Great Fashion Documentaries
A brilliant documentary has the ability to arouse desire and aspiration while also providing a chance to comprehend and connect with the world. Some of the world’s most famous fashion houses have opened their doors to the cameras in recent years, and the results are as stunning as the garments made by them. These films take you on a trip through the industry’s highs and lows, highlighting industry legends as they follow their dreams. Netflix is best known for shows that include killer costumes and expensive clothing. The finest fashion documentaries on Netflix provide an inside look at what it’s like to work in the fashion business. Here are our top recommendations for the finest fashion documentaries to watch on Netflix in order to have a deeper understanding of the business and the people that dress you.
1. Iris (2014)
Albert Maysles directed the 2014 documentary film Iris on the life of fashion icon Iris Apfel. Iris is an American entrepreneur, interior designer, and fashion icon who was born on August 29, 1921. Iris premiered at the 2014 New York Film Festival and in theaters the following year, just after Maysles died in March 2015. Following its theatrical run, it was shown on PBS’s POV in 2016.
2. Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer (2015)
A documentary film filmed by Vlad Yudin about the life and career of American fashion designer Jeremy Scott. The film was released on September 18, 2015. CL from 2NE1, Jared Leto, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Devon Aoki, Katy Perry, Rita Ora, Paris Hilton, ASAP Rocky, and Nicky Hilton all make appearances.
3. Franca: Chaos and Creation (2016)
A Francesco Carrozzini documentary. The film focuses on his mother, Franca Sozzani, who was the editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia for over three decades and shows her revolutionary impact on fashion editorials while also examining Sozzani and Carrozzini’s relationship as mother and son. The film premiered on September 2, 2016, at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival in the “Cinema nel Giardino” category, where it got early good reviews from the fashion world. It had its North American premiere at the 24th Hamptons International Film Festival in October 2016, and it was also shown at the AFI Fest in Los Angeles on November 15, 2016. Bond/360 acquired the documentary for distribution in the United States. Carrozzini stated in 2017 that the film would have a special premiere in Italy on September 25–27, 2017 as part of the Fashion Film Festival Milano, and will be accessible to stream globally on Netflix beginning in October 2017.
4. The First Monday in May2016
An Andrew Rossi documentary. The documentary covers the production of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s most visited fashion display in history: the 2015 art show China: Through the Looking Glass at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, curated by Andrew Bolton. Magnolia Pictures released the film, which was produced by Fabiola Beracasa Beckman, Dawn Ostroff, and Sylvana Ward Durrett. The documentary premiered as the opening film of the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival on April 13, 2016.
5. Casablancas: The Man Who Loved Women (2016)
Hubert Woroniecki directed the French documentary feature film in 2016 which was theatrically distributed in France in June 2016. The documentary chronicles the tale of John Casablancas, the 1970s founder of the Elite agency. The creator of the term “supermodels” turned models of the time become international stars who are now part of popular culture. Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, and Naomi Campbell are among them. In this documentary video, John Casablancas tells his tale, which was taped in 2013, before his death.
6. Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards (2017)
A Michael Roberts documentary. The documentary is an in-depth portrayal of Manolo Blahnik, self-described “cobbler” and the guy recognized as “the finest shoe-maker of the twentieth and twenty-first century” by the most prominent fashion personalities.
7. Maddman: The Steve Madden Story (2017)
A Ben Patterson documentary. The documentary follows Madden as he rebuilds his life after being imprisoned as a result of his involvement with the famed Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan Belfort. Witness Steve Madden’s remarkable ascent, collapse, and resurrection as he built a billion-dollar fashion company and whose branded shoes are in the closets of nearly every woman under 30 in America.
8. House of Z (2017)
A documentary on fashion designer Zac Posen’s career. HOUSE OF Z follows fashion designer Zac Posen’s stunning success at the age of 21, his brand’s subsequent fall out of favor, and his battle to restore his firm and his image. It is a picture of an artist as well as a peek behind the glossy curtain of one of the world’s most prestigious companies, exposing the precarious dance between art and commerce that inspires every step. Sandy Chronopoulos directed the film.
9. 7 Days Out (2018)
An American documentary television series that provides viewers with an up-close look at the excitement and drama of the seven days preceding important historical and cultural events. The first season of the program, consisting of seven episodes, was published on December 21, 2018. Aside from the Chanel, “7 Days Out” looks at the week leading up to events such as the Westminster Dog Show, the Kentucky Derby, and the “League of Legends” gaming championship. During Paris Fashion Week, the Chanel crew rushes to put the finishing touches on an elaborate runway show created by fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld.
10. Abstract: The Art of Design (2019)
A Netflix original documentary series focusing on artists working in the industry of design. On February 10, 2017, it was released on Netflix. Scott Dadich, a former Wired editor-in-chief, created the series. The inaugural season included Nike shoe designer Tinker Hatfield, stage designer Es Devlin, architect Bjarke Ingels, automobile designer Ralph Gilles, graphic designer Paula Scher, photographer Platon, and interior designer Ilse Crawford. Netflix confirmed in 2019 that the series has been renewed for a second season, which premiered on September 25, 2019.
11. McQueen (2018)
A 2018 biographical documentary film directed by Ian Bonhôte, written and co-directed by Peter Ettedgui, and produced by Misfits Entertainment and Salon Pictures’ Ian Bonhôte, Andee Ryder, Nick Taussig, and Paul Van Carter. The documentary follows the life of British fashion designer Alexander McQueen, who began his work in his teens before becoming well-known as a designer for Givenchy and founding his own line, which he ran til 2010, when he committed suicide. The filmmakers Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui approached Alexander McQueen’s family about making a documentary film about him, but the family declined. In February 2017, Bonhôte and Ettedgui approached various film distributors with their concept. The film was funded in three days, according to director Ian Bonhôte, who said, “We wanted to produce a truly respectful cinematic rendition of Lee’s tale.”