Fashion plays a key role in all of our lives. This is especially true for celebrities. When you are constantly under the spotlight, people have expectations for what you should wear. This is why most celebrities rely on stylists to get them through the fashion police. However, some celebrities try to break the mold, and this could be influential, or it could be a complete disaster. All this said, the fashion industry runs deep in Hollywood. So deep, in fact, that there are many movies that focus on the fashion industry itself. Keep scrolling to see which fashion industry movies are highly successful.
8 Funny Face - 1957
Funny Face is nothing short of an ode to haute fashion. This couture-focused film stars icons like Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire. The main focus of this film is on the character Jo Stockton, who is played by Audrey Hepburn. Jo Stockton has big dreams and ends up being a muse to a fashion superpower, Dick Avery, in Paris. This fashion superpower is a celebrated photographer and is well-known for his amazing work. The film is full of Parisian influence and beautifully crafted gowns. It made over two million at the box office making it a really successful movie about the fashion industry.
7 Mahogany - 1975
This film, directed by Berry Gordy, has cultural messages that are still relevant today. It is a celebration of fashion that could be seen as over the top. Starring Diana Ross as the fashion design student Tracy Chambers, it is no wonder that this fashion industry film was so successful. The film depicts Tracy having a battle with her desire to support and be an activist against gentrification in her hometown and her glamorous modeling career in Europe. While this movie was surprisingly conscientious, it really showed how hollow the fashion industry can be. It made five million dollars at the box office showing just how successful it can be.
6 The Devil Wears Prada - 2006
The fashion industry's inner workings are notoriously mysterious. Few films have succeeded in giving glimpses into the fashion industry as The Devil Wears Prada has. This movie stars the iconic Meryl Streep as the editor-in-chief of the fashion magazine Runway. The film follows the story of the not-so-style-savvy Andy Sachs, played by Anne Hathaway, as she runs around being ordered by this editor-in-chief. This film gives honest, and hilarious, insight into the obsessive nature of those who work in the fashion industry. It also reveals parts of our own style that we might take for granted. This film is introspective, so it is no wonder that it was successful. It made over 300 million at the box office, which is totally jaw-dropping.
5 Prêt-à-Porter -1994
This satirical film is revealing of how, in the fashion industry, nothing is quite what it seems. Directed by Robert Altman, the film takes on a mock-documentary style that is his signature. This film also features a multitude of celebrity cameos including Sophia Loren, Lauren Bacall, and Julia Roberts, so it was bound to be a hit. The story follows the events surrounding the Paris Fashion Week that followed the death of the head of the city's fashion council, Olivier de la Fontaine. While this film was not appreciated at first because of its critical nature, the fashion industry did grow very fond of it eventually. This growth is representative of this movie's long-term success.
4 Coco Before Chanel - 2009
Coco Before Chanel is nothing short of a fashion movie classic. Audrey Tautou plays Coco Chanel in this fashion history throwback. If you are looking for a way to learn more about the fashion industry's past, this film has it all. The film follows the story of Coco Chanel before she redefined women's fashion. At this time, Chanel was just a simple seamstress. This biopic offers a never-before-seen look at this designer's life. The costume design pays homage to Coco Chanel, and she would be proud to see it. The insight this film offers is unparalleled, and it shows in how successful the movie was. It made over fifty million dollars at the box office.
3 The Neon Demon - 2016
While this Nicolas Winding Refn film is technically a psychological horror, it still pays homage to the fashion industry in a very unique way. The darker parts do not conceal the flashy pops of fashion you see throughout the movie. Starring Elle Fanning as Jesse, a young model just getting into the fashion industry, this movie's goal was to show the good, the bad, and the dirty when it comes to the industry. While it might make the dark side of the fashion universe seem more gory and horrific than it is in real life, it is still a guilty pleasure to watch. This film made over three million dollars at the box office making it super successful.
2 Phantom Thread - 2017
While most fashion-focused films hone in on the obsessive nature of the fashion industry, few films portray it as accurately as Phantom Thread does. This film is borderline claustrophobic and downright eerie. Paul Thomas Anderson brought his A-game when making this film, and it makes it a must-watch. The movie tells the story of a high society haute couture designer that falls for a young woman. This designer makes this woman his muse, and you can probably guess what happens next. This film paints a picture of fashion in vivid detail. It is almost dreamlike, but the plot is closer to a nightmare.
This film was so good that it made over $40 million at the box office.
1 Cruella - 2021
This more recent film was a hit by Disney. This take on the fashion industry is not entirely accurate, but the storytellers do get some things right. This film follows the origin story of the Disney villain, Cruella DeVil. She starts out with a dream of becoming a world-renowned fashion designer. As she pursues this dream with some success, darker events and themes emerge that change her story forever. While the fashion does not accurately match the times portrayed in the movie, the betrayal and competition are as brutal as they are in the real fashion world. It won't surprise you that this fantastical film blew up the box office with a revenue of over $230 million making it one of the most successful fashion movies to date.
