In these horrific times (I’m talking about Halloween, not the current context – wait?), let’s talk about “Cruella”, a Disney studios film directed by Craig Gillespie in 2021, carried by two Emmas: Emma Stone in the title role and Emma Thompson as Baroness Von Hellman, the one who’s even meaner than the official villain.
Because “Cruella”, like “Maleficent” in 2014, rehabilitates the villain as animated by Disney several decades earlier – by exposing the journey of the one who will become in the collective imagination the absolute evil figure and by leaving a serious doubt as to this asserted wickedness.
Maleficent in 2014 is the victim of a robbery and a rape, which explains her fury towards Aurore, the daughter of her predator – fury that will eventually turn into love.
In 2021, Estella – who is not yet called Cruella – sees, as a child, her beloved mother die in an accident for which she feels responsible.
An orphan, she educates herself in the streets of London in the 70s. A fashion designer by vocation, she is a professional thief with her two friends in misfortune, Jasper and Horace, but she manages to get hired in the artistic team of England’s greatest fashion designer, Baroness Von Hellman, who runs her haute couture house Liberty with an iron fist.
The student will obviously quickly overtake the master – and the student will also quickly understand that the master is not unrelated to the death of her beloved mother.
The duel can begin. And it is accompanied by an amazing soundtrack, which brings together The Doors, The Clash, Blondie and Queen.
Beyond the entertaining nature of the family film, the confrontation of the two fashion designers is particularly enjoyable for an adult audience. “Cruella” is certainly funny but “Cruella” is above all stylish, thanks to the talented costume designer Jenny Beavan, who created 80 spectacular costumes for the two lead actresses.
Setting the scene for this “Cruella” in early 1970s London is a genius idea. The effervescence of Swinging London and the rise of fashion and a soon-to-be punk pop culture are perfectly rendered by the opposition between this Baroness Von Hellman who represents the old society and this Cruella whose youth and rage shake everything up. I feel like I’m living in one of my favorite songs by The Clash, “The Magnificent Seven”, which is as accomplished musically as it is politically – I encourage you to pay attention to the lyrics, which are ironic and still relevant.
The costumes are a perfect illustration of this generational antagonism: the creations of the baroness are obviously beautiful but inevitably evoke post-war designers – how not to detect the influence of Christian Dior and Cristobal Balenciaga in her hyper-structured models, with a strangled waist and voluminous, almost architectural collars?
Cruella’s creations, just as beautiful, are fed by the fire of the “no future” rebellion which overturns, which destroys and which diverts – how not to think of Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano or Alexander McQueen with their rock or even punk creations?
Cruella’s aggressiveness and aversion to cultural elitism is shown in devious military jackets (inspired by those of Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen), in a dramatic red dress (inspired by Alexander McQueen) or in a dress in pale pink tulle and newspaper (inspired by a creation by John Galliano).
Even the breathtaking and poisonous dress that Cruella designs and makes under the “Liberty” banner for Baroness Von Hellman is directly inspired by Alexander McQueen’s “2010 Plato’s Atlantis” creation.
Cruella is celebrated as the “enfant terrible” of fashion, as were Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen.
Because Cruella in her 2021 version is an “enfant terrible” and that’s why we love her.
Ralph Lauren jacket adorned with a DIY messy mess – Vintage red and black skirts and vintage cane from Marcel et Jeannette, Paris Flea Market – Dior heels – Vintage mittens
October 30, 2025
