Attitude on Screen

Do TV shows influence the fashion industry or do they even set trends? Maybe so, but it´s not the case in France. The majority of the French population doesn´t pay too much attention to TV shows (den Hartog 2007). Nevertheless, going to the cinema, is very much part of the French culture -not to forget about the fact, that Paris has the highest density of movie theatres in the world (Maryl 2013). So, yes, actual movies might have an impact on French fashion. At least, the French style will be reflected within movies and positively rewarded in the press (Beauvois, Courbet and Oberlé 2012).
The importance of French fashion is best known through the position of French designers in international movies (Janssen 2006). Chanel has created clothes for movies such as Louis Malle´s "Les Amants" (1958) or Alain Resnais´s "L´année dernière à Marienbad" (Last Year in Marienbad, 1961), while DIOR dresses were embellishing actresses in "Rear Window" (1954) and "All that Heaven allows" (1955) (Mag 2013).

The popularity of French cinema has helped some actors to establish an international career, like Marion Cotillard and Audrey Tautou (Maryl 2013). Those two women even represent the face of major French fashion houses - Tautou for Chanel (Victoria 2008) and Cotillard for DIOR (Cain 2013).

Marion Cotillard received international recognition for the iconic role as Édith Piaf in "La vie en rose" (2007) (Sati 2012). Audrey Tautou hit the spotlight as "Amélie" (2001) and was also starring the lead character in "Coco before Chanel" (2009) (Ibrahim 2012). No wonder why, Hayward (1990) examines, French feminist cinema posits a way to desire differently.

                           

Tautou was clearly the right cast for this movie, because it´s impossible to deny, that she and Coco Chanel look very alike.

As France being the birthplace of cinema (Maryl 2013), Martin (1995) even reveals that French movies inspire Hollywood to copy ideas, such as the following ones: Hugh Grant´s comedy "Nine Months" is based on the French original "Neuf Mois", Arnold Schwarzenegger´s "True Lies" is a remake of "La Totale" and Bridget Fonda´s thriller "Point of no Return" retread the successful "La Femme Nikita".
The modern French cinema culture is rewarded by the well-established annual Cannes Film Festival (Maryl 2013). And for all who didn´t know - France is honoured for being the country with most "Best Foreign-Language Film" Oscar nominations, as Kim (2013) states.

Last but not least, the French mentality is captured on screen, as Spiggott (2012) quotes famous film scenes, ranging from the humorous to the introspective.

 "To commit suicide in the Seine, one doesn't need to undress." (Diabolique 1955)

"You're better suited for making love than for making war." (The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie 1972)

"There are two things that are infinite: femininity and means to take advantage of it." (La Femme Nikita 1990)

"These are hard times for dreamers." (Amélie 2001)