A good documentary is one that keeps you excited without making you feel that you are taking a school class. In fashion documentaries, the hidden beauty behind every story or brand keeps you glued to the seats. Here, we serve you a platter of fashion documentaries that you will surely enjoy and learn from.
1. Diana Vreeland: The eye has to travel (2011)
This documentary takes us through the life and career of Diana Vreeland, arguably the most influential fashion editor in the history. This film begins with the childhood of Diana, describes her move to New York in the 20s, and highlights her time as an editor at Harper’s Bazaar and editor-in-chief of Vogue. Get inspired by the vision and conviction of this powerful woman!
2. Bill Cunningham: New York (2010)
Before the bloggers populated the internet with their photos, Bill Cunningham, one of the best photographers in street style of all time, already had decades of experience of capturing street style on his bike. This film delves into his work for The New York Times on a column called ‘On the street’. Cheerful and a perfectionist to the extreme, Bill was a humble man loaded with a passion for his work. All this has been highlighted in an interesting way throughout the video. Pure magic.
3. Lagerfeld Confidential (2007)
Karl Lagerfeld is a man with multiple facets. The mystery of Karl, the head designer and creative director of Chanel as well as Fendi, has been decoded in this documentary. The film covers Karl Lagerfeld’s personal life and his obsessions, from fashion designing to photography and book-collection.
4. Valentino, the last emperor (2008)
This film documents a year in the life of the great Italian designer Valentino Garavani and his business partner cum life partner, Giancarlo Giametti. The documentary covers all areas of personal and professional life of Valentino.
5. The Secret World of Haute Couture (2007)
The BBC got exclusive access to one of the most elite, restricted and underground clubs in the world of fashion: haute couture. And this documentary takes you through the secret world and answers many questions about Haute Couture.
6. Scatter my ashes at Bergdorf (2013)
This documentary is about Bergdorf Goodman’s luxury store in Manhattan, which is considered every designer’s fantasy destination. Besides interviews with top fashion names like Tom Ford and Marc Jacobs, this documentary gives a glimpse into the work routine of Betty Halbreich, a personal shopping advisor, who worked for the store for almost 40 years.
7. Annie Leibovitz: Life through a Lens (2007)
This documentary covers the aspirations and career of Annie Leibovitz, one of the best portrait photographers of all time. Right from Annie’s tour with the Rolling Stones to multiple sessions she had with celebrities such as George Clooney and Whoopi Goldberg, all the special memories of Annie have been captured in this beautiful documentary. It is a must watch for any aspiring portrait photographer.