A Love Letter to La La Land
We partnered with our friends LA Explained to create a round up of our favorite films, shot in our favorite city (spoiler- it's LA, our hometown) and the Le Superbe looks that were either inspired by these iconic pieces of cinema...or sure could'a worked in the wardrobes!
A note from our Creative Director:
I know, I know … we are called “the City of Angels” and “the City of Flowers and Sunshine.” (Both are true btw)
Most people are quite surprised when I mention that I'm born and raised here. An anomaly. I grew up in Venice when it wasn't trendy, either. I grew up with beach culture ingrained in me, but as I became a young adult, I craved the opposite. Hello Hollywood. Hello clubs and nightlife.
I guess you could say I literally had the beach in the front yard and Sunset Blvd. in the backyard.
The city of L.A. has changed a lot. The East Coast and Europe aspire to visit our Golden State. There are the fashion shows and the movie premiers on a constant rotation - season to season. Hello best dressed lists. You can actually work in fashion and people’s eyes don’t bulge. That’s how it was when I first opened my store in the iconic Fred Segal Santa Monica. You had to show the NYC designers that we were relevant.
Over the years I have been fortunate enough to visit many cities around the world. These travels have helped me to cultivate my creative process and enabled my thought process to reference lifestyles like a melting pot. That’s why every time I land back on my home turf, I appreciate it more. We are truly a melting pot ourselves. My friends are from all over the world. I believe this cultivates authenticity in oneself. I also notice my peers around me are each as interesting and eccentric as the next. I would have it no other way. If you know, you know… thank you, L.A., for that.
Of course I’ve always been obsessed with film - both to escape but also to study the world around me. Being born and raised in LA definitely broadened my scope, and I guess that's why my top film list is slightly eclectic.
XX, Jeannine Braden
Belle du Jour - 1967 (French)
How can you go wrong? A cool Catherine Deneuve combined with costumes by the young Yves Saint Laurent. I was inspired by her trench coats in the film as I find a trench so very classic and a forever piece–see my version of what Severine may have worn today. Let’s not forget her tennis looks as well.
What a Way to Go! - 1964
The cast alone is pretty insane - Paul Newman, Robert Mitchum, Dean Martin, Gene Kelly, Dick Van Dyke and of course a young Shirley MacLaine.
The plot is hilarious but what makes this film so inspiring to me are the wardrobe changes.
A quote from Vogue magazine sums this up pretty well, "Shirley MacLaine swirls like a fantasical kaleidoscope of feathers and diamantes and hair pieces criss-crossing from a dusty small town America to Paris's left bank to mid century Manhattan."
Another wardrobe designed by the genius Edith Head. I love the pink floor length fur with her pink hair to match. Could this possibly be the inspiration of all the cool girls that dye their hair baby pink? You bet.
The scene with the life size champagne glass that she is so lavishly reclined in blows me away. The props and sets omg. Any person who works BTS on fashion shoots and in film is stunned by the array of wardrobe changes involved. I think there are more than 72 wardrobe changes and with those came a new wig for each outfit. To top it off, Harry Winston provided the diamonds. Oh, the glamour! I would definitely say the feathers we do often, would be perfect for Shirley.
La Piscine - 1969 (French)
This stars Alain Delon and the always ever chic Jane Birken. This film is set in the summertime on the Cote d Azur. Say no more. The set could remind you of a David Hockney painting he might had done for his Swimming Pools series. The film is sex, sun and suspicion. Sounds just like another day in Los Angeles if you ask me, lol. The palette of the film is all natural and warm skin tones that feel so beautiful against the blues and greens of the outdoor environment. I find myself inspired by a similar au naturel look when I am shooting for Spring and Summer seasons. A great reference. The costumes in this film were by Andre Courreges - the wardrobe is super clean and modern. The bikinis Romy wears alongside her tropical blend tanned skin, screams Summer to me personally and it is definitely a reference to my Southern California lineage. I would think our Day Shifter Dress and Enlightened Shifter Dress would love to live in this film.
