The Network Acquires Docuseries ‘Kingdom of Dreams,’ Which Takes On the High Fashion Industry (EXCLUSIVE)

The Network — the free ad-supported on-demand streamer behind John Leguizamo’s drama series “The Green Veil,” has secured its next program acquisition” “Kingdom of Dreams,” a docuseries that first aired in the U.K. on Sky in 2022, and will now be available in the U.S. for the first time.

The four-part “Kingdom of Dreams,” which will start streaming on Thursday, Sept. 15, centers on the mystery and intrigue that came with the dark side of the high fashion industry in the early 1990s through the 2010s. The series focuses on the rise to fame of designers including John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs and Tom Ford.

Produced by Misfits Entertainment, along with Fremantle (which has global distribution rights to the show), “Kingdom of Dreams” uses library footage, personal archives and new interviews to focus on what it describes as “the tough journey to succeed as top designers while being pushed to the edge by the largest fashion conglomerates in the world using aggressive methods and hostile takeovers to dominate the global fashion market. Audiences go on a fashion journey where disruption, rebellion and betrayal create a life-or-death struggle between creative wizards and ruthless tycoons.”

Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui of Misfits Ent. (“McQueen,” “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story”) were the creators and exec producers behind “Kingdom of Dreams”; Andee Ryder is also an EP, while Nick Green was series director.

“’Kingdom of Dreams’ is about the upstart designers who disrupted fashion and the ruthless tycoons who disrupted the concept of ‘haute couture,’ turning the Fashion Houses into the world’s greatest luxury superbrands,” Bonhôte and Ettedgui said in a joint statement. “So, it’s only fitting that an insurgent platform like The Network will be introducing the series to US audiences.” 

Fremantle’s Lisa Honig, senior EVP of distribution for North America, brokered the deal along with Mike Moses, the head of development and acquisitions at The Network. The series was originally commissioned for Sky Documentaries in the UK by Zai Bennett (managing director of content), Poppy Dixon (director of documentaries and factual) and Jamie Morris (director of programmes).

The Network has already ordered a second season of “The Green Veil,” which was paired this spring with U.K. acquisition “Chivalry”; Rappaport’s plan for The Network is to premiere two shows at a time every quarter, ultimately releasing eight more series (including the second season of “Green Veil”) over the next 18 months. This reps part of the second batch of series.

“’Kingdom of Dreams’ is a searing and frenetic character study of the world’s top designers. Daring, thought provoking and wholly unique, this seriesis Network series through and through and we couldn’t be prouder to premiere it amongst our other premium catalog of thought-provoking originals, said The Network founder Aram Rappaport. “In our quest to offer the US market unique originals they can’t find anywhere else, ‘Kingdom of Dreams’ hits the mark and delivers”.