Hulu Fashion Documentaries

The First Monday In May

This was the first of my fashion marathon, and it was spectacular. The documentary dives deep into the 2015 Met Gala, which featured the exhibit China: Through The Looking Glass. Curated by Andrew Bolton, it focuses on how Chinese design has influenced Western fashion. The film gave me everything I could have asked for. The runtime is split into sections, initially focusing on the actual planning of the Met Gala, with the journey of setting up the exhibit. We get a look at Anna Wintour and her team coordinating the seating chart, picking out flowers, training event staff, and more. However, the documentary also takes us into the fashion archives and the curation of the exhibit. What I appreciated most about the piece was that the people involved consistently checked themselves and made sure that the exhibit accurately portrayed Chinese culture, and that it was celebrated well. Andrew Bolton and some of his team even traveled to China for inspiration, and to chat with professionals about accurate representation. This is a lovely film about the inner workings of one of the more challenging Met Gala exhibitions and is entertaining all the way through.

McQueen

I cannot get enough of Lee Alexander McQueen. It’s about 11 years too late for me to be obsessed with this designer, because he tragically took his own life in 2010 at the age of 40. This documentary gave me a glimpse into the mind, and art, of the designer. It’s impossible to put everything from a person's life into a two hour documentary, but McQueen gifted me with the highlights. This film has allowed me to have a whole new perspective on fashion. Alexander Mcqueen’s designs tell a story better than any of the other designers that I’ve been intrigued by. He allowed his models to have character and let the clothing have a mind of its own. What makes this documentary so incredible is that it features personal footage from inside the work rooms; you’re able to watch the designer and his team work on their masterpieces. Additionally, those closest to McQueen talk about their memories with him so vividly and descriptively that it feels like you are watching them. I live near Rodeo Drive, and when I take my walks to get some fresh air I always walk down the street and marvel at the creations that McQueen makes.

Dior and I

When I think of class, I think of Dior. Well, sometimes I think of Chanel but I also think of Dior. This documentary focuses on Raf Simons’s first haute couture collection as Artistic Director at the Christian Dior fashion house. My roommate and I were amazed at the beauty of this collection, as well as the film itself, which portrays raw moments in the atelier with the workers and allows us to see the pressure that Raf was under for this collection. Additionally, haute couture is garments made for one off clients, so it is entirely different from the ready-to-wear concept that Simons was used to. Much like McQueen, we are able to see inside the making of the garments as well as seeing the fashion show for the collection come to life. I enjoyed this one because I didn’t know exactly what the role of artistic director actually involved - they are basically in charge of everything the brand puts out while they’re there. It’s about what inspires that specific person, which story they want to tell, and how they can still keep the spirit of the brand integrated in the collection. Also, at the beginning Raf Simons seemed a bit unsure of himself, but by the end of the journey, he was proud and ecstatic about how the designs and show turned out.