The September Issue

My husband told me about The September Issue when it was only showing in New York City and Los Angeles. I hoped the documentary based on the making of the September 2007 issue of Vogue would come to a theater near me, and sure enough, it finally has.

If you have a remote interest in fashion, you will enjoy watching this movie about what goes on behind the scenes at the country's most prestigious fashion magazine. The September issue is the biggest issue of the year, and the September 2007 issue was the biggest issue in the magazine's history. Watching it being put together was fascinating.

The movie focuses on Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief at Vogue. Wintour is known for being cold, and is the inspiration for the "devil" in The Devil Wears Prada. Grace Coddington, the magazine's creative director, plays an important part in the movie as well.

Wintour certainly doesn't come across like the type of woman you would confide in about your deepest insecurities, but she doesn't come across like the evil fashion dominatrix as she is so often portrayed. I was grateful the movie stayed away from cheap reality TV show editing and focused on how the magazine works.

Wintour seems like a hard-working, hard-hitting editor-in-chief who battles for what she truly believes is best for the magazine. She seems like she goes to work in order to get a job done not to make best friends. And - dare I say it - I don't think she would be scrutinized so closely if she were a man.

Although her occasionally snide comments (telling the cameraman he needs to go to the gym) and quick edits of photos that took a lot of time and money to create come across as cold and insensitive, a magazine cannot be run without someone being willing to edit ruthlessly.

The clout she holds in the fashion world is incredible. I hadn't quite realized the influence she held with designers, nor had I realized how everyone at the magazine is working to realize Wintour's vision. The magazine truly is hers.

More fascinating that the magazine's production was getting a glimpse at Wintour's life and relationships. The movie touches on her relationship with her daughter and Andre Leon Talley, but the most significant relationship in the movie is her relationship with Coddington. Both women started at American Vogue on the same day decades ago, and through years of working together have developed a relationship that works, even if it doesn't always run seamlessly.

Despite bickering over differing points of view, the two seem to have mutual respect for each other. Wintour appears indifferent toward Coddington when they are together, but she says that Coddington is a "genius", admitting that she could not see the world in the way that Coddington sees it. Alternatively, Coddington admits that Wintour has stayed ahead of the curve, keeping Vogue relevant in an age where magazines are becoming less relevant.

I disagree with Coddington, however, that Vogue has remained relevant by putting celebrities on the cover. We live in a celebrity-obsessed culture, and putting Jennifer Aniston on the cover of Vogue may sell magazines, but it doesn't bring in loyal readers. Vogue's image is high fashion and slightly pretentious. When one wants to know the latest microtrends on the runway or the newest way to wear make-up (even if it is purple eyelashes with black eye shadow and it is going to be out of style before the next issue of Vogue comes out), one picks up Vogue magazine. If one wants to know what Rihanna wore to the Oscars, one picks up In Style. By trying to appeal to a fashion-obsessed, well-heeled crowd with articles about expensive facials, vacations, and clothes and appeal to supermarket moms by putting Sienna Miller on the cover (a celebrity who is hardly known in America anyway), Vogue loses its focus and its readers.

I've subscribed to Vogue for years now, and I probably won't stop any time soon, but I find little of the content relevant to my life. There isn't the hard-core fashion reporting that I crave, nor is there information on how to make fashion relevant to my daily life. I agreed with Coddington in the movie as she looked at the final mock-up of the magazine that cutting her stunning 1920's photo shoot in order to fit in some mediocre photos of a mediocre celebrity seems disappointing and silly. I think Vogue should start trying to appeal to those who love fashion. Those who love celebrities can buy People.