Karl Lagerfeld, John Galliano: Television has an obsession with famous designers

The drama series Cristobal Balenciaga released this year is contextualised and set during the period from the Spanish Civil War to the early 1970s. Photo: Disney+

Fashion is back in the spotlight with the recent release of made-for-television productions.

The New Look, which dropped Feb 14 on Apple TV+, tells the story of how designer Christian Dior and his contemporaries navigated World War II and launched modern fashion.

It contains a slew of fictionalised accounts and scenes, but overall, the series is inspired by true events.

Focusing on two designers – Dior and Coco Chanel, played by Ben Mendelsohn and Juliette Binoche respectively, it tracks the grim years of the Nazi occupation of Paris.

Read more: 'So much fun to wear!': Costumes help revive fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld for TV

There is also the documentary High & Low: John Galliano (released March 8 via several streaming platforms).

This one features interviews with Galliano himself, plus other fashion icons like Vogue editor Anna Wintour, supermodel Naomi Campbell, actress Penelope Cruz, supermodel Kate Moss and actress Charlize Theron.

Actor Daniel Bruhl portrays Lagerfeld in the latest drama series. Photo: Disney+

Galliano was a shining star back in the 90s and 2000s, until he was videotaped making antisemitic remarks in 2010.

Following years of laying low, he then joined fashion house Maison Margiela in 2014.

Even though its been a little over five years since the death of Karl Lagerfeld (Feb 19, 2019), his influence in the world of fashion goes on through documentaries made on his life and legacy.

One of them is the upcoming drama series, Becoming Karl Lagerfeld. It is slated for release June 7 on Disney+ and Hulu.

Read more: New fashion documentary shines light on controversial designer John Galliano

The production will chronicle the rise of Lagerfeld through the world of 1970s Parisian high fashion. He is played by actor Daniel Bruhl.

Earlier this year (Jan 19), Disney+ released a drama series that recreates the life and legacy of Cristobal Balenciaga. It covers the years he spent in Paris, several of which were under Nazi occupation.

Together with numerous past shows such as House Of Gucci (2021) and Saint Laurent (2014), it shows that the fashion world, fascinating as it is, can and will forever be valuable entertainment fodder.