Some films leave their mark not just in story, but in the way they look and feel. Cinema at its best shapes how we dress, how we decorate, even how we imagine entire eras. Here are five more films where style and storytelling are inseparable.
The Great Gatsby (1974) – Jack Clayton
Mia Farrow’s chiffon dresses and Robert Redford’s pastel tailoring brought F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age to life. Designed by Theoni V. Aldredge, with input from Ralph Lauren, the costumes sparked a 1970s revival of 1920s style—cream suits, dropped waists, strands of pearls. The film may be contested as adaptation, but as a moodboard of Gatsby’s world, it is flawless.
Blade Runner (1982) – Ridley Scott
No other film fused noir and futurism so enduringly. Deckard’s trench coat, Rachael’s sculpted shoulder pads and red lipstick: the look defined “retro-futurism.” Syd Mead’s production design and Michael Kaplan’s costumes created a vision of the future that continues to inspire fashion and architecture four decades on.
Out of Africa (1985) – Sydney Pollack
Meryl Streep’s linen shirts, wide-brimmed hats, and khakis elevated safari style to cinematic romance. Ralph Lauren and heritage British outfitters took inspiration from these looks, making neutral tones and natural fabrics aspirational. The Kenyan landscapes, paired with understated clothing, defined 1980s elegance in travel and fashion.
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) – Anthony Minghella
Italian Riviera style at its most intoxicating. Jude Law’s effortless golden tan, Gwyneth Paltrow’s seaside whites, and Matt Damon’s shy collegiate tailoring turned postwar Amalfi into a fashion fantasy. The linen suits, swimsuits, and sunglasses made 1950s leisure look like the highest form of luxury.
Marie Antoinette (2006) – Sofia Coppola
Kirsten Dunst’s pastel gowns, candy-coloured confections by costume designer Milena Canonero, reinvented Versailles as pop fantasia. Combined with Converse sneakers and New Wave tracks on the soundtrack, Coppola turned the 18th century into a style collage: irreverent, opulent, unforgettable.
Style and the Silver Screen
From futuristic Los Angeles to the Côte d’Azur, these films show how cinema can transport us not only through story but through fashion and design. They are reminders that a movie can be a mood, a wardrobe, a lifestyle—all unfolding on screen.
My World of Interiors 