Vogue, Pronunciation: \'vog\, Function: noun, 1: the leading place in popularity or acceptance 2: one that is in fashion at a particular time. Synonyms: see "fashion."
Forget January.
For fashion, September marks the start of a new year. When the temperature slowly drops, fashionistas everywhere flip their calendars to this critical month that initiates what's in and what's out.
And who is the sovereign of all that is chic, the driving force behind the newest styles? Anna Wintour, Vogue's editor-in-chief, of course.
Wintour is unarguably the most powerful person in the fashion industry. She demands perfection on the pages of her magazine and won't accept anything less. Her legendary blonde bob and celebrated pout of disapproval have crowned her the Ice Queen of Fashion.
But nobody has ever gotten to know the real Anna Wintour. Nobody has ever seen what happens behind the doors of the Vogue office. Nobody knows how it's decided what's in and what's out. That is, until now. Filmmaker R.J. Cutler introduces "The September Issue," an exclusive look at Wintour's world that follows the Vogue team as it puts together its 2007 September issue, which still reigns as the largest magazine ever published, reaching more than 13 million people, weighing more than 4 pounds and totaling 840 pages.
The documentary is a slice of heaven, bringing viewers back in time to a pre-recession fantasy world when purchasing a Karl Lagerfeld ensemble didn't make you cringe with guilt.
Every scene of the film shows a different side of the magazine from editorial and fashion to advertising and business.
There's Andre Leon Talley, Vogue editor at large who carries himself with an exuberant air of style. His day at the tennis court is spent with a Louis Vuitton towel slung over his shoulder, meanwhile, his racket sits in a matching case.
Then there's Grace Coddington, the hopeless-romantic creative director and former model, whose delicate British accent sharply differs from her fiery red hair. Coddington is the only one who can match Wintour in the office, battling the page cuts in hopes of preserving her artsy, historic pages instead of getting wrapped up in the hurricane of celebrities who have taken over magazines.
And then, of course, there's Wintour. The camera shoots her from a low angle in order to demonstrate the office hierarchy, and the film truly captures her in a mystifying way, revealing her cut-throat decisions, her infatuation with the industry, her shy smile and even her family. And while the Ice Queen has constantly been gossiped to be the most polarizing figure in the industry, she's not as icy as one might think. She simply says what she thinks and wants exactly what she's looking for.
Wintour was the inspiration for "The Devil Wears Prada." Meryl Streep played the character in a merciless manner. However, Streep's character didn't carry herself with enough style to live up to the true devil. And in real life, the devil wears Chanel.
