Shortly before the turn of the year, FashionUnited traditionally takes a look back at the films, documentaries and series of the past year. What has come of this for 2023? 2023 was the year of fashion trends that were inspired by the screen or, conversely, inspired audiovisual art. Here is an overview of the series and films of 2023 that influenced fashion.
Movie: Barbie
From the silver screen to retail to the streetscape, Greta Gerwig’s modern take on “Barbie” inspired a storm of pink fashion. Retailers cleverly capitalized on this. Fans of the color pink, which they wear every day, became trendy overnight. The Barbiecore trend in particular went viral on social media. Outfits inspired by the Barbie movie under the hashtag #barbiecore received millions of views on TikTok.
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Film: Hardcore Never Dies
The hugely popular film “Hardcore Never Dies”, which shows the lives (and fashion) of members of the gabber culture, was the icing on the cake for fans of Dutch fashion. “Gabber culture is one of the few subcultures that has never completely disappeared in the Netherlands. An example of this is the success of Paradice’s new collection. The Rotterdam-based streetwear brand released ten subculture-inspired garments this week – from sports pants to hip bags,” film scholar Rudi de Boer told Hart van Nederland.
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Movie: The Little Mermaid
The fashion industry has learned a lot from the underwater world this year. be inspired. In 2023, the film “The Little Mermaid,” Disney’s take on Hans Christian Andersen’s 1879 fairy tale, further reinforced this fascination. The film fueled a surge in the mermaid trend in summer 2023, with lavender sequins, shell necklaces and form-fitting dresses inspired by the idea that we will one day wear them in the underwater world.
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Movie: Priscilla
A-line skirts, pastel cardigans, miniskirts, Chanel, Valentino – 1960s fashion can be seen on the streets today. The film biography “Priscilla” takes viewers on a journey through time. The film depicts the life of Priscilla Presley, the ex-wife of the late American rock singer Elvis, from the day she met him to the day she left him. A lot of fashion history comes into play, as Priscilla changed her style from that of a humble 14-year-old to the wife of a rock ‘n’ roll superstar.
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Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé
2023 was the year of Beyoncé. The American singer toured the world to promote her album “Renaissance”. She also wrapped her body in the creations of various major fashion labels – from Daily Paper to Iris van Herpen. Of course, this had to be captured, and so Beyoncé made a concert film. Beyoncé fans dressed in their most “Renaissance”-inspired outfits for the tour: many items of clothing referenced the content of the album and its cover, i.e. silver clothing, fringes, cowboy boots and of course: disco fashion. Beyoncé’s concert film “Renaissance” is fashion entertainment at its finest.
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Documentary series: Donyale Luna: Supermodel
One powerful story brought to life by HBO Max this year was the life of supermodel and actress Donyale Luna. The documentary consists of four parts, named after the places where the art and fashion lover’s muse lived: Detroit, New York, London and Rome. A highlight is when she appears as a sketch on the cover of the American Harper’s Bazaar in 1965. British Vogue soon followed. What’s inspiring is how Luna didn’t let the excessive racism she experienced as a black woman stop her. Luna’s story is a confession of bizarreness. When the model was asked in an interview where she came from, she replied: “I come from the moon”.
Luna died far too early: at the age of 33 from a “cardiac arrest,” a cause of death that is openly speculated about in the documentary. Director Nailah Jefferson creates a portrait of the quirky Luna with the help of friends, family, and fashion and film professionals.
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Documentary series: The Supermodels
Are you in the mood for a big dose of fashion from the 1980s and 1990s? Apple+’s four-part miniseries The Supermodels follows the lives of top models Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. The friends began their careers in the 1980s and became world famous in the 1990s. The models graced the catwalks of major fashion houses – from Marc Jacobs to Versace – and even appeared in George Michael’s “Freedom” music video.
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Film: Vivienne Westwood: God Save The Queen
The documentary “Vivienne Westwood: God Save The Queen” describes the British designer as the “mother of punk”. Her fashion inspired by the punk subculture – with unique, homemade clothes and lots of accessories – can still be seen on the streets today. Westwood is considered to anchor punk fashion in the mainstream. In December 2022, the fashion world said goodbye to Vivienne Westwood. Two months later, in February, thanks to author Hannah Summer, the documentary about her extraordinary career was released. The documentary can be seen on Apple+ Prime.
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Documentary: Mart Visser
In the documentary about fashion designer Mart Visser, you learn more about the rise of the Dutch fashion designer in the 1990s and gain an insight into the life of an extraordinary creative talent. His talent, ingenuity and discipline are highlighted in the documentary. For example, he easily solved the problem of people who were disappointed at not being able to sit in the front row at his show. He also copes well with setbacks, as the documentary shows. An example of this is the bankruptcy of the V&D department store with which he worked.
Documentary: Against All Odds – the Daily Paper success story
Ten years of Daily Paper. Now “the inspiring story behind the clothing brand” can also be seen in the documentary. The entrepreneurs started small and went from Osdorp in the Netherlands to the world. In the four-part documentary series, viewers learn more about the faces behind the extremely successful Dutch brand.
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Film: Strange Way of Life
The fashion house Saint Laurent released its own film this year: “Strange Way of Life” by Pedro Almodóvar, starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal. Set in the desert, the film is a dramatic film full of fashionable moments that touches on themes such as friendship, family and love. The fashion in the film is inspired by cowboys.
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Documentary: Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World
The hip-hop music genre continues to be a great source of inspiration for contemporary fashion. From sneakers to cargo pants to baggy jeans, music fans have started these trends. But hip hop is more. You can understand the historical context in “Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World.” In addition to the fashion that characterized the time, the documentary also looks at the political atmosphere. Hip-hop, like many initiatives created by people themselves, was a political movement. The documentary, which also features US stars Eminem and Ice T, shows how culture merged with the political atmosphere in America and therefore around the world.
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This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.nl. Translated and edited by Simone Preuss.