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5 Netflix shows for fashion fans

3 min read

5 Netflix shows for fashion fans
For fashion fans, there is no end of inspiration on Netflix. Our team have picked up many a fashion tip from the likes of Mad Men, The Crown and even Stranger Things, but you’d be surprised how many fashion-centric shows have had us just about ready to swap our desk for a sewing machine and sketchbook.

GirlBoss

Based on the true "rags to riches" success story of clothing brand Nasty Gal’s founder Sophia Amoruso, GirlBoss is a comedic look at how hard work (and a little bad behaviour) can help you make your way to the top.
At times a little cheesy but undeniably good-hearted, it’s 20-something minute episodes are perfect for relaxing with at the end of a long day.
The cameo from drag superstar Ru Paul will have Drag Race fans giggling away as he offers sage advice to help Sophia turn her eBay business into a fully-fledged empire, and her 70s slackers outfits will have you longing for the San Franciscan sun.
You’ll never look at your "to sell" pile the same way again.

The True Cost

A must-watch for those who find themselves seduced by the low prices of fast fashion, The True Cost is a sobering documentary that considers just who pays the price for our bargain outfits.
Filmed in countries all over the world as a reaction to the 2013 Savar building collapse, it’s a fascinating look at consumer culture and is part of a much wider movement to help improve workers rights and manufacturing conditions—something we should all do our bit to support.
"Just who pays the price for our bargain outfits?"
Since it’s 2015 release, the film has been praised for offering an insight into both sweatshops and sustainable cotton farming, two practices that haven’t been given this much attention before or since.

Advanced Style

If you ever needed proof that you’re never too old to wear what you love, the ladies and gentlemen of Advanced Style will be all the inspiration you need.
Initially founded by Ari Seth Cohen as an Instagram street style project, Advanced Style celebrates the timelessness of personal fashion for over 50s and celebrates the force that it can be in people’s lives—from the long-term store owners to the women who simply love getting dressed up to the nines each and every day.
Across the film, we get to know their unique, funny and often tear-jerking stories, truly subverting what it means to be a fashion icon.
Further viewing in this vein is available on Netflix in the form of Iris, a stunning documentary about Iris Apfel, 92-year-old style maven and businesswoman who has earned fame by fronting campaigns for the likes of Kate Spade, Celiné and Le Bon Marché.

Dior & I

After watching Dior & I, there’ll be no doubt in your mind that fashion design is truly an art form.
Focusing on the experiences of then-creative director Raf Simons’ first couture collection for Christian Dior, the curtain is pulled back on the brand’s history and on the sheer amount of pressure that rides on taking the reins at one of history’s most powerful and well-esteemed brands.
"Seamstresses agonise over individual beads"
Various often unsung heroes are the true lifeblood of this documentary—your hands will ache as you watch numerous talented seamstresses agonising over individual beads, and you’ll gasp as Simon’s now legendary flower wall is finally revealed.

Fresh Dressed

Image of a group of people on an advertisement for fresh dressed
Ever wondered how streetwear came to be such a dominant force in modern fashion? Fresh Dressed will give you the answers, chronicling the history of American hip-hop through its associated fashions.
Featuring contributions from the likes of Pharell Williams, Kanye West and former editor-at-large of Vogue magazine, André Leon Talley, you’ll learn about the humble beginnings of many now ubiquitous brands, and learn about the struggles for black designers to rise out of the counter-culture into something more widely respected.
Proper hip-hop heads should go one step further and follow this up with Sneakerheadz, an intoxicating look at just how far trainer fans will go to secure that classic pair.
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