While Austin Butler‘s “Masters of the Air” is still the number one series on Apple TV+ globally, according to FlixPatrol, a new show has reached the second spot of the most-watched list: the historical drama, “The New Look.”
The series, created by Todd A. Kessler (Damages), is perfect for all the fashion lovers, as it explores the rise and fall of some of the most iconic designers during the post-World War II period, particularly Coco Chanel (Juliette Binoche) and Christian Dior (Ben Mendelssohn).
The name of the show, which was filmed in Paris, comes from the term that was used to describe Dior’s work, which was coined by Carmel Snow, Harper Baazar’s editor, played by Glenn Close.
‘The New Look’ focuses on the Coco Chanel-Christian Dior’s feud
The series, co-written by Jason Rabe and Amanda Coe, follows the life of the world’s biggest fashion designers as they navigate through the aftermaths of the Nazi occupation of Paris. One of the major focuses is the rivalry between Chanel and Dior, as their styles were opposites.
Apart from Mendelssohn and Binoche as Dior and Chanel, the show also stars Glenn Close as Carme Snow, who was editor in chief of Harper’s Bazaar between 1934 and 1958. Pierre Balmain is portrayed by Thomas Poitevin, while Nuno Lopes plays Cristobal Balenciaga.
The rest of the cast includes Maisie Williams as Catherine Dior, who was an activist, as well as Claes Bang (Hans Von Dincklage), Hugo Becker (Hervé), Alexis Loizon (Jean Marais), John Malkovich (Lucien Lelong), and Emily Mortimer (Eva Colozzi).
‘The New Look’ reviews: What critics are saying?
According to a report from Variety, the show’s second season would be in development. However, there’s no official word from Apple yet. And, if it were for the reviews, the series should be scrapped at once.
Writing for Time, Judy Berman said that “The New Look is, in practice, a dull, morose, bafflingly executed trudge through Nazi-occupied France, as navigated by two of the most famous names in the history of fashion.”
Meanwhile, The Guardian gave it two out of five stars and Lucy Mangan called the show “absurd to the point of insult.” While she writes that as a drama “it’s fine,” and praised the performances of the cast, she harshly criticized how the show treats the themes regarding the war.
