Fashion editorials are more than pretty clothes and gorgeous models. They are style stories created to inspire. Behind each of them, is the fashion editor who brings to life their vision of what we should wear season after season. The creative process starts with percolating their personal favourites of each season and working with the right photographers and models to create desire and make us want. We all know the “Anna Wintour” for her signature look and much more. But this goes beyond the obvious – The September Issue. The truth is, there are many other key fashion editors of influence. Here are the best documentaries of some of the world’s most influential fashion editors. Each of these tastemakers has a very definitive sense of style. Let’s see what makes each of these fashion secret weapons tick!
1. MADEMOISELLE C
“I like older women… bigger girls… (and) black women. I did everything first. But people forget, because people forget everything. I feel totally comfortable with everyone. It is my strength, to be open-minded, always.”
Carine Roitfeld, Interview with the Guardian
Trailer
For many of us, the mention of Carine Roitfeld evokes images of Parisian chic and French Vogue. Firstly, we all admire her impeccable style that is widely imitable. She is the epitome of French chic with her signature tousled hair and kohl-lined eyes. As for French Vogue, that was old news. She is currently the Global Fashion Director at Harper’s Bazaar and publisher of her own publication, CR. Roitfeld is known for her sublime and often sexually charged covers and editorials. She also achieved many fashion firsts. But back in 2010, her life played like a soap opera when she quit Vogue to reinvent herself. This documentary follows all the drama around her re-invention.
THE documentary of all documentaries of fashion editors
Mademoiselle C begins with Roitfeld’s resignation as the Editor-in-Chief at Paris Vogue in 2010. This was swiftly followed by her announcement of launching her own magazine. This news rocked the fashion world, and as expected, she faced enormous roadblocks from her former employer. The film documents from that tumultuous point to the publication of the first issue of CR. Thanks to the help of good friends like Karl Lagerfeld and Tom Ford. This is one of the best documentaries to witness firsthand the tenacity of fashion editors to deliver in the cut-throat world of fashion. Get your popcorn and get ready for the ride. You can rent this 2013 fashion drama on Amazon or buy it on iTunes, Youtube and Google Play.
“Drink espresso, sleep in your makeup, don’t take selfies.”
Carine Roitfeld
2. FRANCA: CHAOS & CREATION
“All the magazines can have the same clothes. We go to the same show, with the same models. So if you don’t change the point of view, you are just another catalogue. We don’t need another catalogue.”
Franca Sozzani
Franca Sozzani’s Vogue Italia was a staple of the fashion crowd and widely copied around the world for three decades. As the Editor-in-Chief, Sozzani created some of the most iconic fashion covers and editorials. Her creativity was transcendental, and often shocking which nearly got her fired (see trailer). This film is her story told from the perspective of her son and the film director, Francesco Carrozzini. He beautifully crafted an insightful portrait of this genius through the candid conversations with her closet friends and collaborators. Besides the usual fashion suspects in the doc, we especially love the rare appearances of Azzedine Alaia and Daphne Guinness. This intimate 2016 documentary is beautiful and melancholic and available on Netflix.
“We are people who work as a messenger, to fashion and readers. We should not become our stars. And anyway, if you become [a star] it is because of what you do, not because you dress this way or you wear these glasses or you have this bag. That’s not the point.”
Franca Sozzani
3. IN VOGUE: THE EDITOR’S EYE
“The people who are responsible for the fashion images are the fashion editors. They have always been our secret weapon, so it seemed to me that we could celebrate Vogue, and also, at the same time, celebrate these great editors.”
Anna Wintour
This HBO documentary speaks to the fashion editors behind some of the world’s most influential fashion images. This includes not just Anna Wintour, but every living fashion editor who served at Vogue including Grace Coddington, Tonne Goodman and Polly Allen Mellen. We get to know some of their quirks from designers Marc Jacobs, Nicolas Ghesquiere and Vera Wang (who happens to be also an ex-VOGUE editor). The perspective then shifts to the front of the camera to the likes of Nicole Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker, who dish on what it is like working with these brilliant minds. This light-hearted 2012 film is available to stream on HBO, and CraveTV in Canada. We have also included the full feature below for your viewing here! Enjoy.
4. SHORT DOCUMENTARIES OF ONE OF OUR FASHION EDITORS, GRACE CODDINGTON
“For me, one of the most important aspects of my work is to give people something to dream about, just as I used to dream all those years ago as a child looking at beautiful photographs.”
