The documentary deciphers the mark left by the star designer, half a century after the launch of his brand

As the house parades this September 26 at the Paris Fashion Week Women’s Spring/Summer 2025, the documentary “Inside The Dream: in the footsteps of Thierry Mugler”, directed by Matthieu Menu, is being released.

This 62-minute cinematic journey – directed by Matthieu Menu and produced by Terminal 9 – delves into the heart of the creative process of the house with a behind-the-scenes immersion from conception to production. of key moments leading up to the 50th anniversary of the French house. Broadcast on Canal+ since September 25 in France.

For six months, the documentary follows the artistic director and his team on the one hand, in the meticulous preparation of the new collection, that of spring-summer 2024 inspired by sea creatures, up to the fashion show where models present these creations to the public, and on the other hand in the development of the new perfume.

An iconic brand of the 1980s, known for its sexy outfits, the house was founded in 1974 by the star visionary couturier and artist Thierry Mugler. Artistic director since 2017, the American Casey Cadwallader has managed to resurrect the spirit of its founder without trampling on his heritage.For 50 years, Mugler has embodied the power of bold creativity. Today, Casey Cadwallader, as Fashion Artistic Director, continues Manfred Thierry Mugler’s visionary legacy. Through iconic creations and groundbreaking innovations, the house continues to shape the future of fashion and fragrance together.” underlines Danièle Lahana-Aidenbaum, Global President of Mugler Fashion & Perfumes.

The story celebrates a visionary legacy exploring half a century of firsts: from Manfred Thierry Mugler’s revolutionary impact on fashion, to Casey Cadwallader’s runway shows and pioneering innovations. It’s a moving dive between never-before-seen archival footage, behind-the-scenes looks at shows and behind-the-scenes footage of advertising campaigns for perfumes such as Angel and Alien. Happy flashbacks!

Since its inception, Mugler has been synonymous with bold, captivating and fantastical fashion and fragrances. Deeply rooted in the entertainment industry and adored by avant-garde artists like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Dua Lipa, it is more than just a fashion house: it is a brand that shapes pop culture through its commitment to empowerment and inclusion. The house has always embodied the spirit of bold self-expression, continually redefining the art of the avant-garde.

Like this major moment in the film, behind the scenes of actress Zendaya’s appearance in the robot Machine man from the Cirque d’hiver collection of fall-winter 1995-96 for the premiere of the film Dune 2. If the images of this unique moment did not fail to leave their mark last February, seeing or re-seeing this chrome outfit, nestled in its cardboard box and eexhumed specially from the archives, is moving and even more so when it’s Zendaya’s turn to put it on, the past then joins the present!

The documentary highlights figures associated with the house such as Pat Cleveland, Iman Bowie, Paris Hilton, Law Roach. But also key personalities such as Chapuy, President of L’Oréal Luxe, Danièle Lahana-Aidenbaum, World President of Mugler fashion and perfumes, Olivier Cresp, master perfumer DSM-FIRMENICH, who intervene and testify, for example, on the advertising campaigns of perfumes of yesterday and today.

The opportunity to realize that the maison is a breeding ground for innovations and visionary audacity where fashion and perfume coexist and complement each other. We rediscover the crazy work done on the Angel perfume at the time of its release with this desire to keep a very avant-garde vision. We had almost forgotten that Mugler had opened a new olfactory family at the time, that of gourmands, and we are impatient to discover their new juice by watching this documentary.

Another highlight is when Casey Cadwallader talks about his meeting with the founder of the brand, as well as the climax, the spring-summer 2024 show which shows how heritage is respected and revitalized by the artistic director. We can feel, for example, the tension and excitement of the few minutes before the start of the show because the show is a summary of six months of work in seven minutes. Like this documentary which cundense 50 years of creation in one hour, linking the past to the present, between homage to heritage and contemporary perspective.

Broadcast on Canal+ since September 25 in France