Audrey Hepburn: The Impact Of Film Industry On Fashion Trends

Introduction

Film and fashion in the contemporary world have been ingrained in peoples mind in a way that the majority of celebrity is culture driven. The film industry is using celebrities to act as conduits in which fashion can be customised and also spread to a wide audience. As a result, it is considered as a necessary fact which is accepted long ago by the custom tailors as well as designers in which the majority of them have used films to flaunt their customised fashions. The majority of the designers took inspiration from different films and making fashion icon to be well known to other people (Waude 23). For instance, many film legends like James Dean, who is well known for coolness in Jeans and also Marton Brando, who is also recognised for a tailor-made suit. Therefore, the impact of fashion on the film sprouted a host of many film buff to follow the look of their screen (Bruzzi 18). Films are the best avenues to take note on the classic as well as trends in fashions. Custom made clothes, as well as other wardrobes being worn by individuals such as Sean Connery being featured in James Bond series, is a clear embodiment of the sartorial elegance. Michael Caine made suits in most of the films demonstrating a variety of how fashion has changed due to the influence of film. Accordingly, Designers such as Giorgio Armani used the film American Gigolo to display different fashion that is currently existing in the market. In the contemporary world, movie star red carpet and movie awards are critical as runway fashions. The movie star is at the center of fashion shows, and it has become the marketing campaign in the whole world. For that reason, this paper will discuss how films influenced fashion trends.

Films has influenced fashion trends differently. One of the films which have influenced the fashion trend is known as fashion film. This film demonstrated the importance of Hollywood costumes to many audiences. Such movies mostly depicted the fashion shows or the costume revues as a critical component of the plot. Furthermore, such movies also typically starred as a well-recognised actress in the leading role. Therefore, several Hollywood films in the year 1900s to the year 1940s mostly featured show (McNeil et al., 4) Most of them show key scenes in dresses, some slow posture in a symbolic outfit and group of women who were descending on a staircase ( Laverty 15). The fashion films were mostly visual spectacles, and they served high-end cinema fashions making it accessible to several audiences.

The idea that clothing can transform an individual is a critical theme in films throughout the 19th-century era. Majority of the film featured makeover scenes that featured costume as a key symbol of individual social transformation. One of the most known storylines which are featured determined and also a beautiful woman from a certain working class using clothes to rise above their situation and successful move to the elite class upper. One of the films in this case includes a film known as Funny face (1956). Most audiences loved this kind of movie since it captures the issue of one starting from nothing and then later attain wealth through hard work through the way they dress (Engelmeier 3). Such kind of film promoted the concept that fashion consumerism can encourage upward mobility. By actually watching the movies, most audiences felt that they could change themselves or their social condition through clothing copies from such fashion costumes. Furthermore, Funny face film is essentially the satire of the fashion industry. This has not only enabled the film to show off some important clothing to the fashion industry. The character of individuals such as Audrey Hepburn has a waif shape which resonated with women, especially the ones who does not fit the ideal clothes. Or in other words, oversized clothes. Also, the character is well recognised for portraying dressing, which embodies the spirit of youthful rebellion and also being dressed in better clothing. As a result, the fashion being worn in the film is associated with the concept of a free spirit, and this has been copied by many in the fashion industry (Gordon 5).

Figure 1. Funny face film (Laverty, 2016)

Another important film that influenced the fashion industry is a film known as Annie Hall (1977). It is considered an American romantic comedy film which was directed by Woody Allen. The film featured the issue of gender identity, love, and sexuality. Ann Hall made women more comfortable wearing men’s clothes even though most critics hold the belief that the leading male actor role is populated by ‘self-centered upper-middle-class characters obsessed with the minutia of their existence,’ and surprisingly his fans agree. At the Academy Awards, this film beat star wars in the award for Best Picture. It is also the driving force behind one of the mid-70s fashion, thanks to the quirky costar Diane Keaton (Breward 10). It was through her legions of women rocking the tomboy style became a hit in the times, which was not an easy task due to the harsh critics that she met. At one point Ruth Morley vetoed off the outfit, but her then-boyfriend stepped in, saying. The movie and Keaton’s styles were massive hits, and women in the ’70s loved the masculine look.

Figure 2: Source: Laverty (2016)

Also, the accessories, as well as an adornment that was worn by the characters in the film, influenced the current fashion trend. For instance, Audrey Hepburn is considered as one of the first known prominent actresses who used a cigarette holder to be a fashion accessory within the film Breakfast Tiffany’s. This has not only transformed the fashion industry but has made costumes to be more common in the fashion industry (Laver et al. 16). Furthermore, Holly Golightly was one of the characters who inspired women, especially during the 1960s and still in the current world. For example, when the black dress was wearing the pearls, most would refer to this film. In this way, majority of women at one point of their life did the best to get the size taste of the fashion icon especially the people who believe in the accessories as one of the trending fashions. The Breakfast at Tiffany film experimented with hair as well as the hat. Different people have adopted the existence of the button earrings together with necklaces within the fashion industry (Munich 16).

The film, Letty Lynton, is also an important one in transforming the fashion industry. The film has used Craw food to look to demonstrate the importance of fashion and how it has been trending. Crawford look was mostly created or established by the Gilbert Andrian in the year 1930s (Moseley 11). The look comprises of a broad padded shoulder as well as slim hips has become well recognised and prominent shape of the decade. Many women have found this look to be the more flattering counterpart to the slim individuals. Furthermore, other known designers in Paris has also featured this sharp shape in their collection. For that reason, this is one of the situations Hollywood has influenced the Parisian fashion industry. Eventually, the Crawford Silhouette became the most known Joan Crawford the well-recognised fashion trademark. The film launched Crawford look across the world, and it has proved to be wildly recognised by the audiences and women are currently adapting to such fashion (Berry 12)

Image of Crawford Look

Conclusion

The film industry has had a tremendous influence on fashion trends due to the masses idolising the ideals, looks, and lifestyles that the celebrities show. The film industry does not necessarily influence people on purpose because of the lack of any economic significance; the masses mostly cannot afford the designer clothes and end up wearing counterfeit designs. The masses are fascinated and attracted to the physically attractive personalities in the films hence the need to associate with them in aspects such as fashion, while peers will influence each other when the trends hit as a means to fit it with rest of the ‘cool kids. Furthermore, the movie films played a direct and indirect role as they acted as the medium of transmission for the trends. That means that majority of people borrows fashion and integrated it in the upcoming films making them a hit, while other times the films act as the sole influencers of the whole process of creating and enforcing the fashion trends. The roles of creating costume designs also extend to the designers themselves, who through their creativity produced countless design among which a wide variety went on to be fashion trends

Works Cited

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Images retrieved from:

1. https://www.savoirflair.com/fashion/220995/five-films-influence-fashion
2. https://www.blue17.co.uk/vintage-blog/fashion-and-film-the-1920s-and-1930s/