Aisha Schliessler has Manners
Directed by filmmaker Aisha Schliessler the film reimagines dated etiquette and behavioural expectations placed upon women through a contemporary lens.
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Set within the storied Art Deco interiors of Eltham Palace, Manners is a female-led fashion short film exploring femininity, autonomy, and the subtle rebellion of women navigating imposed social codes.
Directed by filmmaker Aisha Schliessler and styled by London-based womenswear designer Isabella Hoelk, the film reimagines dated etiquette and behavioural expectations placed upon women through a contemporary lens. Structured through a series of cinematic vignettes, Manners draws from the language of 1920s and 1930s period etiquette manuals, with rules read aloud throughout the film as its protagonists quietly reinterpret and undermine them through wit, gesture, and dress.
Schliessler’s previous work has been featured on notable platforms such as NOWNESS, and at international film festivals including Berlin Commercial, Cannes Short Film Corner, the Beverly Hills Film Festival, and the Sun Valley Film Festival, where her films have been recognised for their strong visual language and character-driven storytelling.
Credits
View on- Agency Client Direct
- Production Company You Are Here
- Director Aisha Schliessler
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Credits
View on- Agency Client Direct
- Production Company You Are Here
- Director Aisha Schliessler
- Creative Director/Executive Producer Isabella Hoelk
- Executive Producer Jeremy Goold
- Executive Producer Aisha Schliessler
- Executive Producer Jim Marks
- Executive Producer Marc Cattrall
- Producer Hannah Malpas
- Production Designer Abigail Richardson
- DP Sy Turnbull
- Editor Nathan Young / Editor
- VFX Artist Austin Hickman-Fain
- Colorist Nathan Pena
- Sound Designer Jack Goodman
- Composer James Bargent
- Composer Evan Parsons / Composer
Explore full credits, grab hi-res stills and more on shots Vault
Credits
powered by- Agency Client Direct
- Production Company You Are Here
- Director Aisha Schliessler
- Creative Director/Executive Producer Isabella Hoelk
- Executive Producer Jeremy Goold
- Executive Producer Aisha Schliessler
- Executive Producer Jim Marks
- Executive Producer Marc Cattrall
- Producer Hannah Malpas
- Production Designer Abigail Richardson
- DP Sy Turnbull
- Editor Nathan Young / Editor
- VFX Artist Austin Hickman-Fain
- Colorist Nathan Pena
- Sound Designer Jack Goodman
- Composer James Bargent
- Composer Evan Parsons / Composer
The project takes inspiration from Virginia Courtauld, the progressive and unconventional socialite who once lived at Eltham Palace. Known for her philanthropy, outspoken liberal politics, and resistance to entrenched social norms, Courtauld’s legacy serves as both a conceptual and visual foundation for the work. References to her rebellious spirit appear throughout the film, including serpent-inspired jewellery referencing her infamous snake tattoo.
Blending fashion, architecture, and cinematic storytelling, Manners positions clothing not simply as ornamentation, but as a language through which women historically negotiated identity, status, and self-expression within restrictive systems. The collaboration between Schliessler and Hoelk reflects the increasingly intertwined relationship between fashion and cinema, as luxury houses move beyond traditional advertising toward cinematic storytelling that creates deeper emotional resonance and cultural longevity. Informed by Hoelk’s experience designing within the ateliers of Chanel, Burberry, and Maison Margiela, the film allows clothing to function as an integral part of the narrative rather than a purely aesthetic element, approaching fashion through a strong understanding of silhouette, construction, and the emotional power of dress.
Shot on location at Eltham Palace in London, the production marks a rare collaboration with an English National Heritage Site, which is seldom opened to projects of this nature. The film brings together an international cast and creative team, including Dutch-German poet Anna Seidel and British-Indian actress Syrienna Singh.
