"The September Issue"

I first saw "The September Issue" when it was released in theatres last year. It's a documentary about Anna Wintour and the making of the September issue of Vogue, which is the kick-off to the fashion year. Nearly everybody has an opinion about Anna. She's been called a "Snow Queen", "Dragon lady", "Sadist"... the list goes on. She was also the basis for the character of Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada" which was written by one of Anna's former assistants. I found none of the stigmas attached to her to be true. Is she warm and friendly? No. However, she does her job, she does it better than anyone before or since and she does it while under constant scrutiny and ridicule from jealous people who have no idea what they're talking about. I have a tremendous amount of respect for this woman. She has what I consider to be probably the most difficult job in the world and she's arguably the most powerful woman in the world. To be a woman in that position opens you up to a lifetime of problems. The way she keeps going on and looking ahead is very inspirational and incredibly brave. You get a real sense of the hard work that goes into turning out a single issue and how many jobs and people are at steak during the process. It is a business not just a silly hobby to pass time. Fashion effects all of our lives weather we admit it or not and Anna calls all the shots.

While the documentary is supposed to focus more on Anna, it actually focuses just as much on Grace Coddington who's been there exactly as long as Anna has. Grace has a fascinating story to tell and she's also very strong and extremely creative. If you liked "The Devil Wears Prada", if you're interested in fashion, business, or honestly if you want to be entertained, you should check this out. I can't imagine anyone seeing this movie and not having a much deeper appreciation for the fashion industry and all the hard work that goes into it.