As the biggest fashion event of the year, the Met Gala, approaches on May 5, it’s time to get yourself thinking like a designer with some fashion-forward films.
Fashion, like moviemaking, is an art form. These movies blend the two to provide cinematic excellence with stunning styles.
From Meryl Streep’s boss-from-hell comedy to an Audrey Hepburn classic, these films are either about fashion or have become staples and inspirations within the fashion industry.
Check them out now or any day of the week. And if you want to watch the 2025 Met Gala, find out how by clicking here.
‘The Devil Wears Prada’ (2006)
“By all means, move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.” The icy and iconic Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) is said to be based on Met Gala lead chairperson Anna Wintour, so it’s obviously a must-watch movie before the Gala itself.
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Andie (Anne Hathaway) is a “serious” journalist who gets a job at Runway magazine (a clear stand-in for Vogue) in hopes that it will boost her career. Told repeatedly that “a million girls would kill” for her job as Priestly’s second assistant, Andie must weigh her ambition against her values as she figures out how much she’s willing to change to meet her goals.
The Devil Wears Prada is both a love letter to high fashion and a searing look at the brutality of the industry. It’s a fashion show in and of itself, with looks from designers like Chanel, Donna Karan and Hermès.
Rent The Devil Wears Prada on Apple TV+ or Amazon Prime Video.
‘Zoolander’ (2001)
Ben Stiller is Derek Zoolander, the world’s dumbest male model, in this hilarious 2001 comedy. When he’s finally recruited to work with renowned fashion designer Mugatu (Will Ferrell), he learns that there is a long history of brainwashing male models and forcing them to assassinate world leaders. (John Wilkes Booth was an actor/model, after all.) Derek must team up with his archrival Hansel (Owen Wilson) and journalist Matilda Jeffries (Christine Taylor) to stop Mugatu’s reign of terror and save the prime minister of Malaysia.
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Your friends might want to get a “eugoogily” (Derek’s term for “eulogy”) ready — you’ll die laughing at this outrageous film.
Watch Zoolander on Paramount+.
‘Miss Congeniality’ (2000)
What is a beauty pageant if not a fashion show? (“A scholarship program,” snap defenders of the Miss United States competition in this film). In Miss Congeniality, FBI agent Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) is forced to go undercover as a contestant when a mysterious terrorist begins threatening the pageant. Under the tutelage of coach Victor Melling (a hilariously dry Michael Caine), Grace is furious about being put on display in what she considers a ridiculous competition. But as she bonds with her fellow contestants, she realizes there’s more to these women than meets the eye.
Gracie — or ‘Gracie Lou Freebush,’ as her pageant alter-ego is known — is a relatable fish-out-of-water protagonist, and her chemistry with fellow agent Eric Matthews (Benjamin Bratt) is off the charts. Miss Congeniality adds a little action to the glitz and glamor of fashion in an entertaining romantic comedy.
Rent Miss Congeniality on Amazon Prime or Apple TV+.
‘Brandy Hellville & The Cult of Fast Fashion’ (2024)
Fashion isn’t just couture, and sometimes it’s worth taking a moment to consider where our ordinary, everyday clothes come from. In this HBO documentary, we’re shown the dark side of fast fashion through the lens of popular teen brand Brandy Melville.
Brandy Melville is accused of racism, antisemitism, and body discrimination in this film, which also explores the alleged sexual harassment that goes on in their stores and the enormous pollution caused by fast fashion. It’s an eye-opening documentary that might make you think twice before you shop.
Watch Brandy Hellville & The Cult of Fast Fashion on Max.
‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ (1961)
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Nothing says fashion like Audrey Hepburn, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s is the star’s sweetest ode to the urban glamour of New York. Holly Golightly (Hepburn) is a flighty bohemian woman who wishes for a life of decadence in New York — but she also has a deep desire to maintain her independence and remain a “wild thing.” While her new neighbor Paul Varjak (George Peppard) begins to break through her defenses, Holly shows him her New York with a loving, stylish eye.
Though not all parts of the movie hold up (like Mickey Rooney’s racist portrayal of Japanese landlord Mr. Yunioshi), the Holly Golightly character is such a fashion icon that the film simply can’t be missed.
Rent Breakfast At Tiffany’s on Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV+.
