Beyond Cannes, Chanel has partnered with Toronto International Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival and Tribeca Festival in New York City. At the latter, Chanel has partnered on a women’s filmmaker programme, Through Her Lens, since 2015, to provide support and mentorship for emerging filmmakers. Celebrating 10 years in September, the programme included an annual three-day workshop for women and non-binary filmmakers, incorporating mentorship and funding opportunities. Also in partnership with the festival, the house hosts an Artist Awards Program (since 2005), which gifts artworks to filmmakers at the festival; a demonstration of the intersectionality between fashion’s engagement with other creative industries.
Though the brand has produced films previously, this is not the end goal for Chanel. “The house does not aim to become a ‘producer’, that is not our job. We are not looking for a return on investment [ROI] when we support a film, nor are we looking at product placement,” Chanel told Vogue Business back in 2023. “Nevertheless, it is essential for the house to support their artistic projects and careers.”
Gucci
Gucci’s most recent foray into film was its own short film, The Tiger, which was Demna’s format of choice when showing his first collection for the brand. The film was directed by Spike Jonze and Halina Reijn, starring Demi Moore. Perhaps, it’s a sign of more cinematic experimentation and investment to come under the new creative director.
There’s precedent, especially in the realm of documentary filmmaking. Gucci previously headed up the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund (GTDF), which sought out feature-length documentaries either in or post-production. The programme ran for 12 years until 2020. The brand also partnered with the Sundance Institute to support the “development, production and post-production of work that looks at the world in complex, creative, beautiful and provocative ways”. The initiative ended in 2022.
Miu Miu
Under the direction of founder and creative director Miuccia Prada, Miu Miu has long been entrenched in the film industry. The brand kick-started its short film series, Women’s Tales, back in 2011. Over the past 15 years, it has commissioned 30 productions. “Miu Miu has asked filmmakers to celebrate femininity in the 21st century with a critical eye, armed with total freedom to create whatever they want,” per the brand, which refers to the Miu Miu clothes that characters must wear as a “counterpoint” to the film’s narrative. “With the Women’s Tales, we created a conversation with women about women,” Mrs Prada says of the programme.
