Last month saw the release of the highly anticipated, and highly unexpected, sequel to Zoolander, Ben Stiller’s send-up of the late-1990s fashion industry that has grown into an iconic cult classic. It reminded us just how absurd the world of fashion can be, as the film brought us everything from lessons in model-faces to piano-key neckties to runway walk-offs judged by David Bowie. Though the sequel didn’t get the most amazing reviews, it certainly reignited our passion for seeing fashion on film.

And though it can indeed be absurd, fashion is also a very serious business. It’s an environment of intense pressure, where the profound beauty that is achieved is only possible through hard work and high stakes. And as great as Zoolander is, it is simply incapable of portraying this side of it. So to supplement the ridiculousness of Ben Stiller’s fashion farce, here are 5 films that accurately capture the beautifully dangerous world of fashion.

1. The Devil Wears Prada 

It came out exactly ten years ago, and the magic of The Devil Wears Prada has ensured its place among the most important films for gay men around the world. It’s a perfect storm: it has high fashion, makeovers, glamorous lifestyles, and, most important, Meryl Streep. But the film has staying power not for its many shady quips or gorgeous gowns, but its ability to create empathy within the demonic personalities of the fashion world. As this film shows, it’s a tough industry. A lot of shit befalls hapless Andy on her journey from frumpy mess to the polished right-hand of fierce editor Miranda Priestly, and along the way we see what an emotional train-wreck each and every one of these people are. The fashion world is all about appearance, but this movie manages to tap into the minefield of hard decisions, emotional oppression and inevitable heartbreak that lies beneath.  

2. Funny Face 

A shy bookstore worker getting street-cast for the latest high fashion campaign, being swept off to Paris and falling head over heels in love seems absurdly impossible. But when it happens to Audrey Hepburn, you can’t help but get swept right along with her. This fabulously adorable Technicolor musical is a feast for the eyes and ears, but it’s also a time capsule of the fashion industry in the late 1950s, when some of the most legendary designers were working at the peak of their powers. Starting in the world of New York editorial with the hilariously telling number ‘Think Pink!” then onto the clandestine world of Paris couture, the film manages to portray each level of the fashion industry with tongue-in-cheek humor that seems uncannily rooted in reality. And you would be hard-pressed to find another fashion film that features dancing courtesy of Fred Astaire, songs courtesy of the Gershwin Brothers, and a beauty that’s as iconic as lovely, lovely Audrey.  

3. Dior & I 

For a designer of a major fashion house, leading up to a runway presentation is among the most nerve-wracking things we can imagine. Not only do you have a span of weeks to create an entire line of clothing that will be mass consumed by the entire world, but you have the responsibility to honor the legacy of your house. This high-wire act is captured in the most intimate, detailed way possible in Dior & I, a film that turns a portrait of a creative director’s stress into a veritable horror film. It follows designer Raf Simons as he prepares to launch his latest collection for Dior, an age-old house with an enormous reputation to live up to. For those that have ever wondered about the inner workings of making a collection and arranging a runway, look no further than this riveting documentary.

4. Blow-Up 

So yes, technically this movie is an avant-garde, slow-paced thriller about someone discovering a corpse in a park. But more than that, it’s a film that drops you right in the heart of swinging 1960s mod London and shows you just how drop-dead gorgeous and fabulous it all was. The film concerns the misadventures of Thomas, a man who makes his living as a fashion photographer when he’s not finding mutilated bodies in city parks. So for every moment of sheer terror and confusion, there are indulgent scenes that break down the mechanics of a good fashion shoot, from selecting amazingly garish retro looks to coaching models in a frenzy that would make Austin Powers proud. The danger in this film is almost worth it, thanks to the nonstop glamour parade.

5. The September Issue

You thought The Devil Wears Prada was cute, and it is, but were you prepared for just how accurate that film was? Yes, there are in fact legions of people undergoing emotional trauma to prepare fashion editorials. Yes, there is a massive difference between ‘blue’ and ‘cerulean’. And yes, there is indeed a woman at the center of it all who just might be fear incarnate. The September Issue is a documentary that gives unprecedented access to the world’s most infamous editor and her magazine that acts as a literal bible for fashion fanatics across the world. This film serves to confirm that Anna Wintour is just as frightening as you’ve been led to believe, and that her work for Vogue is actually as influential as she thinks it is. If you’re looking for the real scoop of the fashion world, it doesn’t get any realer than this.

Sources: Rolling Stone, NY Times, Rosemary on the TV, Dior and I, Mubi, Sky