Netflix Challenge #1- The September Issue

Fascinating.

That's the first word that comes to mind after finishing The September Issue. This is a documentary about the creation of the September 2007 issue of Vogue magazine. It's an in-depth look at what goes into creating the magazine and the people behind the curtain. It's currently available instantly on Netflix and I highly recommend queuing that sucker up!

I have so many thoughts and I don't know where to start! I think Grace Coddington is my hero now. I was familiar with the fashion director before this but didn't honestly know much about her. She has such spirit! She truly loves what she does and says herself that she wouldn't still be doing it if she didn't. I can't imagine putting so much of yourself and your time and creativity into a photo spread just to have someone come and slash half of it away. What you found beautiful, they find "toothy" or "too dark" or say it doesn't fit in with the story of the spread. Direct quotes from Anna Wintour there. The two woman have a relationship that can only be shared by people that have worked together in a very tough industry for decades. They seem to share this antagonism toward the other but then go on to call the other a genius or a visionary. I didn't realize Coddington had been a model herself and worked at British Vogue for 20 years before coming to American Vogue. She and Wintour even started on the same day! I would love to be a fly on the wall in those offices.

Anna Wintour herself is character that is hard to define. I realize she is a real person but I think she, like most famous people, put on an act in public. Seeing her interact with her daughter or talk about her father/family was very telling. It was obvious how much she loves her daughter. I also detected a tear in her eye when she was talking about her siblings and how they were 'amused' by what she did for a living. Her daughter even went so far as to say she respects her mother but finds the fashion industry laughable and the people in it ridiculous. I'm paraphrasing there but she certainly wasn't singing it's praises. I can't imagine how that affects Wintour. During the day she has people cowering in fear of her, kowtowing to her every idea and whim, claiming she is the most influential woman in America! Only to have her family basically laughing at it.

I recently watched the documentary about Valentino called The Last Emperor and I highly recommend both movies. They show a side of the fashion industry that is not widely publicized. I honestly feel anyone would enjoy these movies, not just Vogue subscribers. Having a love of fashion only enhances the experience.

Fascinating.