The September Issue.

The Wall Street Journal

“There is something about fashion that can make people very nervous,” Anna Wintour, the chief editor at Vogue, explains in the ninety-minute documentary “The September Issue.”

Perhaps, it is the high priestess of fashion herself that puts everyone on edge when it comes to fashion, as we have seen in Meryl Streep's depiction of her in the "Devil Wears Prada."

However, this documentary, which follows the Vogue editor through the drama of piecing together the 2007 September issue (the most coveted issue of the year), shows a softer, funnier version of Wintour that will make any fashion fanatic adore her.

This documentary allows us to follow Wintour and her top-of-the-line fashion team around the world to London, Paris, Rome and New York as they put together the fattest issue (over five pounds in weight) of Vogue to date. I adored watching the Vogue entourage travel to Versailles and Rome -- places I visited while living abroad last year. The dream world of Vogue appears more tangible after experiencing these places first-hand -- the places are just as glamorous as the garments being modeled.

My roommate Brie Colangelo -- a California native -- introduced me to this documentary last summer. She discovered this documentary from a review in "Entertainment Weekly."

"I am not a fashionista in any sense of the world," Colangelo said. "But I enjoy fashion and I enjoyed this documentary. I am not one to spend a lot of time on my fashion, but this documentary definitely made me think more highly of the fashion and how much work goes into an outfit -- not to mention a fashion magazine."

Colangelo said she was very impressed and has more respect for the world of fashion after seeing this documentary.

"I really enjoyed this documentary because it gave us a behind-the-scenes look at Vogue and how Anna Wintour works and decides what fashion is in or out," Colangelo said.

The documentary also introduces us to Wintour's family life and we meet her daughter, Bee Shaffer, who does not share or understand her mother's passion for the fashion industry.

"Some valid points are made about how fashion is viewed by both fashionistas and those who believe fashion is unimportant and not influential in the world."

Either way, the fashion, the drama and the glamour of "The September Issue" will leave you drooling.

Dior sans Galliano.

google images

As I have recently delved into the beginning of the fashion empire known as Dior in a previous post an ode to Jackie Kennedy style, I would like to update you on a few of the recent happenings involving Christian Dior's label. 


John Galliano, a British fashion designer, was the head honcho behind the Dior label since 1997 up until two days ago. On Feb. 25, Dior announced that it had suspended Galliano due to his arrest in Paris for allegedly making anti-semitic remarks. On that same day, the website Citizenside received a video dating back to December of a drunken Galliano throwing anti-semitic insults at a group of Italian women--who were not Jewish. "The Sun," a British tabloid, posted the video on their website. On Mar. 1, the fashion house fired Galliano. 


Natalie Portman, a Jewish actress who has an endorsement contract with Dior for its Miss Dior Cherie fragrance, condemned the designer for his remarks. In a statement Portman said: "I am deeply shocked and disgusted by the video of John Galliano's comments that surfaced today. In light of this video, and as an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way. I hope at the very least, these terrible comments remind us to reflect and act upon combating these still-existing prejudices that are the opposite of all that is beautiful."


However, Patricia Field, costume designer and stylist for "Sex and the City," disagreed with Portman. Fields defended Galliano by sending an e-mail to 500 friends, blogs and media, reported wwd.com. According to Fields, Galliano was acting out of character. 


"People in fashion all they do is go and see John Galliano theater every season. That's what he gives them. To me, this was the same except it wasn't in a theater or in a movie," Fields said. "John Galliano lives in theater. It's theater. It's farce. But people in fashion don't recognize the farce in it. All of a sudden they don't know him. But it's ok when it's Mel Brooks' 'The Producers' singing Springtime for Hitler."


If you are foreign to French laws, inciting racial hatred to someone in France is illegal. According to a New York Times' article, "Galliano to Face Trial Over a Anti-Semitic Remarks," Galliano could face up to a six months in prison and a $31,000 fine. His trial is set to take place sometime between April and June. 


In a statement provided through his lawyers, Galliano said: "A number of witnesses have given evidence and have told the police that I was subjected to verbal harassment and an unprovoked assault when an individual tried to hit me with a chair having taken violent exception to my look and my clothing. For these reasons I have commenced proceedings for defamation and the threats made against me... Anti-semitism and racism have no part in our society. I unreservedly apologize for my behavior in causing any offense."


Rumor has it that Galliano is now seeking rehab in Arizona.