These 18 Fashion Documentaries Are Absolutely Worth Watching
At the start of 2020, my husband and I made the resolution to do something cultural at least twice a month. The year took off strong with a series of museum visits, then the Covid-19 pandemic happened and we all found ourselves hibernating. Like many other city dwellers with the opportunity to work from home, we watched quite a number of movies and shows. But in keeping with our resolution, documentaries became part of our programming.
Enter Pancakes and Documentary Saturdays. Born out of the 2020, the ritual has now become our favorite way to bond at home. The goal is still to bring each other into our professional worlds by rotating between architecture and fashion films. While I’ve enjoyed discovering the immense talent of Rem Koolhaas, learning about Paul R. Williams and the late Zaha Hadid—among other memorable architects—the fashion documentaries have brought me a particular kind of joy.
From the deliciously hilarious story of Vogue’s first Black Creative Director André Leon Talley to the fascinating design philosophy of Martin Margiela and the thought-provoking work of Issey Miyake, indulge in these intimate portrayals of some of fashion’s most influential figures. Here are the ones that are absolutely worth your time.
Invisible Beauty
You may not know her name, but you have definitely felt the effect of her work. If you can name multiple Black designers, models and editors-in-chief working in fashion today, it is because of her. Bethann Hardison is considered the “mother of modelling,” and her decades of advocacy for Black representation in fashion have sparked industry-wide change. Narrated by Hardison herself and using a mix of archival footage and present-day interviews, Invisible Beauty highlights the activist’s legacy of championing people of color.
The Gospel According to André
This film doesn’t begin to capture the breadth of André’s brilliance and his larger than life personality, but it clearly illustrates how his commitment to excellence, discipline and self-determination took him places people like him didn’t traditionally find themselves in.
Growing up in deeply segregated Durham, North Carolina, André first encountered fashion at his local church, when he watched the Black men and women around him wear their best suits, matching sets, dresses and headpieces on Sundays. It was a fashion spectacle, I remember the narrator say. Then it was through the pages of magazines he collected as a young boy, until he went to New York and started working for Diana Vreeland.
You’ll have to watch the documentary to find out what happens next, but I recommend reading his book for a detailed, honest and colorful account of what it’s like to work in fashion as a Black, queer man.
Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams
What made Salvatore Ferragamo so special? The surgical precision with which he crafted his footwear. At just 11, the designer traveled to Naples to learn about shoemaking then returned to Benito to open his first shoe shop. Later, he would settle in California where he studied the anatomy of feet, opened a handmade shoe shop (outfitting high-profile clients like Jean Harlow, Mary Pickford and Greta Garbo), and laid the foundation for his billion-dollar empire. From his humble beginning as the eleventh of fourteen children in Benito, Italy to his journey through the United States, this documentary explores Ferragamo’s inspirational story.
Issey Miyake Moves
Taking a philosophical and technology-oriented approach to making clothes, Issey Miyake was more than a fashion designer. Words simply cannot capture the caliber of artist he was. From his innovative "Pleats Please” collection to his unconventional method of shaping garments, dive into his work through this documentary. You will come out feeling inspired, energized, and in awe of humanity’s brilliance.
Martin Margiela: In His Own Words
This is easily one of the best fashion documentaries out there, and it’s 100% thanks to Martin’s fascinating design philosophy. His conscious choice to remain anonymous while editors praised his collections spoke to his unwavering commitment to the work and true love of fashion, and it gave me a lot to think about in this era of the social media personality. It challenged my own desire to be in the spotlight, inspiring me to instead perfect my craft and reconnect with my raison d’être—knowing the work will always speak for itself.
This authenticity, combined with his creative genius and knack for repurposing unconventional materials into covetable looks, is the reason we talk about him today. I felt a fire in me after watching this documentary, and immediately bought a book cataloguing his collections (the kind of coffee table book I’ll cherish for years).
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel
This is a glimpse of the life and mind of one of the most defining voices in Vogue and fashion media history: Diana Vreeland. She was full of energy, always coming up with ideas, discovering rare talent, and inspiring everyone around her. The documentary expertly captures her bright personality and impact on women’s media, culture, and everything she touched.
Iris
You’ll fall in love with Iris Apfel’s energy—her quick wit, big personality and eccentric style have earned her a spot as one of the most influential voices in fashion. For the maximalist design lovers, this documentary will be a visual treat. Iris’s philosophy is that more is more, so long as it’s executed with taste and elegance.
