Movie Review: The September Issue

My Mum is here enjoying the Hawaiian sunshine this week, so I was thrilled when The September Issuefinally arrived from my que to my mailbox. Since my Mother's personal style and interest in fabrics and fit are what first got me interested in fashion, she is the perfect person to enjoy this film with!

This documentary follows Anna Wintour and her staff (especially stylist Grace Coddington) through the creation of the famed September Issue of Vogue magazine. The September issue is more than just looks for fall. It's a sort of guidebook to the colors, cuts, accesories and designers that will be influential in the coming year.

Wintour is famous for being an Ice Queen (she was The Devil who wore Prada after all!) and though this movie doesn't show us any real tantrums, she doesn't come off like a ray of sunshine either. As the film unfolds, the real story centers around Grace Coddington, the stylist who assembles the looks and oversees shoots. She pours her heart into each and every story she does, but much of it gets left out of the final issue. Her struggle is knowing which battles to fight with Wintour while still remaining true to her own personal vision. After the battle has been won or lost, she also has to muster enthusiasm and joy as she breathes life into the next assignment.

Any artist can identify with the struggle to get excited about the next project or assignment on the heels of a creation that hasn't been well received. The creative process is a juggling act that requires persistence and passion above all else. Ms. Coddington is lucky to be at the top of her game, and I hope that someday we Vogue fanatics will be treated to a compilation of her favorite shots that never made it to newsstands.

This movie may not be the down and dirty expose of life behind Vogue's glossy pages I'd hoped for, but it was a wonderful reminder that there are different approaches to success in the creative world. And that it's all done in the name of Beauty.