A prize-winner at this year’s Sundance Festival and, more recently, a hit at the Edinburgh Film Festival, The September Issue tells the story of one of the fashion industry’s most powerful figures, Anna Wintour, the British-born editor of U.S. Vogue.
Rumoured to have inspired Meryl Streep’s character in The Devil Wears Prada, Wintour has ruled Vogue for 20 years. Feared and respected in equal measure, she was described by The Guardian as the ‘unofficial Mayoress of New York’, while others have referred to her as ‘Nuclear’ Wintour. That she is such a controlling force makes it all the more remarkable that director R. J. Cutler has gained such unprecedented access to both her and the hallowed halls of Vogue.
The film follows the editor-in-chief over a nine-month period as she oversees the creation of the September 2007 issue of the ‘style bible’. Weighing in at a hefty 5lbs, it was the largest magazine ever published.From the catwalk to photo shoots, the design studio to the boardroom, Cutler brilliantly captures the passion and creative drive of the Vogue staff without ever loosing sight of the absurdity of this multi-billion dollar industry. He’s made a truly excellent documentary; perceptive, humorous and hugely entertaining.