Sofia Coppola feels inspired by fashion industry

Bang Showbiz on Sep 2, 2025

Published in Women

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Sofia Coppola has always been inspired by fashion.

The 54-year-old filmmaker is premiering her new documentary about designer Marc Jacobs, her long-time friend, at the Venice Film Festival, and Sofia admits that the fashion industry has always served as a big inspiration for her.

The acclaimed director - whose new documentary is called Marc by Sofia - said at a press conference: "It's just something that I love and it's inspiring and exciting to me. I've always loved fashion. [And] I have teenage daughters now…"

Despite this, Sofia was initially hesitant to make a documentary about Marc.

She shared: "When they asked me to do a film on Marc, I thought, 'No, I can't do that. It's too much pressure. [It] would have to be good, because he's my friend and I love him.' And then I kept thinking about, oh, it'd be so fun to look through all the archives … we've been friends for 30 years, and [it would be fun] to get to revisit his incredible body of work that I grew up with."

Sofia's experience of making the documentary actually took her back in time.

The filmmaker - who is the daughter of legendary director Francis Ford Coppola - recalled: "Just my brother and me and a camera and a sound person -- it was kind of made in the spirit of the way [I] started and I wanted this homemade, personal look."

Sofia felt it was important to strike the right tone and balance with the documentary.

She said: "I wanted it to feel personal, but it was a balance because I didn't want it to be about me.

"I wanted to have a sense of our friendship and that it was being made by a friend, through my point of view … And I wanted to make sure that the audience felt included, that they were brought in and never felt like it was [an] inside joke that they weren't a part of."

Marc, on the other hand, had no hesitations about committing to the project.

He said: "It was very easy to say yes to Sofia. I feel very comfortable … I was excited by Sofia's attitude and approach to a documentary which wasn't conventional. It was much more organic and natural."

Marc is candid about all sorts of issues in the documentary, including drugs and plastic surgery. And the acclaimed designer doesn't have any regrets about his approach to the project.

He said: "It's true, I've chosen to be very honest and open about things that other people feel shame around. I just find it benefits me not to feel shame, and the only way to do that is to be frank and open and honest."