmsane)
The relationship between fashion and film has always been a close one. Many renowned fashion designers are responsible for a number of iconic key pieces worn by film stars. In turn, several film stars became muses of luxury fashion houses. These two worlds share commonalities such as glamour and the pursuit of aesthetics.
On 20th March 2018, a great French fashion designer and couturier passed away at the age of 91. Hubert de Givenchy, “Le Grand Hubert” as the French called him, was an image maker who created style icons. He dressed Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy. In 1954, the collaboration between Givenchy and Hepburn for the costumes in Billy Wilder’s film Sabrina was the beginning of a long-lasting friendship. Everyone remembers Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) standing in front of the window of Tiffany’s wearing her little black Givenchy dress and a pair of oversized sunglasses.
Hepburn in a 1958 fitting with designer Givenchy at his Paris atelier. (Hollywood Reporter/ Everett Collection)
Many other collaborations between these two magical worlds came up in the years to follow. In 1967, Catherine Deneuve in Luis Bunuel’s movie Belle de Jour marked the acquaintance of the actress and the thirty years old designer, Yves Saint Laurent.
Catherine Deneuve wearing YSL in "Belle de Jour". (Clothes On Film)
Back in 1982, Marc Bohan for Dior designed a dress with a big bow at the back, for the movie Tout Feu, Tout Flamme and worn by Isabelle Adjani.
Isabelle Adjani wears Dior in "Tout feu tout flamme". (Isabelle Adjani Blog)
There have been many other eye-catching and influential costumes in cinema that generated fashion and style icons. Diane Keaton in Woody Allen’s movie Annie Hall (1977) promoted Ralph Lauren’s trend-setting masculine style.
Ralph Lauren dresses Diane Keaton for Woody Allen's "Annie Hall". (E! Online)
Giorgio Armani’s suits for American Gigolo (1980) made Richard Gere the ultimate best-dressed male of the ‘80s by far.
Moreover, we should not neglect the Vivienne Westwood wedding dress that was worn by the most stylish single woman of New York, Carrie Bradshaw (aka Sarah Jessica Parker) in the Sex and the City (2008) movie.
The fascinating journey of fashion in films is special and looks like a fairytale. Designers became well-known through their creations that appeared in films and muses emerged by wearing their masterpieces in films.
