Think vibrant prints, saturated color palettes, and lots of Penélope Cruz.
Pedro Almodóvar’s 9 Most Stylish Films
With a penchant for vibrant prints, saturated color palettes, and mid-century modern design, Pedro Almodóvar’s aesthetic is unmistakable. The director’s body of work—spanning over 40 years, 22 feature films, and earning him two Oscars—has cemented his position as the modern master of Spanish cinema, but it’s his maximalist visual style that makes him a cultural mainstay. The key? Eclectic sets, exquisite cinematography and bold, playful costuming.
This year, the auteur returns with Parallel Mothers, the tale of three women grappling with the notion of motherhood, starring Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Milena Smit, and his longtime muse Penélope Cruz. Ahead of its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, Vogue looks back at Almodóvar’s career to date through his nine most stylish films.
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
Photo: Alamy
A heartbroken TV actress sets out to discover why her lover abandoned her in Almodóvar’s first mainstream hit, a mile-a-minute madcap comedy that takes one shocking turn after another. In line with the surreal script and larger-than-life characters, the costumes are delightfully kitsch: bedazzled denim jackets, candy-colored skirt suits and polka-dot blouses paired with headbands and towering bouffants. It’s worth keeping an eye out for the jewelry too, which includes earrings in the shape of miniature espresso pots.
