The New Look

In 1943, as Germany occupied Paris, an up and coming Christian Dior was designing ball gowns for a man named Lucien Lelong (Malkovich). They were faced with an impossible choice: design dresses for the Nazi’s wives and girlfriends…or lose everything. Dior was providing financial support to his sister, a revolutionary in the French Resistance.

Across town, having already reached the summit of the fashion world before the war, Coco Chanel learns that her nephew has been captured by Germans, and she must navigate her Nazi connections to save him.

Alternating between timelines and the lives of Dior and Chanel, The New Look draws sharp contrasts between the realities of war and the opulent world that arose in its wake, shedding new light on the forces that drove a bold and escapist new cultural life in Paris.

While the two rivals rarely intersect, the arcs of their stories and how they differed are captured in a way that fans of House of Gucci will embrace; there are lessons to be mined from all the dialogue, negotiations, and relationships for anyone with artistic or entrepreneurial aspirations.

“Stirring us out of our darkest times”

What sets The New Look apart is not just the stark relief of its contrasting worlds, it’s the evocative rendering of these worlds. From the casting choices and their performances to the exquisitely crafted gowns to the redolent soundtrack. You’ll recognize the mezzo-soprano voice of Florence Welch singing “White Cliffs of Dover.” Lana del Rey can be heard covering “Blue Skies.” Nick Cave, Bleachers, and 1975 and several other current talents round out the background.

While the songs capture the mood and tensions of the story, the familiar voices can sometimes take us out of it. But if their familiarity serves a purpose, it’s to underscore the relevance of the story’s themes to today, reminding us that “artisans,” perhaps because of the opposing worlds they must bridge, have always played a crucial role in reconciling the deepest of divides. At their best, fashion, like music and art, can stir us out of our darkest times.

Where to stream The New Look:  Apple TV+