Christina Ricci stars in Donna Karan short as fashion film trend continues through 2010

(AFP/LEON NEAL)

Hollywood actress Christina Ricci stars in a new short film called Four Play, inspired by the "versatility" of Donna Karan's Eldrigde bag.

Directed by Sting's son Jake Sumner, the film shows Ricci portraying four different personalities (the 'Dreamer,' 'Expressionist,' 'Paramour,' and 'Voyeur') that meet in the end.

"I didn't want it to feel like advertising," Sumner said. "I wanted it to feel like something that could be viewed in itself, but using the aesthetic of Donna Karan. There's a thin line between very unsubtle advertising and doing something that stands alone and has its integrity."

Karan's move comes after a long series of artistic short films replacing classic fashion ads in 2009, a trend that is set to stay through 2010: following the news that surrealist filmmaker David Lynch shot the new 'chapter' to the 'Lady Dior' commercial starring Marion Cotillard; the French fashion house also launched a new series of online short films to accompany its 'New Lock' bag.

Dior competitor Chanel is considered to have started the trend with its Baz Luhrmann-directed commercial for the 2005 'No. 5' fragrance ad, starring Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman, and is rumored to have tapped Martin Scorsese for its 'No. 5' follow-up.

Labels as diverse as Vanessa Bruno, Victoria Beckham, and Victoria's Secret all hired movie directors for their short films this year.

The element of different personalities in Four Play has also been popular in recent advertising, with Dolce & Gabbana basing their new 'Anthology' fragrances on the concept, for instance.