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Disney’s Cruella: Arguably One of The Best Fashion Films of All Time
For Disney’s live-action remake of Cruella, Dalmatians, black and white hair and the cunning evil that is Miss De Vil graced the screens again in 2021. It has been over 20 years since we saw Spots, and it was something the fashion industry needed. If you haven’t seen it yet, add it to your watchlist! Nevertheless, I will not be exposing too many spoilers.
The plot mainly involves developing Cruella’s (Emma Stone) or “Estella’s” character and designing the film as a prequel. Estella’s difficult upbringing is accompanied by how her fiery passions turned her into a distinctive character. We all start somewhere! Lore aside, this is one of the most incredible fashion films ever created! I rank it amongst The Devil Wears Prada, Zoolander and The House of Gucci.
I may have expected it to be a standard re-creation of the original 101 Dalmatians family film, but it was not. The film is swimming with stunning looks, deeply delving into fashion concepts. A fashion revolution is presented, as well as Cruella’s evolution as a designer from childhood to her adult career.
This movie’s focal point is on the development of Cruella’s work and the struggles she endured to achieve greatness, or in a more specific case, “evilness”. Everyone loves a villain origin story, and this detailed reveal encapsulates her descent into badness.
Cruella’s First Catwalk
Near the film’s beginning, we are welcomed to their depths of fashion with a runway presented in a grand hall. This event carries a 1700s theme with extravagant gowns and boisterous wigs.
This Marie Antoinette aesthetic gestures a formal and expressive show, forcing the young Cruella to be stunned at the beauty unfolding. Divine structures are included as the mantua gowns and regency suits grace the room, forming an atmosphere of prestige. The tall decorative cakes are wheeled inside to coordinate forms, colourful and whimsical. A regal presentation to kick start the movie begins the train of sophisticated fashion unveiled throughout the film.
The Illustrations
Throughout the movie, I found the inclusion of multiple illustrations spread across the timeline. The drawings are a gorgeous addition that follows within the backstory, offering more detail to the fictional fashion label and encapsulating the class of the garments. This is similar to the first live-action of 101 Dalmatians, where Anita gives Cruella illustrations to evoke garment ideas. This prequel takes the same concept but flips it. Cruella presents the drawing to her boss, developing her sense of fashion. These drawings present authentic culture and the progress of garment construction and are a defined detail in the movie.
The Shop Window
Ranking the scenes in order of fashion involvement, I’m awarding one of the top spots to the Shop window scene. Consisting of Cruella becoming intoxicated whilst the clothing store is closed, during a flustered and fragile moment of mentality, she vandalises the mannequin in the front window. This drunken act ends with the display transforming from a basic garment to punk couture.
With the added effects of illustrations plastered up the walls, it automatically conveys artistic emotions. It changes a blank wall into a canvas. The mannequin is moved into a laid-back position with its feet raised upon a chair, instantly portraying an informal display. Newspaper pages are scattered and ruffled underneath the mannequin’s skirt to evolve volume and pleats, expanding the look entirely and exposing creativity.
Rocking Dalmatians
Throughout all of the 101 Dalmatians’ lore, it is apparent that Cruella desires to steal the dogs’ spots to create genuine fur coats. This origin is nodded at in this prequel. However, the modern Cruella has no intentions of harming animals. Better yet, the new take mirrors the animals’ coats with faux fur. The fake fur garment is presented during the rock scene, where a punk show is the heart of a catwalk event hosted by Cruella herself. For a modern take on such a classic storyline, the spot print had to be included (even remotely), and I am pleased that this was done well.
Trashy Dress
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is the best-fitted expression to accompany this look as we dive into this dumpster stunt. The realism of the stunt-centred reputation of Cruella relates to the desirable exposure brands aim towards. The best way to receive attention in the industry is through a stunt, and the bin lorry is undoubtedly the film’s best.
During a gala, a trash truck reverses onto the red carpet, dumping a mound of rubbish in front of guests. Hiding in such a mound is Cruella, wearing a gown of wasted fabrics and relative newspaper pages. The form holds an endless train dragged across the pavement as she rides away on the side of the truck. The genius concept behind this idea is an impressive glance into the fashion world and was represented extensively.
Flying Colours
Taking revenge literally, the insect garment holds a specific and classy structure that is illustrated and constructed in the movie. The dress incorporates the cocoons of moths, sewn strategically to appear as a textured or stoned garment. It encapsulated tedious yet professional work. The plot twist is that Cruella has sewn genuine moth cocoons, enabling them to hatch and disrupt the event. The cocoons hatched where the dress was stored, which caused a commotion among the guests. Not only did the moths disturb the event, but they also destroyed the other garments by feeding off the fabrics. This stunt was a jaw-dropper and a well-constructed and thought-out scheme that was a brilliant attribution to the film.
Ending Cruella Consensus
This film is a stunning adaptation of the 101 Dalmatians storyline and is one of my favourite films of all time! Its creative justice hands an array of positive material that features a great soundtrack, fitting cast, brilliant plot and, of course, incredible fashion. The original movie inspired me to drive down the fashion route, and it still motivates and influences me today, guiding aesthetics and passion. I’m sure younger generations who grow up with Emma Stone as Cruella rather than Glenn Close will seek out a more intense and influenced passion for fashion.
Due to the years of pre-produced Dalmatian films, it would have been easy to decapitate the theme and ruin the saga. Disney’s Cruella is truly a masterpiece of its time and is an astonishing and powerful aspect of the fashion industry. We are lucky enough that it was taken to an even higher concept.
