Frivolous.  Vain.  Excessive.  Fabulous.  Passionate.  Genius.

There are many adjectives used to describe the fashion industry and those who make their living in it.

Regardless of one’s personal view on fashion, one cannot deny that what we put on (or don’t) each morning reveals a tremendous amount about who we are. It is an individual expression of our social and cultural views.

Personally, I love fashion but have never been a slave to it.  It is not something that I have had the luxury of spending a lot of time and effort on, although it has become more of a focus for me in the past year.

That doesn’t mean that I am not intrigued by the industry.  Oh contraire.  So when I was offered the opportunity to review the The September Issue, I jumped at the chance.  The documentary film, directed by RJ Cutler, is a behind-the-scenes look into the world of fashion, focusing on the infamous Anna Wintour and the Vogue team as they create the “must have-Bible” of Fashion.

This film is fascinating.  I must admit that I was riveted.

Anna Wintour, Editor in Chief of Vogue, is, by far, one of the most caricatured figures in modern culture.  (Ever seen The Devil Wears Prada? It is rumored to be based on the author’s time spent working as assistant to Wintour.)

Although I had heard, it wasn’t until I watched this film that I realized exactly how prominent Wintour’s position in the fashion industry is. Judging by the footage, the scope of her power and influence is phenomenal. In a 300-billion dollar global industry, it is amazing to witness that no one can really be a successful fashion designer right without her blessing.

Did you know that 13 million people purchase the September issue of Vogue?

Staggering.

The September Issue (trailer here) is being released as a two-disc “Double Issue” DVD on February 23^rd.  The bonus DVD contains over 90 minutes of never-before-seen deleted scenes, commentary with the director and a photo gallery.  To find out more, see the Facebook fan page for the film.

AUDIO CUT ABOVE: The audio cut at the top of the post is an excerpt of an interview I did with director RJ Cutler. In it he talks about the moments in the film that he considers the most powerful.

INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE AUDIO?

• My interview with Uma Thurman. (Yeah, THAT Uma Thurman)
• My interview with Anthony Edwards. (Goose!)

FTC Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this movie for review purposes.