«Kubrick’s secretary heard the sound of each book hitting the wall as the director flung it into a reject pile after reading the first few pages. Finally, one day the secretary noticed it had been a while since she had heard the thud of another writer’s work biting the dust. She walked in to check on her boss and found Kubrick deeply engrossed in reading a copy of the manuscript of The Shining», (Stanley Kubrick, A Biography, 1999). This marked the beginning of the production of one of the world’s most famous horror films, which premiered on the big screen exactly 44 years ago, on May 23, 1980. Although the film was initially mocked by critics, receiving two Razzie nominations the following year for worst director and worst actress (a nomination annulled in 2022 due to the abuse Shelley Duvall suffered on set), today The Shining is regarded as a timeless cult classic, inspiring designers, filmmakers, producers, and creatives of all kinds, either directly or unconsciously. We know that fashion loves cinema, especially impactful films, but there are few movies that have made their way onto the runway or into editorials as frequently as Kubrick’s masterpiece.

Here are the brands that have resurrected the aesthetic of The Shining.

Alexander McQueen – The Overlook

It’s hard to write about fashion collections inspired by dark themes without mentioning Alexander McQueen, a pioneer of horror aesthetics in couture. The designer took inspiration from Kubrick’s film in 1999, staging a snow-covered skating rink for a show named after the hotel in The Shining, Overlook. Even the invitation, suggesting guests dress warmly, quoted the script’s refrain, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. The collection included heavy knit tops, aluminum constructions, and parkas drawing from traditional Inuit culture, while the models’ eyelids were covered in pitch-black or white eyeshadow, their hair intricately braided and dyed gray. The show, which received a standing ovation, featured sixty-six looks and is still considered one of the most evocative collections in fashion history.

Prada FW97 campaign by Glen Luchford

The Prada campaigns of the 90s stood out for their storytelling on real backgrounds, outdoors, far from the sterile white of a studio. This is the case with the FW97 campaign shot by photographer Glen Luchford. «I consider them cinematic, but I wasn’t creating a narrative. I just had films in my mind and scenes that had always stuck with me, and I wanted to find a way to recreate them in a fashion context: it wasn’t anything more complex or intellectual, it was rather simplistic», comments the creative about the images in the photo book Prada 96-98, created in collaboration with the brand. In the photos featuring Amber Valletta and Joaquin Phoenix, references to Kubrick’s film are subtle but permeate every scene, from snowy landscapes to the model peeking through a door’s peephole.

Gucci – Exquisite FW22

In the Exquisite campaign by Gucci, the brand’s former creative director Alessandro Michele brought together all his favorite horror and thriller films into one video, including The Shining. From Kubrick’s film, he took the younger characters, from the twins to little Danny with his tricycle. The collection included the Gucci x adidas collaboration, which transformed Michele’s eccentric style with a sporty twist, while other looks harked back to the past with furs, pearls, and lace.

Undercover – SS18

To the soundtrack of the film, at the SS18 show by Undercover, models walked in pairs in looks evoking 1950s American aesthetics. Cardigans, pearl earrings, and rockabilly details were mixed with darker elements, such as skulls on picnic baskets, glittery black cats, and red apples. The show’s finale featured two models in baby blue dresses inspired by the Grady twins‘ outfits, with one covered in blood-red beads.

Coach – FW14

For the debut of the Ready-To-Wear line of Coach, the brand’s first creative director Stuart Ververs took direct inspiration from the outfits of Kubrick’s film characters. Specifically, he replicated the Apollo sweater worn by little Danny in the film, substituting the innocent light blue background of the depicted space shuttle with a darker color. Other looks evoked the 70s aesthetic of Shelley Duvall‘s outfits, though in a less literal and more modernized way.