Anna Wintour, who is the most powerful, polarized and feared woman in fashion, shows why she is indeed the boss. Her keen business sense and knack for knowing what’s next gives her the ability to stay 10 steps ahead of every other glossy in fashion. “She saw the celebrity boom coming before it happened” says creative director Grace Coddington, of Anna making Vogue the first magazine to feature a celebrity on its cover, ”although I didn’t agree with it, she obviously knew what she was doing”.
She sits front row at every fashion show, never missing a strut, while watching from behind her signature sun glasses and blonde bob. And no designer dare to appear at the tents before giving her a before hand preview of their collection, trusting her brutally honest opinion and intuition of what’s in, what’s hot and what’s not. In the film, she proves that her “ice queen” reputation is more than just a myth. It’s the truth. It’s how she handles her business, it’s how she lets her staff know she’s serious, it’s how she conducts her self from a day-to-day basis so she can produce the best damn magazine this $300 billion industry will ever witness.
When she takes interest in someone, it’s genuine and passionate, which is demonstrated with the bond you see she developed with the designs of young Asian designer Thakoon. He admitted when he met her, he was so nervous he couldn’t stop shaking, “she’s like… Madonna”, he exclaimed. But when she doesn’t like something, she will not hold back! No one dares argue with her, or question her decisions, except for Grace Coddington that is:
Grace, who is the creative director of Vogue, has been there just as long as Anna. 20 years. She started out as a fashion model, and then went into editing at British Vogue, then switched over to American Vogue and worked her way up the ranks. She is the woman behind all the amazing styling you see while flipping through every issue of Vogue, the creative force behind making sure themes and scenes are carried through, with a vision just as sharp as Anna.
“Never close your eyes or fall asleep in a car, inspiration is all around you, and you’ll miss it”- Grace Coddington
The brutally honest Anna, and extremely opinionated Grace, seems to always butt heads. “We don’t always agree, but over the years, we’ve learned to deal with each others points of view” Grace states in one part of the film, “but I know when to stop pushing, Anna doesn’t”. This relationship between creator and curator, seems to be a match made in fashion heaven. The yin and yang of Vogue’s success. When the two get together, it’s both fire and fireworks, with the two both being admittedly rebellious and obviously creative.
Then there’s the infamous Andre Leon Talley, the Editor At Large:
Never leaving home with out his robe, fur, or Louis Vuitton everything, his role in the film was surprisingly small, but his larger than life persona made its mark when he did appear on screen. While taking tennis lessons decked out in everything Louis Vuitton, he said “Anna wants me to lose weight”. But the glamour he brought on court for a “work out” was comedic at best.
But the answers everyone wanted from the most mysterious, talked about, and celebrated woman in fashion, was pretty much answered. But these answered peaked my interest the most:
What is your strength?
Decisiveness
What is your weakness?
My children
Her children, of course. In the way Anna dealt with her daughter, who is currently a college student, you can see the shift in attitude. The defenses went down, the business woman was on break, and the mother came out. Mushy, supportive, and wanting her mini-me to follow her impressive foot steps, she seemed, for once, relatable. Just like every other mother. But surprisingly, Bee Shaffer doesn’t want to be like mom. “I don’t want to work in fashion” she says with a matter-of-fact smile “I mean, it’s fun, but people take it so seriously. I don’t see how people can make this their jobs, it’s just fashion”. Ouch! I mean, her mother only made it her life! But the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, because Bee made clear, her interest to go into journalism. Although, she doesn’t want to work for her mother at Vogue. When the interviewer asked her, she quickly stated, “no”, as if asked that same question a thousand times.
Overall, I give it 5 out of 5 stars! Guaranteed to make anyone fall in, or back in love with fashion. A recommended watch for any fashion enthusiast, and fan of Vogue. If you’ve ever considered a career in the demanding and competitive world of fashion, this movie is for you. 3 thumbs up.