The release of HBO’s The Idol, starring Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd, has been a long time coming, but after much anticipation, it will finally premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in just under a month.

 

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From the controversial mastermind behind Euphoria, Sam Levinson, the series is a satire of fame. Delving into the toxic relationship between rising pop star Jocelyn, played by Depp, and cult leader/mentor/Depp’s love interest, Tedros, played by The Weeknd, the series also sees cameos from the likes of OG YouTuber-turned-singer Troye Sivan and BLACKPINK’s Jennie Kim.

Apart from being deemed “the sleaziest love story of all time,” by HBO itself, the series’ plot has been kept mainly under wraps. The newly-released trailers, however, have given us a sneak peek into a highly toxic and realistic Hollywood music industry, where sex, drugs, violence, and manipulation dominate. Imagine a universe where Euphoria’s Maddy drops out of school to become a pop star.

 

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Much like the careers of young women in the public eye, the series was under overwhelming scrutiny and need for reinvention in order to stay relevant. After sacking off the show’s initial director Amy Seimetz, Levinson and The Weeknd took full control and The Idol was flipped on its head—but perhaps not for the better.

After multiple reshoots and postponed release dates, the toxic pair shifted the series’ focus away from a predominantly female perspective of reclaiming her own agency towards a brash, sex-heavy love story.

As Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis’ daughter, Lily-Rose Depp’s inclusion in the highly anticipated series was hotly contested. Many questioned whether she had earnt the role fair and square, or if it was her nepo baby status that boosted her chances—either way, having her name attached to the project definitely helped increase online hype.

Depp has certainly thrown caution to the wind as she swapped her clean girl Chanel bride image for that of the hyper-sexualised Jocelyn. We certainly can’t wait to see mummy and daddy’s reaction to The Idol.

From recording studio slip dresses and live show booty-cheek bodysuits to dingy club skimpy bikini tops, costume designer Natasha Newman-Thomas expertly uses Depp’s wardrobe to transport us into the midst of Los Angeles’ seediest crowds and circles. While some publications have attached the indie sleaze aesthetic to the series, we can’t help but feel as though the show represents something slightly different, something we’re now calling sexy sleaze.

 

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Parallels can be drawn with the ultimate spiralling pop girl, Britney Spears, who Depp turned to for her character’s inspiration. “Who doesn’t love Britney?” the actress told W Magazine. “I wanted Jocelyn to be the kind of woman who can dominate a room, someone who doesn’t ever shy away from their sparkle.”

Speaking of sparkle, one of the show’s stand out looks sees Depp in a glittery, skin-baring bodysuit with an overlined pout and a flurry of pink hair extensions in what can only be described as a post-shag disarray. Miles away from the nepo baby’s minimal French girl aesthetic, this is a look we wish we could steal to perform to our own sold out show, in other words, to our bedroom mirror.

 

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As an it girl herself, could Depp hold the power to boost sexy sleeze to the heights that  Y2K reached? We certainly think so. The aesthetic lends itself impeccably well to festival season, not to mention the timing of The Idol’s release. Underboob already lives rent free at festivals while barely-there bralettes are not only justifiable in the summer heat but also reminisce of the iconic British icon Effy from Skins.

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Trend forecast: indie sleaze revival #trendcycle #nostalgia #tumblrfashion #indiekid

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The concept of female pop stars showing some skin in an attempt to maintain success and boost their profile is nothing new, it’s also a normal stage of growing up and becoming a woman. Taylor Swift swapped cowboy boots for thigh highs and bodysuits, while Spears retired her school uniform for snakes and latex—all transitions that helped them further understand their public personas.

The Idol’s trailer questions “when was the last truly nasty, nasty, bad pop girl?” And Jocelyn does feel like a real response to that. But, have Levinson and The Weeknd created a show where we actually get to take a proper peek into the life of a female artist finding herself, or is this just going to be another problematic deep dive into the male gaze?

Despite the ups and downs of production, The Idol is bound to make an impact—whether it’s a positive or negative one remains to be seen—and so will its fashion. So get ready to bare all as sexy sleaze takes the stage.

