Vicky Krieps and Daniel Day-Lewis appear in Phantom Thread, which is expected to open in Hong Kong on March 8. Photo: Laurie Sparham/Focus Features via AP
Daniel Day-Lewis’ last film follows several successful takes of the fashion industry. Here are the best catwalk movies in the past decade
Phantom Thread is the latest masterpiece by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring three-time Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis. It tells the story of a fictitious dressmaker in the 1950s, and is probably the British actor’s last film as he announced his retirement a few months ago. Day-Lewis plays renowned designer Reynolds Woodcock, whose life is turned upside down by a young woman who will become his muse and lover. The film was released last December in the United States, and is expected to be shown in Hong Kong from March 8.
In anticipation of Phantom Thread ’s release, here are five must-see fashion films from the past 10 years that you can see now.
Gaspard Ulliel plays the designer Yves Saint Laurent in Saint Laurent, directed by Bertrand Bonello.
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Yves Saint Laurent vs Saint Laurent (2014)
Two similar films were released in 2014: Yves Saint Laurent and Saint Laurent.
Watch these 5 films if you miss Hong Kong’s signature neon signs
Both depict the life of the late haute couture designer, however only one was supported by Saint Laurent’s partner, Pierre Berge. Yves Saint Laurent was the authorised film, directed by Jalil Lespert and came out in the US during the summer, while Saint Laurent debuted at Cannes Film Festival in May and was directed by Bertrand Bonello. The two films’ plots are similar, covering the designer’s early years and subsequent descent into substance abuse and anxiety due to creative pressure, to Saint Laurent’s relationship with Berge.
Pierre Niney plays Yves Saint Laurent and Guillaume Gallienne is Pierre Berge in Yves Saint Laurent, directed by Jalil Lespert. Photo: 48 Hours Magazine
A little more attention is given to the unauthorised film where Gaspard Ulliel is said to have given a balanced portrayal of the designer’s complex personality and charisma. The film is also 44 minutes longer than its authorised counterpart. However, Lespert’s film was the only one of the two films to be permitted to use the actual designs from the Saint Laurent archive, and the difference is noticeable. Both films win in their own right. For a more comprehensive and entertaining depiction of Saint Laurent’s life, Bonello wins out. For those more obsessed with archival fashion and want to see it in its full glory, check out Lespert’s version.
The Belgian artistic director had only eight weeks to put together a show – a gargantuan task for a designer who has never put together an haute couture collection before
Dior and I offers a behind-the-scenes look at the debut show of Raf Simons, the artistic director of Christian Dior.
