Surprisingly to some, “The September Issue” leaves its audience thinking of the infamously “scary” Anna Wintour as a woman just doing her job, and doing it well.
“There is something about fashion that can make people very nervous,” says Wintour during the film’s opening.
The documentary’s main attraction, Wintour, discusses why some people have a tendency to belittle fashion—calling it silly and frivolous. She thinks it scares people. People who think fashion is a waste of time don’t understand it and are intimidated to try. So, instead they make fun of it, Wintour explains.
Though some refuse to take fashion seriously, Wintour does, as she absolutely should. She is the most powerful woman, if not person, in the $300 billion fashion industry.
Wintour is decisive and intelligent. When she tells a fashion designer that his collection does not have enough color, she isn’t being cruel. She is being honest and a smart businesswoman. She knows where the fashion world is headed and what it needs.
Unlike Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly, Wintour does not try to instill fear in everyone she meets. She doesn’t throw her coat and handbag on an intern’s desk or make impossible demands. Does she know what she wants? Sure. Does she except everyone to be on the top of his or her game? Yes. Is she a devil in Prada? No.
The documentary actually gets the audience to empathize in some ways with Wintour.
You can count her family among the people in the world who think fashion is silly.
Wintour says her career “amuses” her siblings.
Her daughter, Bee, who aspires to be a lawyer, speaks of her mother in a way where you can tell she does not truly respect Wintour’s career or standing. Bee makes quietly cutting remarks that leave the audience feeling for Wintour.
Much of the film is also devoted to the semi-rivalry between Wintour and artistic director Grace Coddington.
A former model, Coddington is brilliant at what she does for “Vogue.” She turns clothes into art. Her fashion spreads are gorgeous and page-turning perfection.
In the film, Coddington fights for a particular spread of hers—a decadent 1920s-inspired masterpiece.
Though the two have their differences, they respect each other and recognize that “Vogue” would not work without both of them.
As an avid “Vogue” reader since my early teen years I have always respected Wintour and been intrigued by her mystique. After “The September Issue” my respect for the brains behind my favorite fashion publication has only grown. The documentary exposes how hard her job can be and how much pressure she’s under to put out the greatly anticipated September issue.
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