Kingdom of Dreams Comes To The US: The Fashion Empire

‘Kingdom of Dreams’ first aired in October of 2022 in the United Kingdom, this four part series follows three decades of the fashion world from the early 1990s to the 2010s. It showcases the formation of fashion and beauty powerhouses Gucci and LVMH as global icons. While following the careers of fashion’s greatest – Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, John Galliano, and Alexander McQueen. The series will be making its US debut on Sunday, September 15, 2024 on The Network streaming service for free. 

ARCHIVES – LE COUTURIER JOHN GALLIANO ET ANNA WINTOUR EN SOIREE A PARIS EN 1993

Episode one follows the story of John Galliano, a British fashion designer. Galliano served as the creative director for Givenchy (1995- 1997), Dior (1997-2011), and Maison Margiela (2014 – present). John got his start from his ‘French Revolutionary’ inspired graduating collection from his alma mater Central Saints Martins. Whilst also touching on the origin of the LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennesy) family with Bernard Arnault, LVMH founder/CEO/ and chairman. The episode also touches on Anna Wintour, Vogue’s editor-in-chief since 1988. Thanks to Ms. Wintour Mr.Galliano and Mr. Arnault joined forces together and in the fall of 1997 Bernard welcomed John to the Dior family. As episode one comes to an end they express the differences between Alexander McQueen’s 1997 Givenchy show versus John Galliano 1997 Dior’s show. McQueen’s show was described in the film as being chaotic and unorganized whereas Dior’s show was described as elegant and organized. 

Photo: Kevin Mazur Archive/WireImage

As we make our way through the series in episode two we focus on the story of Gucci. During the 1980s – 1990s Gucci was a broken company on the brink of bankruptcy. In 1993 upon hiring Domenico De Sole and Tom Ford the company took a turn for the best. Tom expressed that since the company was on the verge of bankruptcy he was able to have full control over their 1993 Milan Fashion Week. This was the ultimate turning point for the luxury brand as Madonna was spotted head-to-toe in their items weeks later. The episode also touches on how handbags became a main focus in the fashion world after Gucci’s Milan Fashion show highlighted a handbag with every outfit. It briefly touches on Marc Jacobs who introduced the grunge collection for the house of Perry Ellis. In 1998  Bernard reached out to Marc Jacobs to create a Louis Vuttion Ready-To-Wear line. The line received awful press causing Jacobs to plummet into drugs and alcohol. As the episode comes to an end Arnault who passed up on Gucci, attempted to sneak into the company by purchasing several shares and attempting to sit on their board. This battle caused endless lawsuits for both companies as they found ways to ensure Gucci remained separate from LVMH.However, De Sole and Ford fought hard to keep Gucci separate and landed on Francois Pinault, who served as their white knight. 

Photo Credit: JAKE CHESSUM/SUPERVISION

As we embark on episode three we are introduced to the ongoing battle between LVMH and Kerig. After Tom Ford’s failed Yves Saint Laurent show, Bernard was seen speaking with Saint Laurent at the Dior fashion show, with Saint Laurent appearing to seek his help.While LVMH, Marc Jacobs, showcased a Louis Vuttion graffiti collection in collaboration with NYC artist Stephen Sprouse. The rivalry between John Galliano of Dior and Alexander McQueen of Givenchy was also introduced to us. The documentary highlighted the vast differences of the budgets, the limitations, and Alexander’s ability to make something out of nothing for Givenchy fashion shows. Prior to Tom leaving YSL he was able to visit their archived collection where he put a modern twist on their previous African and Chinese collection. This shot YSL sales through the roof and put Ford on Laurent’s good side. At the Vogue’s 2000s Summer Party McQueen spoke with Tom and De Sole about working together and ultimately came up with the idea to make Alexander McQueen part of the Kerig group. 

In the final episode of this four part series we focus on the shift in fashion and how branding shifted the fashion world. Dana Thomas said the items went from “beautiful handcrafted luxury items” to items that represented “wealth, success, power” thanks to logo marketing. The docu-series touched briefly on Alexander McQueen battles he faced with depression and his suicide. Alongside John Galliano’s diva attitude that came through in his later years of working. The most important thing the series touched on was the unsafe working conditions in factories overseas. Which inspired McQueens show that highlighted environmental sustainability throughout fashion.     

From left to right: John Galliano, Lee Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford

In capturing the rise of these fashion empires, The Kingdom of Dreams offers a rare glimpse into the lives of the visionaries who have shaped the industry from the inside out. From the creative geniuses driving iconic designs to the business magnates who built global luxury conglomerates, the film paints a vivid portrait of the passion, ambition, and relentless pursuit of excellence that defines fashion. For anyone who loves fashion or is curious about the forces that power its global influence, this documentary is an essential watch, revealing both the glamour and grit of an industry that continues to captivate the world.