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SINGAPORE : Sunglasses, fur coat, and that bob. You might assume that's everything to know about Anna Wintour and the fashion bible she runs known as Vogue. But as R J Cutler's documentary hints, Wintour may be a more complex character than we think.
"The September Issue" observes the months of planning and preparation that went into the making of the September 2007 issue of American Vogue, their biggest issue to date, clocking in over 800 pages. But it is not the open book one would hope the documentarian - who was allowed remarkable access to the usually publicity-averse editor and her staff - would uncover.
Could it be because Cutler, like Wintour's staff, simply cowered in her exacting presence? We'll never know, as what we end up with is a colourful, fanciful and fun, if somewhat frivolous, peek into the one of the most unabashedly superficial worlds.
Most successful is the exploration of Wintour's relationship with her creative director Grace Coddington, a 60-something-year-old flame-haired styling genius who started at the magazine the very same day Wintour did. Coddington is entirely likable, a perfect Wintour antithesis and befitting damsel in distress (especially when her work gets thrown out).
One cannot help but see Cutler's obvious shine towards her. But just like it is in the office, you get a sense that his Coddington enthusiasm is tempered by the pervading presence of Wintour.
Inscrutably measured even under stress, the Wintour on screen proves to be both more and less than all gossip might have us believe. She exudes every bit of the hauteur with which popular lore credits her, but Cutler manages to demonstrate a vulnerable side in want of family approval.
"The September Issue" is a frothy peep through the looking glass at a fancy-schmancy party we can't quite believe we've been invited to, and glad we don't have to stay all night at.
- TODAY/rs
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