Dior and I
Fashion may seem like vanity to an outsider, but it can be just as demanding as any other business. Following Raf Simons in his early days of working at Dior, this documentary paints a realistic picture of the work that goes into the making of a couture collection.
Very Ralph
A feel-good story about a classic American designer, this documentary details the life and work of Ralph Lauren—from his comfortable (albeit not wealthy) childhood in the Bronx to his steady rise to fashion stardom. While Lauren’s career path and vision as an entrepreneur were imbued with privilege and fantasy, there’s no denying the ambition and drive that took him to where he is today.
McQueen
Your mind will expand as you watch this film, so grand and groundbreaking were McQueen’s ideas. As a designer, McQueen pushed past any limitations society tried to impose on him, and created some of the most shocking and memorable collections, as well as avant-garde fashion shows of the time. His genius is on full display with each runway, which either intrigued or repelled the press, but definitely made an impression.
The documentary also shows the dark side of working in fashion, capturing the relentless pace at which the industry moves, and the resulting pressure put on designers having to release a large number of collections every year. For McQueen, that all culminated in one tragic event, which will leave you heartbroken and deeply reflective.
Fresh Dressed
If there’s a movement seeking to give credit to Black people for their impact on mainstream fashion and culture, then this film is part of it. Fresh Dressed documents the history of urban fashion, tracing its roots to Southern cotton plantations, its evolution on the streets in the 70s, then its spread to corporate America. It’s a fun, easy-to-watch chronicle of the rise of hip-hop and its pivotal role in fashion (think graffiti jackets, gold chains and oversize pants), through a mix of interviews and rich video and photo archives.
The Remix: Hip Hop X Fashion
Black women may have been left out of the story, but they have always been central to the formation of fashion trends and their subsequent adaptation to mainstream media. This super engaging and upbeat film documents the cultural contributions of fashion architect Misa Hylton and streetwear design April Walker, capturing their global impact on the runways of the world.
Coco Before Chanel
It’s hard not to think of Coco without Chanel, but who was she before founding the French fashion house? A witty and rebellious spirit who lived life on her own terms, defying expectations that she should live to marry. Working as a seamstress by day and cabaret entertainer by night, she hated the clothing of the time: flowery dresses, tight corsets and over-the-top hats. It was her dislike of this restrictive style that ultimately led her to redefine women’s wear. You’ll enjoy watching this playful and lighthearted movie based on the life of this legendary designer.
Dries
Not a particularly emotional documentary, but still a good tale of how discipline and skill can make you successful. You’ll take a rare look at Belgian fashion designer Dries Van Noten’s creative process, noticing his knack for experimentation, penchant for prints, passion for the work and distinctive talent along the way.
Maddman: The Steve Madden Story
I remember my Steve Madden days. I would anxiously wait for their big sales events to grab a bag or pair of party heels. They made me feel so trendy and cool, like I was actively participating in the culture. At some point, every fashion girl I knew had a Steve Madden pair in their closet.
This film takes you back to the very beginning, documenting his journey as a footwear designer. From his early days of success to his eventual imprisonment after the Wall Street debacle, Madden keeps it real throughout and shows us the good, the bad and the ugly. Full of twists and turns, this is the exhilarating story of an influential fashion figure.
Maison Margiela Artisanal Co-Ed Collection Autumn-Winter 2020
For a fashion film, this is like nothing you’ve ever seen before. It’s what happens when cutting-edge technology meets artistic vision at a time when we’re all creating distance between us due to the pandemic. John Galliano takes us through the making of his 2020 winter collection in a very peculiar and interesting way.
Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton
People say Louis Vuitton has known some its best days under Marc Jacobs, and after watching this film, you’ll start to see why. Jacobs infused the brand with new energy thanks to his charisma, affinity for art and connection to culture.
It is also said that Marc Jacobs rarely lets anyone into his creative process, so this is a rare peek at his fashion ingenuity at a time when he was creating both for the LVMH-run brand and his eponymous label.
Franca: Chaos and Creation
My most recent watch, and easily one of my favorite fashion documentaries. Franca Sozzani, with all her blind spots and privilege, was one of the most interesting and disruptive editors in Vogue history. She always believed that fashion should be a reflection of the times, that it shouldn’t shy away from the political. Her magazine covers and spreads were bold in that they mirrored major historical events.
Still, she did so in a highly elevated and distinctively creative way that inspired fantasy. She was the first editor to release an all-black issue in 2008, which is recognized as one of the most controversial, but certainly memorable issues in the industry. You won’t regret watching this.