The September Issue

Dir. R. J. Cutler
USA, 2008, 90 mins.

Is Anna Wintour as cold and severe as Meryl Streep’s scathing portrayal in the Devil Wears Prada ? The September Issue attempts to paint an intimate portrayal of the “ice queen” as her team prepares to publish the year’s most important issue of Vogue magazine.

The documentary opens in early summer New York, where Wintour is constantly butting heads with creative director Grace Coddington. Both women reveal themselves to be equally stubborn and hard to please. While Coddington is busy with the editorial photo shoots, Wintour is whisked off to Paris, London, and Milan for fashion shows before the big issue must come together.

What is most interesting about The September Issue is the truly intimate interviews Cutler manages to squeeze out of Wintour. When Wintour describes her strict upbringing and her family’s view of her career, one might even hear a tinge of sadness and resentment in her voice. Her somewhat detached “motherly” interaction with her daughter, Bee Shaffer, and Andre Leon Talley’s over-the-top “fabulousness” also bring some depth and lightness, respectively, to the documentary.

All in all, The September Issue is a must-watch for budding and long-time fashionistas, especially those who may be considering entering the cut-throat world of fashion. If not for the inside scoop on the industry, then at least for the schooling of designer labels and figureheads.