As the Christmas holidays draw near, the sun sets earlier, temperatures drop and the atmosphere seems to get cozy. When it comes to choosing what to watch, the options can feel endless. To help you choose, we’ve selected a list of films and series with remarkable costumes, perfect for being inspired before the new year. After all, there is only a small gap between fiction and reality, thus clothing can be the bridge between the two.
Films and series set against the world of fashion
With its fifth season released on 18 December on Netflix, Emily in Paris continues its exploration of a playful yet sharp wardrobe. At the driver’s seat of costumes, Marilyn Fitoussi creates a wardrobe conceived as a true experimental playground, where audacious color combinations, abundant prints and statement accessories talk as much about the character as they do about a certain fantasized vision of Paris. A series to watch if you want to give yourself more freedom in the way you mix and match.
As a true fashionista, it’s impossible to overlook The Devil Wears Prada, which has become an absolute reference. Behind this portrait of New York’s fashion media world lies the work of Patricia Field, who was also responsible for the costumes in Sex and the City. The film delivers a lesson that still feels relevant today: a perfectly cut trench coat, paired with an iconic accessory such as dark sunglasses, can be enough to command a Miranda Priestly-level presence.
The announcement of a second instalment, expected in April 2026, has reignited interest in the original film. The cast was notably spotted at the Dolce & Gabbana Spring-summer 2026 show, fueling speculation. Since then, every outfit worn during filming has been scrutinized in detail, with Jacquemus and Valentino among the fashion houses already identified. To the point where these still-fictional silhouettes are already becoming references, almost ready to be worn before they’ve even appeared on screen.
With House of Gucci, cinema taps into the Italian luxury imagination at its most spectacular. Costume designer Janty Yates, a long-time collaborator of Ridley Scott, draws on the Gucci house archives: sculptural suits, signature prints and iconic accessories. How to translate it into real life? Draw inspiration from retro hourglass silhouettes, then balance these out with a more contemporary piece such as a parka or a pair of sneakers.
From the Italian opulence of House of Gucci to the playful spirit of the 2000s, cinema offers endless ways to draw inspiration and reinvent our style.
For lovers’ of 2000s nostalgia
The Princess Diaries, a cult film of the early 2000s, tells the story of a gradual sartorial transformation: from school uniforms to evening gowns, each outfit accompanies the building of the character’s identity. The lesson remains timeless: sometimes, a single statement piece is all it takes to transform a silhouette.
In a more satirical vein, Zoolander shows that fashion can flirt with excess and theatricality. Fashion houses such as Saint Laurent and Valentino even created pieces especially for the film, blurring the line between fiction and the real fashion industry. Valentino went so far as to have the two lead actors from Zoolander 2 walk the runway during the finale of its autumn-winter 2015 show, definitively cementing the film’s status as a pop-culture fashion icon.
Still just as iconic, Clueless encapsulates the energy and creativity of the late 1990s, already heralding the aesthetic of the 2000s. The outfits imagined by costume designer Mona May, blending bold colors, textures and patterns, including the iconic yellow tartan form a true style manual for anyone looking to draw inspiration from that era today. A lesser-known fact: the film’s assistant costume designer went on to become the head costume designer for Zoolander 2, the ultimate proof of the lineage linking these cult productions.
Whether it’s strolling through Paris with Emily, diving back into the fantasy of the 2000s, or smiling at the excesses of Zoolander, these films and series remind us that fashion slips in everywhere. An unexpected detail, a bold color or a statement accessory is sometimes all it takes to spark inspiration. Rather than following trends to the letter, fiction can turn into a playground: it encourages us to mix eras, dare contrasts and give free rein to our creativity to reinvent our looks, season after season.
