Fashion documentaries are so important because they give viewers a look into parts of the industry and creative process that is not usually seen in other traditional forms of fashion media. These documentaries allow us to get an inside look at what really happens in the industry in a raw, unedited way. Instead of seeing glossy edited magazine advertisements or heavily curated and produced fashion shows these documentaries provide a behind the scenes look into artists and the art.
The fashion industry is often heavily criticized for its obsession with presenting a perfect image. In the fashion industry designers are placed on pedestals and typically seen like sort of gods above the rest of people. Fashion documentaries tell stories of designers in a different way for viewers where you can see them more as real people, flaws and all. They help to bridge the gap of separation in the fashion industry from the art and the artist. They let us into the artist's mind, which in turn allows viewers to better understand the art.
One specific fashion documentary that turned heads in the fashion industry was the McQueen film. This film came out in 2018 and is all about the life and work of Lee Alexander Mcqueen. McQueen is one of the most well known British fashion designers specifically known for his outrageous fashion shows. McQueen was well known in the industry for creating fashion shows that were more like experiences than shows. His theory was that he did not want to have people just sitting looking at pretty clothes, but more so make them feel an emotion.
It follows his work being the Creative Director at Givenchy and what it was like for him to take on that massive role at such a young age. He was only twenty seven years old in 1997 when he created his first haute couture collection for the brand entitled The Search for the Golden Fleece. Viewers get to see the struggles behind the scenes of creating the collection in Paris, from the moodboards to the final fittings. The film shows this journey of a show in a really beautiful way where you feel like you are with McQueen from start to finish of the collection.
He was not only designing ready to wear and couture collections for Givenchy, but also was working on his own brand and the stress of it eventually did start to take a toll on him. Viewers see the toll of the stress and the process of McQueen losing who he was within his work in the fashion industry. He describes himself getting liposuction, so that he could better fit in with the industry's standards of beauty and afterwards feeling like he suddenly was not himself anymore.
The film takes a deep dive into not only his art, but his life in a raw way. It leaves no topic off the table. It examines his personal relationships, romantic relationships, the inner depths of his mind, addictions, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, body image, finances, loss, and suicide. It showcases the darkness and light of McQueen's life and art in a beautiful way.
Films like these allow viewers to connect with the artist and further with the clothes and work. McQueen once said said "if you want to know me, just look at my work".
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