This year’s Forces of Fashion, taking place on October 16, is dedicated to the art, drama, and influence of the runway throughout history. In honor of that, Vogue editors are sharing their favorite fictional fashion shows that have appeared in movies and television shows throughout the years.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2017 film, Phantom Thread, is one of the most romantic stories ever captured on film. But more importantly, for the purposes of this publication, it is also one of the most accurate depictions of the agony and ecstasy of working in fashion.
Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Reynolds Woodcock, a 1950s couturier of supremely elegant gowns whose exacting silhouettes mirror his own rigorous character. As such, Woodcock’s everyday life is presented with a particular eye for the idiosyncrasies of being a creative genius—like the importance of quiet time at breakfast, where the designer sometimes sketches or otherwise mentally prepares for his creative tasks of the day ahead. Anderson also takes careful consideration to show the inner workings of Woodcock’s couture studio—where he’s surrounded by his team of seamstresses and tailors, all in matching white jackets—and the acts of fitting and constructing a garment itself. Day-Lewis, one of our greatest living actors—with his own incredible sense of personal style—reportedly trained for a year in the art of garment construction for the role, eventually re-creating a dress by Balenciaga by himself. (While shooting, Day-Lewis also chose Reynolds’s wardrobe from his character’s closet.)