The fashion industry – that alluring, ever-changing kaleidoscope of beauty, prestige and slightly absurd trends (think Crocs with ballet straps). But behind all the glossy magazines, perfect photos and iconic silhouettes lies a world of effort, genius, ego trips and falls from high heels. And that’s what the best fashion documentaries of recent years reveal.
The best fashion documentaries?! These films don't just feature fashion collections and celebrity interviews—they pull back the curtain and invite us onstage, among artists, visionaries, and, yes, even controversial geniuses. Here are ten fashion documentaries that will open your eyes (and probably your desire for a new style).
1. The Supermodels (2023)
When they are Naomi, Cindy, Linda and Christy stepped onto the runway, fashion began to breathe differently. The Super Models is not just a eulogy to the top models of the 1990s – it's a look at an era when models became more than just faces; they became institutions.
The unfiltered series shows how four women redefined power in the fashion industry and what fame looked like before we started measuring it in likes. This isn't just a fashion documentary - it's Sex and the City, if it happened backstage at New York Fashion Week. One of the best fashion documentaries in the collection!
2. Twiggy (2025)
If you think today's influencer is "self-made," then you clearly don't know Twiggy. As a teenager from working-class London, Lesley Hornby became the face of the Swinging Sixties - with one snapshot and huge eyes.
The film is not just a fashion chronicle, but a tribute to a woman who transcended her image and remained a cultural icon for more than five decades. Interviews with people like Paul McCartney, Zandra Rhodes and Joanna Lumley are just the icing on the vintage cake.
3. High & Low: John Galliano (2023)
Galliano – brilliant, theatrical, and, well, quite controversial. In this documentary, we see both sides of the fashion icon: the magical creator who shaped dreams, and the man lost in his own shadow.
The film doesn't embellish. It's raw, moving, and brilliantly composed. Anna Wintour, Naomi Campbell, and Galliano himself reveal the behind-the-scenes of fashion, where it's not all Chanel No. 5 and champagne.
4. Diane von Furstenberg: Woman In Charge (2024)
If fashion had a queen of confidence, it would be Diane. Half a century after the invention of the legendary wrap dress, the film takes us through the life of the woman who turned fashion design into a feminist manifesto.
With Oprah, Hillary Clinton, and Marc Jacobs as commentators, the film reads like a fashionable TED conference with champagne. The lesson? Be your own brand.
5. Very Ralph (2019)
From a tie salesman in the Empire State Building to the architect of American preppy style – Ralph Lauren is the American dream in a white shirt and polished loafers.
Audrey Hepburn, Karl Lagerfeld, Calvin Klein… the star-studded cast elevates the film into a true fashion chronicle, while Lauren's approach – part hard work, part pure visionary – inspires, even if you've never worn a polo shirt.
6. Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams (2020)
If you've ever dreamed of the perfect pair of shoes, Ferragamo has probably been in your dreams. The film, narrated by Michael Stuhlbarg and directed by Guadagnino (yes, that one) Call Me By Your Name), takes us from Italian poverty to the Hollywood of the thirties.
This isn't just a shoe story - it's an epic fashion saga where every stitch counts and every heel tells a story. With commentary from Martin Scorsese, Grace Coddington and Manolo Blahnik? A true fashion culinary feast. Definitely a must-see on the list - the best fashion documentaries.
7. Wonder Boy (2019)
Olivier Rousteing is a boy wonder who took over Balmain at 25. But the documentary is not just about fame and gold embroidery. It is a poignant insight into a personal search for identity – from finding his biological parents to breaking down prejudices in the fashion industry.
Rousteing proves that you don't have to be born under a lucky star to create a universe. Sometimes all you need is a vision... and charisma to outshine the spotlight.
8. Kingdom of Dreams (2022)
This is the fashion version. Game of Thrones – conglomerates, creators, visionaries and ruined careers. Kingdom of Dreams chronicles an era when Gucci, Vuitton and McQueen were shaping the future of fashion while simultaneously filling the headlines with scandals.
Brilliant archival footage, dazzling intrigue and the most dramatic look at fashion ever filmed. A series that will convince you that fashion is much more than just the question, "What should I wear today?"
9. Iris (2014)
Iris Apfel is proof that style has no expiration date. At 90+, she's still an inspiration to young influencers and fashion icons. Her documentary isn't just a showcase of her eccentric fashion taste, but her philosophy – "More is more and less is boring."
After her death in 2024, this film became a valuable document about a woman who took the rules of fashion, cut them up, and made a necklace out of them.
10. Valentino: The Last Emperor (2008)
The last emperor of Italian fashion in his natural habitat: luxury, puppies and perfectly tailored pieces. The documentary follows Valentino through the last two years of his career, offering a rarely seen glimpse into the dynamic (and dramatic) relationship with his partner Giancarlo Giammetti.
This is a film about perfectionism, greatness, and unfortunately also about the moment when you have to say goodbye to the empire you built yourself.
Conclusion: Fashion is not superficial – only layered – the best fashion documentaries
These best fashion documentaries prove that fashion is not just fabric and stitches, but ideas, visions, conflicts, and emotions. Each of these films sheds light on a different layer of the fashion industry—from the extraordinary individuals who shaped it to the cultural shifts that reshaped it.
So if you're in need of a bit of escapism with high aesthetic value (and a few tears or fashion revelations in between), watch one of these documentaries. You'll never look at clothes the same way again.
