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Why is the fashion industry making A-list cinema?

The producer of Ethan Hawke’s new movie, Pedro Almodóvar’s romantic western Strange Way of Life, put together his clothing, which he wore down the red carpet at Cannes this summer before the premiere of the movie.

Strange Way of Life is the first work produced by Saint Laurent Productions, the prestigious fashion house’s brand-new film production division. Anthony Vaccarello, the creative director of Saint Laurent, is in charge of the young company, which has films in the works from a talented roster that includes David Cronenberg, Wong Kar-wai, Paolo Sorrentino, Jim Jarmusch, and Gaspar Noé.

Strange Way of Life is far from the first endeavor of its kind, despite the fact that Saint Laurent may currently be the only fashion house with an internal film studio. The Staggering Girl, directed by another well-known auteur with a swanky European aesthetic, Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name), had its world premiere during the 2019 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. The film was supported by Valentino. Similar to this, Chanel, whose lifelong ambassador Stewart is, contributed to both of Olivier Assayas’s celebrated projects with Kristen Stewart, Clouds of Sils Maria and Personal Shopper. And Giorgio Armani’s involvement, which is acknowledged in the movie’s opening credits, helped make Louis Garrel’s The Innocent, which was released this month, feasible.

Film has, of course, always had a close relationship with fashion because it can capture the sweep and sway of clothing in a way that photography or illustration rarely can. Think of Richard Gere’s wide-shouldered Armani outfits in American Gigolo or Audrey Hepburn’s Givenchy dresses in Breakfast at Tiffany’s for examples of how many of cinema’s most memorable scenes have been crafted from the work of the industry’s greatest designers. In more recent decades, fashion houses have increasingly entrusted Hollywood’s elite to create the visual identities for their brands. In the 1980s, Martin Scorsese and David Lynch respectively directed advertisements for Jil Sander and Calvin Klein, while people like Sofia Coppola and Darren Aronofsky picked up work in between films by applying their sensibilities to advertisements for Marc Jacobs and Saint Laurent.

It seems like the ideal fit for a fashion-conscious director like Almodóvar, whose movies are known for their color and spectacle, to collaborate with well-known fashion brands. 

Fashion brands are shedding the label of being ad-supported by producing important works by directors like Pedro Almodóvar, which has been attached to several past director-led campaign films. As a result, they have been welcomed by prestigious film festivals and institutions. However, this may not be entirely attributable to the work’s artistic merits.

The stylish traveler might have seen this transition starting during the past ten years. Louis Vuitton created a gallery in Paris in 2014, while Saint Laurent did the same in 2017 with a museum in Marrakech. In contrast, Prada runs the Fondazione Prada in Milan, an exhibition space with a cafe and a theater that both have opulent furnishings created by Wes Anderson. In addition to producing a decade-long series called Women’s Tales, the company actively supports the restoration and re-release of vintage movies. It also commissions female filmmakers from a variety of backgrounds, including Naomi Kawase, Lynne Ramsey, and Isabel Sandoval, to make short films that highlight the newest Miu Miu collections.

It’s not always charitable though. The intangible advantages of a branding opportunity can also be transformed through arts philanthropy into something that more tangibly affects a company’s bottom line. 

At least, the involved directors appear appreciative of the chance to realize otherwise commercially difficult projects. Financial support from Chanel for Clouds of Sils Assayas was able to shoot his picture on 35mm rather than digital thanks to Maria, and Noé had previously gotten Saint Laurent’s assistance for her improvisational video piece Lux terna, which featured witchcraft, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and the ghost of Cecil B. DeMille’s body of work.

Saint Laurent’s strategy appears to be less heavy on branding so far, offering personalized costumes rather than branded goods. Strange Way of Life has received favorable reviews as well, with most critics expressing agreement that Almodóvar’s movie pulls off its opulent stylings with ease.

Fashion meet film

It’s also important to note that Barbie and Super Mario Bros., two of the biggest blockbusters of 2023, are sly, studio-washed advertisements for a doll and a video game. It implies that the new fashion model doesn’t seem overtly commercial. In fact, Strange Way of Life’s banner lists Saint Laurent Productions as the first name, making the project’s blatant display of patronage nearly laudable. And at least they’re not alone if brands are eager to convert the arthouse into a showroom.

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