This new fashion film takes the cake

In the film created for the Schott NYC x Lou Menais collaboration, everything revolves around the trajectory of a single object: an oversized cake carried through a Parisian building. 

From the very first images, it establishes itself as the central element of the narrative. Too large for the space, difficult to handle, it dictates every movement. Climbing stairs, opening doors, crossing rooms all become constrained actions. The film follows this journey step by step. In the staircase, then inside the apartment, the cake moves through scenes of everyday life. Around it, people talk, laugh, and go about their business without really adapting to its presence. This contrast is enough to create tension. Nothing fully breaks, but everything feels slightly off. Until the breaking point: the cake falls in slow motion.

Directed by Rayan Rey, the film moves away from traditional fashion film codes to build a narrative through a series of tableaux. Each sequence functions as a self-contained vignette, where characters evolve in situations that are both familiar and slightly displaced. From a technical angle, everything was shot entirely on film using an Arri 435 in 4-perf. The choice of a natural, cramped interior setting created significant constraints, particularly in terms of lighting and shooting pace. The limited space required precise coordination, with every movement and position carefully adjusted to work within the technical limitations of the location.

Conceived as a natural extension of Lou Menais’ universe, the film adopts a stylised yet subtly absurd aesthetic, where accumulation, overflow, and waiting become recurring narrative elements. The collaboration itself is built on a similar tension between structure and reinterpretation. On one side, the heritage of an iconic wardrobe, embodied by the Schott bomber. On the other, a contemporary approach shaped by the designer’s perspective. Supported by the craftsmanship of Atelier Montex, part of Chanel’s Métiers d’Art, this collaboration results in six unique pieces.

The film is rooted in a collective dynamic, bringing together a constellation of talents close to Lou Menais, including artists Bonnie Banane and Ichon. Produced by HENRY, Rey delivers a precise and controlled visual language, where the narrative is shaped through detail, rhythm, and the tension within each situation. A film that reflects a contemporary approach to fashion filmmaking, both embodied and free.