On Saturday, Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello Francesca Bellettini, deputy general manager of Kering, joined Kering boss François-Henri Pinault and his wife Salma Hayek to attend a screening of the film Emilia Perez by Jacques Audiard in Cannes. They were seated just behind Jacques Audiard and the film's cast, including Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez and Édgar Ramírez.
Further proof of the close links that exist between fashion and cinema. What if we retraced the history of this friendship which continues to strengthen?
Fashion's love for cinema: when the seventh art inspires our wardrobes
The Cannes Film Festival is not just a celebration of cinema; it is also an open-air fashion show where designers and stars meet to celebrate elegance and creativity. The climb of the steps alone became a veritable parade of celebrities, both from the cinema and the fashion world. It's Bella Hadid who made a remarkable rise this week.
Saint Laurent Productions at the forefront
Anthony Vaccarello doesn't just design clothes; he plays an active role in film production. Saint Laurent Productions, a recent division of the House, debuted with Strange Way of Life by Pedro Almodóvar in 2023 and is presenting three films at Cannes this year: The Shrouds by David Cronenberg, Parthenope by Paolo Sorrentino, and Emilia Perez by Jacques Audiard. This unique partnership between fashion and cinema allows Vaccarello to express his passion for the seventh art while financially supporting ambitious creative projects.
Sleek TV on the rise
Fashion is no longer content with catwalks and red carpets; it now invites itself into our living rooms. Biopics about fashion icons such as Cristóbal Balenciaga, Christian Dior and Coco Chanel are taking over streaming platforms. Disney+ recently aired a Balenciaga drama series, while Apple TV+ launched The New Look , exploring the rivalry between Dior and Chanel during World War II. Later this year, Daniel Brühl will play Karl Lagerfeld in Kaiser Karl , charting the famed designer's rise to fame in Paris in the 1970s.
Juliette Binoche plays Coco Chanel in the series The New Look available on AppleTV+
The stylistic impact of cinema
Cinema has always been a source of inspiration for fashion designers. Jean Paul Gaultier, for example, attributes his vocation to cinema, influenced by the films of the 1940s and the creations of couturiers like André Courrèges. Likewise, acclaimed director Luca Guadagnino has collaborated with designers such as Raf Simons and Jonathan Anderson, incorporating fashion elements into his films to create distinctive aesthetics. The T enniscore phenomenon, popularized by Zendaya in Challengers , illustrates how cinema can launch new stylistic trends.
Method dressing: when actresses become their characters
Film promotion has become an extension of acting thanks to Method dressing. The actresses and actors, by adopting the looks of their characters off the set, create continuity between fiction and reality. Margot Robbie embodied this concept in 2023 during the promotion of Barbie , where she sported outfits inspired by her character, designed by prestigious fashion houses such as Versace, Chanel and Balmain. This phenomenon has gone so far that a new fashion trend has been born: Barbiecore . This marketing technique reinforces the visual impact of the film and creates a strong link with the audience. The king of Method Dressing is Law Roch, Zendaya's stylist. Between Dune and Challengers, he was able to make the star a real phenomenon on the red carpets.
Fashion's obsession with cinema has never been more pronounced. From film festivals to television series to film promotions, fashion and cinema continue to feed off each other, creating moments of visual magic and stylistic innovation. This synergy between two of the greatest cultural passions of France, nay, of the WORLD promises exciting new collaborations and limitless creativity. Engines, Action!
