Dressed to Kill

With its glamorous gowns and fiery feuds, it’s easy to see why stories from the world of fashion are on trend for filmmakers – with the recent catwalk collection including 2021 movie House of Gucci and new Disney+ series Cristóbal Balenciaga.

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Now, a lavish Apple TV+ series delves into the legacy of haute couture icon Christian Dior in a glossy 10-part drama, The New Look, inspired by true events.

The gripping series follows the French couturier (Ben Mendelsohn) from his early career in Nazioccupied Paris in World War Two, through to his groundbreaking post-war creations and the genesis of his legendary 1947 ‘New Look’ collection, the name coined by Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Carmel Snow (Glenn Close).

While working for fashion house owner Lucien Lelong (John Malkovich) in 1943, Christian is fighting to keep the industry alive in the French capital along with his designer peers, including Pierre Balmain (Thomas Poitevin) and Cristóbal Balenciaga (Nuno Lopes), by reluctantly making dresses for the wives of Nazi officers.

Behind closed doors, however, Christian is terrified for his dear sister and lifelong muse, Catherine (Maisie Williams), a fighter in the French resistance who’s risking her life on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, Coco Chanel (Juliette Binoche) has closed her boutique but is still partying with Parisian high society, and strikes up a friendship with German intelligence officer Hans von Dincklage, aka ‘Spatz’ (Claes Bang). But as she becomes embroiled in secret dealings with the Nazis, is her reign as fashion queen about to end?