15 Stylish Movies With Costumes Made by Famous Designers (2024)

For life under lockdown, movies have pretty much become the de facto form of escapism. At this point, you may even be feeling like you’ve seen just about every movie you’ve ever wanted to see. (Is it just me, or is it surprisingly easy to burn through Netflix’s entire roster in a single weekend?) Thankfully, there is a wealth of cinematic gems to reconsider if you’re a style-conscious film buff.

Over the years, several famous fashion designers have turned their hand to creating costumes. Christian Dior was among the first French couturiers to make his mark on Hollywood, dressing Marlene Dietrich for the silver screen back in the 1950s. Then there was Hubert de Givenchy, the man responsible for Audrey Hepburn’s little black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, easily one of the chicest moments in movie history. More recently, Miuccia Prada designed the extravagant flapper-style party looks for Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby in 2013, while Raf Simons was invited by Luca Guadagnino to craft a sophisticated Milanese society wardrobe for I Am Love. Below, 15 films with fashion-forward costumes, and the designers who made them.

1. Stage Fright (1950) — Christian Dior

The film’s leading lady, Marlene Dietrich, demanded that Alfred Hitchco*ck hire Christian Dior, a friend of Dietrich’s, to costume her looks for the project. (In addition to the wardrobe demands, Dietrich also had unprecedented control over her shots in the film, too.) And so the famed couturier did, outfitting her with his full-skirted New Look dresses and chic day suits.

2. And God Created Women (1956) — Pierre Balmain

French fashion designer Pierre Balmain lent his eye to this Roger Vadim film starring Brigitte Bardot. Set in sunny St. Tropez, the film called for simple—but elegant—summerwear. Bardot wears Balmain’s boatneck dresses and breezy button-up skirts.

3. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) — Hubert de Givenchy

Who could forget this film's iconic opening scene featuring Audrey Hepburn? Hubert de Givenchy designed that iconic black dress that Holly Golightly wears to go window shopping at Tiffany’s (while casually eating a croissant, in black tie). Accessorized with long opera gloves and pearl necklaces, it’s one of the most famous movie dresses of all time.

4. Last Year in Marienbad (1961) — Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel designed the costumes for Delphine Seyrig, the star of this French New Wave classic by Alain Resnais. The designer focused on the house signatures , creating exquisite dresses in fabrics such as chiffon, tulle, and lace; pearl accessories included, of course.

5. Belle Du Jour (1967) — Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent was responsible for the costumes worn by Catherine Deneuve who plays a young bourgeois woman living a double life as a prostitute in Luis Buñuel’s critically-acclaimed. Saint Laurent’s exceptional outerwear is on full display—Deneuve sports many of his sharp double-breasted coats. She also wears a black dress with a white collar and cuffs, a design that looks just as fresh today.

6. Barbarella (1968) — Paco Rabanne

Paco Rabanne is known for his space age aesthetic, a perfect fit for this 1968 film starring Jane Fonda who plays a futuristic astronaut on a mission to to conquer a distant planet. She does so in a series of his signature chainmail creations.

7. Mistress (1975) — Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld outfitted this 1970s S&M film about a Parisian woman with a sex dungeon in her basem*nt. The designer leaned into the kinky narrative, creating fetishist ensembles that were heavy on latex and leather. (A far cry from the refined designs he later created for Chanel.)

8. American Gigolo (1980) — Giorgio Armani

Richard Gere is the world’s most dapper escort in this 1980 film, outfitted by Giorgio Armani. The designer’s vision for the character was all about tailoring: great topcoats, unstructured suits, and classic shirt-and-tie combos.

9. A View to a Kill (1985) — Azzedine Alaïa

The last film to have Roger Moore play James Bond in the series, this action flick got a heavy dose of style thanks to Azzedine Alaïa, who dressed Grace Jones’s character May Day. She’s for sure the best-dressed villain in his body-hugging, hooded dress.

10. The Fifth Element (1997) — Jean Paul Gaultier

Jean Paul Gaultier created the sci-fi creations worn in Luc Besson’s futuristic action movie. From the bondage-style bodysuit that Milla Jovovich wears in her very first scene to the cut-out uniforms he designed for stewardesses, Gaultier’s designs supported the movie’s otherworldly aesthetic.

11. Marie Antoinette (2006) — Manolo Blahnik

While costume designer Milena Canonero created the costumes for this 2006 film by Sofia Coppola, starring Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette, it was shoe designer Manolo Blahnik who punctuated this ill-fated Queen’s sumptuous shoe collection. There’s an entire scene dedicated to close-ups of his whimsical creations, which included tasseled mules and ruffled pumps—all extravagant footwear for an even more extravagant character.

12. I Am Love (2009) — Raf Simons for Jil Sander

Raf Simons, who was the creative director of Jil Sander at the time, designed the costumes for Tilda Swinton’s character in Luca Guadagnino’s 2009 film. Playing up the feel of Milan’s high society, Simons’s clean, timeless clothes blended into the upper-class setting seamlessly.

13. Black Swan (2010) — Rodarte

Rodarte sisters Laura and Kate Mulleavy designed two of the film’s iconic ballerina dresses worn by Natalie Portman. In the final act, when Portman dances “Swan Lake” embodying both the white and black swan, she sports two different strapless dresses with full tulle skirts.

14. The Great Gatsby (2013) — Miuccia Prada

The extravagance of the roaring 1920s was amplified by Miuccia Prada, who designed a total of 40 looks for the Baz Luhrmann film. She created many of the glamorous pieces worn by Carey Mulligan's character, Daisy Buchanan in particular, who was dripping in her sequins, silks, and furs.

15. James Bond: Spectre (2015) — Tom Ford

Given his reputation for whip-smart tailoring, it only makes sense that designer Tom Ford would dress Daniel Craig as James Bond. Some of Ford’s best work is in Spectre, where the secret agent wears his sleek bomber jackets and impeccable suits. (Ford also did the suiting for 2008’s Quantum of Solace, and is slated to do the costumes for the upcoming 007 installment, No Time To Die.)