Grace Coddington
This short doc is the story of Grace Coddington. You probably recognize Coddington with her red hair from The September Issue where she had moments with Anna Wintour. She is also prominently featured in the VOGUE: THE EDITOR’S EYE. It has been said “if [Anna] Wintour is the Pope…Coddington is Michelangelo, trying to paint a fresh version of the Sistine Chapel twelve times a year.” What we love about Coddington is her love for her craft and her little desire for any personal spotlight in media. She is known for the creation of grand, elaborate and dramatic photoshoots as seen in Grace: Thirty Years of Fashion at Vogue.
Life beyond Vogue
In 2016, Coddington transformed her role at Vogue to Editor-at-Large to pursue projects outside of Conde Nast. Watch her creative mind in action in one of her first projects below.
PS. In American Horror Story S3, the iconic Myrtle Snow with her red hair and passion for fashion is said to be a tribute to Miss Coddington. Watch for the little known but fantastic fashion moment in the clip below. Start at 3:43 in the final death scene of the character in the clip.
“I prefer imperfections — they’re more interesting. Perfect is boring.”
Grace Coddington
5. DIANA VREELAND – THE EYE HAS TO TRAVEL
“I think part of my success as an editor came from never worryinging about a fact, a cause, an atmotsphere. It was me – projecting to the public… I always had a perfectly clear view of what was possible for the public. Give ’em what they never knew they wanted.”
Diana Vreeland
Diana Vreeland famously declared she was “not just a fashion editor, but the one and only fashion editor.” In a way, this declaration is totally warranted. Vreeland was visionary. She was bold and unafraid, and she constantly challenged conventions in her work at Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue. One of her most memorable covers was celebrating Barbara Streisand’s nose on the March 1966 cover of Vogue. She also understood that fashion was intertwined with art and culture. She hung with Warhol at the Factory and danced the night away at Studio 54. We love the film for the clips of Vreeland and interviews of the fashion crowd she touched. Watch this biographical doc on Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Play, Hulu and Youtube.
“There is onlyone thing in life, and that’s the continual renewal of inspiration.”
Diana Vreeland
6. OUT OF MY CLOSET – THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ANNA DELLO RUSSO
“FASHION is such stuff as DREAMS are made on… So between FASHION and STYLE? Absolutely FASHION… (it) is less pretentious, is authentic. FASHION is declaration of (its) own freedom.”
Anna dello Russo
Anna dello Russo, Editor-at-Large of Vogue Nippon is the original street-style star. Her extravagant style dominates fashion news each and every fashion season. Needless to say, millennials are taken by her exuberance and fashion, earning her over 1.7 million followers on Instagram. In the meantime, she has also created A.d.R., her highly commercially successful digital alter-ego. But Miss dello Russo is ready for a change. Some haters see this as a publicity stunt, but they probably also do not get this social-savvy style genius in the first place. We are excited about this documentary of evolution. We love the manifestation with her purging (part of) her massive personal fashion archives in the name of charity. Sadly, this is all we know at this point. We are waiting for more details of the release. if you do hear anything about this, please drop us a note.
To A.d.R. our favourite fashionista and icon
In the meantime, let’s toast to her ten fashion principles expounded in her epic FASHION SHOWER single released in 2012. Just remember, fashion has always been about change and re-invention. We are behind you alway A.d.R.!
“When you don’t feel to dress means that you are depressed. You need a FASHION SHOWER.”
Anna dello Russo
7. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ANDRE
“You cannot live your life in the elitist world of fashion and not step out or you’re disconnected. You have to realize that fashion is not the endgame.”
Andre Leon Talley
André Leon Talley is the original Fashion extravaganza. He was everywhere. He hobnobbed with the supermodels and the fashion elite as the American editor-at-large of Vogue magazine. Talley later went on to serve as the international editor of the Russian fashion magazine Numéro. Watch this insightful 2018 documentary of the insular and heartless world of fashion from the perspective of a Black and LQTBQ+ person. Watch his rise and fade among the ranks of trust fund babies working in the fashion factory.
“Wearing clothes should be a personal narrative of emotion. I always respond to fashion in an emotional way..”
Andre Leon Talley
After Thought: Best Documentaries of Fashion Editors – Fashion’s Secret Weapon
We hope you have enjoyed our round-up of the best documentaries of fashion editors available out there. Which of these documentaries are you going to watch? Better still, who is your fav fashion editor? Mine is a toss-up between Carine Roitfeld and Grace Coddington?! We definitely love to hear from you.
