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Vogue (both UK and US) have received a bit of a bashing over the last few months. UK Vogue has been accused of going over to the dark side and being all bland, boring and predictable by draping its cover with generic stars such as Cheryl Cole and Victoria Beckham. Whilst US Vogue has been criticised for losing its edge and replacing its wonderful creative fashion spreads with dull and lifeless shoots. Fellow Blogger, Chloe Tejada aka Fashion Journalist in the City ponders the stance of US Vogue here while Michele Obi from myfashionlife discusses the dilemma of the British counterpart in this fascinating piece. This combined with ever growing rumours that Chief whippersnapper, Anna Wintour is hanging up her heels and sunglasses means that life is pretty full on at Conde Nast towers. It is ever so mind boggling that they even entertained the idea of having cameras in the Vogue offices to make a fly on the wall documentary about the magazine. Unlimited access was given to director, R. J. Cutler to make, The September Issue which is a reality film that focuses on the production of the largest edition of Vogue which was published in September 2007. The film was shot over nine months and captured behind scenes at fashion weeks, staff meetings, photo shoots as well as moments with Anna and her family and close friends. The movie also shows the relationship that Anna holds with Grace Coddington, a dynamic redhead who is Vogue's Creative Director and according to Time; the most influential Fashion Editor. I will be honest and admit that I have never heard of the lady but 20 minutes of research later and I can tell that Ms Coddington seems as formidable of icy Wintour herself. Christ how interesting would it be to see those two at work? The September Issue made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival yesterday and the rights for the film have been snapped up. I have not read the review for it so I am not sure how it was received but those who were after a real life The Devil Wears Prada have been granted their wish. Check out the trailer for the film below and tell me what you think? Compelling or just another reality film?
3 cool comments:
i'm really excited about this to come out! I'm really witing to see how Vogue really is vs. when it was recreated in The Devil Wears Prada...
and I'm from Lagos!!!!!!!!
Wow, that clip scared me. It must be hard working for Anna because she obviously knows so much more than any of her team and demands excellence (it is Vogue after all). If you think about most other mainstream fashion mags (Elle, Marie Claire, Glamour), they do have other features and the editors have inevitably come from a features background as opposed to fashion. Even (UK) Elle, as good as it is, has an editor - Lorraine Candy - who was initially a newspaper features editor. I don't *think* Lorraine has a fashion background and I have heard that in her previous editor job (at Cosmo), she started off with NO clue about fashion.
But Anna has been editor of US Vogue for decades, there's nothing she doesn't know, so to have to present ideas or work to her must be extremely nerve-wracking and frustrating if the response is frequently, 'I don't think it's quite there yet, give it some more thought'. I think this will be a good documentary that will dispel so many of the magazine-working myths of it being glamorous and frivolous. I bet these people work bloody hard! I'm dying to see it...
Anna Wintour has bags of style, and is interesting because she's stayed at the top of her game for so long.
I notice she doesn't follow fashion, preferring to wear what suits her, for instance having the same fab bob since forever. Therefore, I suggest Anna Wintour's interests are culturally-reflective images and expanding visual vocabulary, rather than fashion.
The Guardian had a brief review of September Issue last Friday. They made an interesting comment that Anna W is often criticised for attitudes and behaviours which are praised in male senior managers. Good point. However it's still wrong to give developmental feedback by such a negative method. Nor is it the way to develop your staff and proteges. Hopefully the bitchiness is just for the cameras and she's a better manager in private!
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