A Clockwork Orange - 1971
The clothing in this dystopian British film seems to portray a futuristic version of the British "rocker" youth subculture of the 50s and early 60s albeit it is in the 1970's. You can see the references of Teddy Boys, Mods and skinheads. The girls had colors in their hair and streaks which obviously showed up in new wave and punk styles.The costumes have become well known references in fashion editorials for rebel dressing. I did a deeper dive on A Clockwork Orange when I did wardrobe styling for Motley Crue’s Hooligans Holiday music video. I had to make costumes similar to the “droogs" and we had many characters that were outliers. I’ve always really liked the rebellious spirit. Futuristic punk.
Funny Face - 1957
So this film has been one of my very favorite films stylistically for years. And I am not alone - Funny Face won the Oscars for Best Costume, Best Art direction, and Best Set Direction.I mean, when you watch the montage of the Paris fashion photo shoot scene… It is a fashion aficionado's visual dream come true. Edith Head and Givenchy WOW!
I love Audrey Hepburn in the Parisian nightclub scene. She wears all black with these white socks. Very in vogue with the models off duty at the moment. Funny Face is a homage to editor Diana Vreeland and photographer Richard Avedon. I have referenced Funny Face throughout my career in more ways than one. When I had my retail store in Fred Segal / Flair, I would often recommend a new hire to take the time to study the attention to detail and the colors. If they informed me they had seen it before - it was a quick hire as I knew "they got it.” Well, let’s say it helped. Another cool way this film was referenced was in a music video I styled for Belinda Carlisle. Live Your Life Be Free - directed by Nick Egan. I used this reference when shooting this video for wardrobe and styling. That was heaven for me.
Grease - 1978
C’mon Sandy... the naughty Olivia Newton John at the end of the movie especially!
Danny/John Travolta… drawing inspiration from the Greasers of the 1950's.That leather jacket vibe is still a classic. Everyone refers to a James Dean image and this brings it to life again. When Sandy makes her debut at the end in her all black outfit - girls like me dreamed of being that girl. I also love the opposing style on Travolta when Danny tries to succumb to her good girl vibes. I love a grey sweatshirt today and everyday. I saw this movie over and over.
Fun fact - Grease was filmed at my high school - Venice High School. We left for a summer and came back not knowing they had filmed. The students found great pride in seeing our HS on the screen.Made our VHS alma mater a little buzzworthy.
Grease is the word.
Blow Up - 1966
Probably every stylist appreciates this film. It is about the act of seeing and the art of image making. The film takes place in London during the Swinging 60s. The hair, make up and styling: fabulous. I love the big hair moments and the make up. If you have been on set as long as I feel I have been, you can laugh out loud to the comparisons of being on set. It's a true cult classic.
I Knew Her Well - 1965 (Italian)
Ok so, let’s talk about Italy in the 60s. The music AND the style. I can only imagine Miuccia Prada has had her eye on this film in the past. How could she not?The soundtrack is fabulous. Stefania Sandrelli plays a girl from nowhere that moves of course to a beach town and works as a hairdresser. Beach vibes already.She moves to Rome and dreams of being a celeb. It all gets exploited. Sound familiar? I guess it is a precursor to the influencer age of today.I love how it shows the elite crowd at a party doing the Twist. Fast vintage sports cars, groovy sounding Italian pop music, and leopard pattern coats. Yes, yes and yes! You wonder where the mob wife trend started? Anyways my faux fur leopard coat for Fall 24 would be happiest at home in this film.
Breathless - 1960 (French)
Breathless is noted often for its bold visual style. How can you not reference a film that has the cool Jean Seberg? I think the image of Jean Seberg with her super short cut hair wearing the Herald Tribune t-shirt stays on my mood board always. That t-shirt and the classic french Breton stripe t-shirts are a forever classic. It inspired me to pay homage to Jean Seberg, and to be honest, is probably why I collect striped t-shirts to this day. A must see.
Shampoo - 1975
I love humor and a good satire. It is about a Los Angeles hairdresser and how he juggles women, basically.
Check out the soundtrack - here which is very much California radio in the 70's. IYKYK.
Shampoo takes place on Election Day in 1968. Nixon is running. Groovy times in Beverly Hills and probably how hairdressers became rock stars.Gotta love Goldie Hawn.
A Love Letter to La La Land
