A journey through the history, styles and protagonists of fashion: at Maglificio Pini we chose ten TV series, plus a special bonus
Fashion reflects the social and cultural change of every age; its protagonists are stylists ahead of their time, pop icons, young talents ready to change the world, in a race as fascinating as it is competitive.
After collecting our thoughts to suggest some must-have books about fashion, at Maglificio Pini we came up with ten TV series (plus a special bonus) to delve into the glamour, creativity and challenges that lie behind runways and magazine editorial offices, but also to dream a little.
Halston (2021)
The series narrates the life of Roy Halston, one of the forerunners of American fashion. A friend of icons such as Liza Minelli and Elizabeth Taylor, the star of the nights at Studio 54 and gifted with extraordinary sartorial talent, Halston was the creator of American glamour.
Main actors: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Dayan, Krysta Rodriguez.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2018)
What was the impact of Gianni Versace’s death on fashion? What lies behind one of the crimes that shocked the 1990s? The series tries to answer these questions by piecing together the tragic demise of an icon.
Main actors: Édgar Ramírez, Darren Criss, Penélope Cruz, Ricky Martin.
Emily in Paris (2020 – present)
American Emily’s new life in France, amid fashion, marketing and love affairs, shapes a character who is already an icon, starring in a light-hearted series set in the French capital (and in the last season also in Italy).
Main actors: Lily Collins, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Ashley Park.
The Bold Type (2017 – 2021)
The lives of three friends, Jane, Kat and Sutton, intertwined with the fashion and lifestyle publishing industry, with New York City as the backdrop: this series is a comedy-drama with a perfect amount of irony and a female, modern gaze.
Main actors: Katie Stevens, Aisha Dee, Meghann Fahy.
Next in Fashion (2020 – present)
Not a TV series, but a reality show dedicated to emerging stylists. Talent is the true star, and the style competition is tight, under the watchful eyes of big names in the fashion system.
Main hosts: Tan France, Alexa Chung (Season 1), Gigi Hadid (Season 2).
Becoming Karl Lagerfeld (2024)
Karl Lagerfeld’s biography is in itself a captivating screenplay, full of passion, sorrows and history-making ideas. Daniel Brühl’s face brings a true fashion icon back to life on screen.
Main actors: Daniel Brühl (Karl Lagerfeld).
Velvet (2013 – 2016)
A love story set in a Madrid fashion house in the 1950s. Amid dreams, obstacles and big changes, Velvet is a period drama that elegantly reenacts a golden age of style.
Main actors: Paula Echevarría, Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón.
Gossip Girl (2007 – 2012, reboot 2021)
In the early 2000s, Manhattan’s élite became the star of a true cultural phenomenon. It’s impossible to watch Gossip Girl without being struck by the styles of the main characters.
Main actors: Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Chace Crawford.
Sex and the city (1998-2004)
Four friends in their thirties from New York make their way in the big city and in life, with style. More than a TV series, a milestone in the collective imagery, which also left its mark on the big screen.
Main actors: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattral, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon.
The New Look (2024)
To learn about the designers who launched modern fashion, such as Christian Dior, father of the New Look, Coco Chanel and other haute couture creators contemporary with them.
Main actors: Maisie Williams, Juliette Binoche, John Malkovich
Bonus
In Vogue: The 90s
Vogue doesn’t just tell of fashion, it’s its star: the docuseries celebrates a decade of radical transformations, lived through the pages of one of the most influential magazines in the world.
Main characters: Anna Wintour, Sarah Jessica Parker, Marc Jacobs and many more.