From Givenchy and Audrey Hepburn to Black Panther: how cinema dresses the world.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 2 November 2026
What are the most influential fashion moments in film?
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961): Audrey Hepburn’s black Givenchy dress
- Belle de Jour (1967): Catherine Deneuve in Yves Saint Laurent
- American Gigolo (1980): Richard Gere’s Armani suits
- Clueless (1995): the yellow plaid suit
- The Devil Wears Prada (2006): the cerulean sweater speech
Who are the most famous costume designers?
Edith Head, who won eight Academy Awards; Ruth E. Carter, the first Black winner of the costume design Oscar, for Black Panther; Milena Canonero, for Marie Antoinette and others; and Bhanu Athaiya, India’s first Oscar winner, for Gandhi (1982). In Bollywood, Manish Malhotra began as a costume designer before launching his label.
What are the best films about fashion?
Phantom Thread (2017), The Devil Wears Prada, Funny Face (1957), and documentaries such as Dior and I (2014), The September Issue (2009) and McQueen (2018).
Read on Ayerhs: Yves Saint Laurent – The complete guide · The little black dress · Givenchy