Transience is something that always has and always will be the driving force of the fashion industry. Trends and collections come and go by the season, forcing designers and brands to often look to the past for inspiration. Luckily, film is something that has the preeminent ability to reflect a generation as well as transform it. Films also have have the power to elevate actors to new heights as fashion icons; when a Givenchy-clad Audrey Hepburn lingered outside Tiffany & Co carrying a coffee and danish in Breakfast at Tiffany's the 'little black dress' was created and forever changed the fashion world. This wasn't the first time Hepburn starred in a game changing movie; in Funny Face, she played a shy bookstore clerk turned world renowned model who opted for a black turtleneck, black pants and flats while off screen and refined Edith Head-designed gowns while on screen. This pseudo-androgynous look, brought to the limelight by Marlene Dietrich, was later expanded by Diane Keaton in Woody Allen's Annie Hall, in which she wore typically formal menswear pieces with a relaxed fit and an equally relaxed attitude. Three decades later Uma Thurman, as Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction. was seen wearing a crisp white button-up shirt, black pants and flats while dancing to Chuck Berry with John Travolta.
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| L to R: Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face and Diane Keaton in Annie Hall. |
When Brigitte Bardot appeared in ...And God Created Woman lounging on the beach in a hardly-there bikini, swimwear forever changed. Hers was a new type of sultry style that nobody had ever seen before and that everybody wanted to replicate. Conservatives were outraged by the amount of skin being shown however this did not stop actresses such as Raquel Welch in One Million Years B.C and Ursula Andress in Dr. No, along with women the world over, to adopt this new look.
Although fashion was the last thing on Alfred Hitchcock's mind while directing his iconic films, he always succeeded in creating glamorous and well-dressed women that command your attention as soon as they step on screen. In The Birds, Tippi Hedren can be seen donning an over sized fur coat and a chic mint green ensemble. Grace Kelly, like Audrey Hepburn, wears many Edith Head designs in Rear Window as well as a trinket around her wrist that jingles gracefully with her every movement. Mysterious black veils, luxurious furs and opulent headpieces are worn by Marlene Dietrich in Stage Fright.
Hitchcock's legendary women have gone on to inspire many designers through the years, most recently Marc Jacob's Autumn/Winter 2013 collection for Louis Vuitton; the designer had the models walk through a hotel-like runway and enigmatically enter their supposed 'rooms' to the sound of a very cinematic score. This entire collection had a very ominous and suspenseful feeling, much like Hitchcock's films.
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| Tippi Hedren in The Birds (left) and Louis Vuitton Autumn/Winter 2013 (right) |
Singles and Poison Ivy define the 90's grunge style perfectly, showcasing Dr. Martens boots, heavy leather jackets, cut offs and ripped jeans. Although none will ever admit it, these films offered fashion inspiration to devotees of this counterculture and continue to impact street style today.
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| L to R: Madonna's iconic pyramid jacket in Desperately Seeking Susan, Drew Barrymore in Poison Ivy and Bridget Fonda and Matt Dillon in Singles. |
Movies continue to influence both high fashion and street fashion today, with films like Marie Antoinette, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Avatar, Coco Before Chanel and, most recently, The Great Gatsby all providing inspiration for designers around the world.
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| Avatar's influence on high fashion as seen through Jean Paul Gaultier (left and right) and Valentino's (middle) collections. |
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