It may just be a one minute teaser trailer but the internet is already obsessing over our first glimpse into the latest instalment of the X trilogy. Whether you’re a fan of horror movies or, like me, left childhood sleepovers severely traumatised, Mia Goth and director Ti West’s recent collaborations aren’t ones to miss. But all the style, fashion and fits emerging from the latest instalment in the trilogy is anything but horrifying. 

Unlike her characters that are desperately seeking fame, Goth is well on her way to stardom. Deemed horror’s new Ii girl, the 29-year-old British actress is well and truly carving her name (in blood) into Hollywood. Goth’s filmography is eclectic, ranging from horror flicks, to period dramas like Emma, a film she starred in alongside fellow Brit actress Anya Taylor-Joy.

This year, she’ll be returning to our screens in the psychological thriller Infinity Pool directed by Brandon Cronenberg, son of the acclaimed body horror enthusiast and director David Cronenberg. Now that’s what you call range.

Despite a growing career in film, Goth has also established herself as a fashion guru and alternative it girl. A long term relationship with Miu Miu has seen her star in the brand’s SS15 campaign, which was subsequently criticised for sexualising a young girl despite Goth being 22 years old at the time. Her innocent looks might have worked for movies but not for Miu Miu, it seemed.

More recently, the actress also opened the label’s FW23 show earlier this year, looking very librarian chic, a stark contrast to Pearl’s get up.

Despite coming second in the plot line, the first movie X follows an amateur film crew striving to make a porno in an elderly couple’s eerily remote Texan ranch. We also see a very different side to Goth’s co-stars Jenna Ortega and Brittany Snow—it’s safe to say that the Wednesday pigtails have very much been chopped and severed off for Ortega.

Set in the late 70s, X is a vision of oversized collars, blown out hair and powder blue eyeshadow. That, combined with the plot line—think Daisy Jones & The Sixth gone immensely wrong. Without scrutinising the credits, you’re likely to have missed that Goth plays both the young adult film actor Maxine Minx, and the elderly Pearl loaded in prosthetics. It’s a horror movie after all, it would be rude not to.

In contrast to the prequel, in which Goth took on the role of a much younger Pearl on her quest for fame and fortune, in MaXXXine, the actress sports playful pigtails and prairie dresses. Pearl, the movie, provides us with a backstory for X’s antagonists. Without giving too much away after watching the prequel, echoes of Pearl screaming “Please, I’m a star! Noooo I’m a star!” will haunt you right into MaXXXine’s much guarded release date.

A24 really put the tease in teaser trailer, with a one-minute pan of the Hollywood sign being replaced by the film’s title. What we do know is that the film is set in Los Angeles in 1985 and that Goth will reprise her role of Pearl accompanied by none other than American singer Halsey.

 

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In a stand-alone promo pic, Pearl seems to have got everything she wanted striding through LA in a glittery bodycon mini-dress. Her blown out 70s curls and eyebrows have been frazzled with peroxide. Would we be naive enough to think blondes really do have more fun? Pearl’s terrifying past says yes.

 

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The release date is yet to be announced but we’re sure when we are finally brought into Pearl’s 1980s world, the TikTok trends will quickly emerge. Bleached brows will make a comeback, whether you like it or not. Colour blocking is an 80s staple, especially with bold colours and bodycon silhouettes. As she makes her transition from music to movies, Halsey makes a case for oversized fur coats and buzzcuts.

It may still be early days for MaXXXine but so far it’s looking more cool than creepy. With a flurry of famous faces joining Halsey and Goth, including Elizabeth Debicki who swaps her royal pearls from The Crown for Pearl herself while Lily Collins attempts to redeem her reputation after the polarising Emily In Paris. Being set in the 80s, West couldn’t avoid being also joined by 80s icon and recent TikTok star Kevin Bacon.

While we wish Pearl all the best in her upcoming 80s adventure, feel-good films just aren’t Goth’s style. For now, we can relish in the bliss of teaser trailers and look forward to being inundated with 80s fashion that’ll slice through all the Y2K chaos. At some point the winds are bound to change and horror, gore and a whole bunch of creepy smiles will prove fame and fortune is much easier said than done.