It's all go in the fashion world around this time of year with back to back fashion week events in New York, London, Milan and Paris all launching new designer collections. Unfortunately we are not all jammy enough fashionistas to be there in person, but that doesn't mean we can't keep up with all things fashion from the comfort of our own couch.
So if you're not busy browsing the aisles, here are a few of the best documentaries and films about fashion you can watch on Netflix over the weekend
Dior and I
Dior And I is a tantalising ‘behind-the-seams’ glimpse at the making of Raf Simons’ first haute couture collection for Christian Dior in 2012. Established in the fashion world as a minimalist designer, Simons has both his reputation and the legacy of Dior on the line when appointed Creative Director of the iconic Parisian brand. With only eight weeks to complete the collection, Simons and his dedicated group of collaborators work against time to make his vision a sublime reality. Melding the everyday, pressure-filled world of fashion with mysterious echoes from Dior’s past, the film is also a colourful homage to the long-serving seamstresses at the couturier, as history is once again created at Dior
The Director
An intimate portrait of Gucci's Creative Director, Frida Giannini, The Director spans 18 months behind the walls of the iconic Italian fashion house, exploring the intricacies and inspiration behind the quietly brilliant power woman, whose own evolution as the creative force behind the brand is as nuanced as that of the storied fashion house itself.
Paul Smith
Celebrating 40 years in business, we watch Smith create classic clothes with a twist for men and women from his London headquarters. Director Stéphane Carrel follows Smith from London to Paris to Tokyo and back again in this behind-the-scenes film, where Smith endlessly snaps away with his camera and happily poses with his legions of Japanese fans. Smith's empire encompasses over 400 shops and outlets in 35 countries. All that, and his popularity around the world is only growing. The secret of his success? A brilliant concept called "Maximizing Britishness" or "How to build a brand and an empire around English pop culture with a brilliant marketing strategy and an unrivalled sense of imagination".
Advanced Style
Advanced Style examines the lives of seven unique New Yorkers whose eclectic personal style and vital spirit have guided their approach to aging. Based on Ari Seth Cohen's famed blog of the same name, this film paints intimate and colourful portraits of independent, stylish women aged 62 to 95 who are challenging conventional ideas about beauty, aging, and Western's culture's increasing obsession with youth.
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The September Issue
Anna Wintour, the legendary editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine for twenty five years, is the most powerful and polarising figure in fashion. With unprecedented access, filmmaker R.J. Cutlers film The September Issue does for fashion what he did for politics in The War Room, taking the viewer inside a world they only think they know. Every August a record-breaking number of people can’t wait to get their hands on the September issue of Vogue.
Bill Cunningham New York
The Bill in question is 80+ New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham. For decades, this Schwinn-riding cultural anthropologist has been obsessively and inventively chronicling fashion trends and high society charity soirées for the Times Style section in his columns "On the Street and Evening Hours. Documenting uptown fixtures Anna Wintour, Tom Wolfe, Brooke Astor, David Rockefeller who all appear in the film out of their love for Bill), downtown eccentrics and everyone in between, Cunningham's enormous body of work is more reliable than any catwalk as an expression of time, place and individual flair. In turn, Bill Cunningham New York is a delicate, funny and often poignant portrait of a dedicated artist whose only wealth is his own humanity and unassuming grace.
Chasing Beauty
A rare glimpse into the dark side of modelling, Chasing Beauty speaks with supermodels, photographers, agents and the like in a quest to answer one of the industry's most complex questions: What is beauty and is it worth the cost? Each year, thousands of hopefuls begin the pursuit of their modelling dreams, but how many actually succeed, and how long does success last? For many who try, there is no shortage of collateral damage along the way. Beauty is a billion dollar business, but consumers aren't the only ones paying the price
Scatter My Ashes At Bergdorfs
Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's explores the history, inner workings and untold stories behind the store's rise from a modest ladies' tailor shop to a mirror of contemporary culture.
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And the best thing about having your fashion week in front of the box? You can wear your highest, most stylish heels without getting even a hint of a blister! Which show tickles your fancy?
