The September Issue (2009)

A documentary chronicling Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour's preparations for the 2007 fall-fashion issue.

Director:

R.J. Cutler

Stars:

Anna Wintour, Thakoon Panichgul, André Leon Talley

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Thakoon Panichgul	...	Himself
André Leon Talley	...	Himself
Grace Coddington	...	Herself
Anna Wintour	...	Herself
Hamish Bowles	...	Himself
Sarah Brown	...	Herself
Charles Churchward	...	Himself (as Charlie Churchward)
Oscar de la Renta	...	Himself
Patrick DeMarchelier	...	Himself
Jill Demling	...	Herself
Edward Enninful	...	Himself
Brian Fee	...	Himself
Filipa Fino	...	Herself
Tom Florio	...	Himself
Jean-Paul Gaultier	...	Himself

Storyline

The September 2007 issue of Vogue magazine weighed nearly five pounds, and was the single largest issue of a magazine ever published. With unprecedented access, this film tells the story of legendary Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour and her larger-than-life team of editors creating the issue and ruling the world of fashion.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to carolina herrera | magazine cover photo | vogue magazine | interview | fashion week | 

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Taglines:

Fashion is a religion. This is the bible.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [France]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 September 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled Anna Wintour Documentary

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$220,633, 30 August 2009

Gross USA:

$3,820,067

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,442,300

Company Credits

Production Co:

A&E IndieFilms, Actual Reality Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Anna Wintour: I think what I often see is that people are frightened of fashion and that because it scares them or it makes them feel insecure, they put it down. On the whole, people that say demeaning things about our world, I think that's usually because they feel in some ways excluded or, you know, not part of the 'cool group' so as a result they just mock it. Just because you like to put on a beautiful Carolina Herrera dress or, I don't know, a pair of J Brand blue jeans instead of something...

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Connections

Featured in Eva Jinek op zondag: Episode #1.26 (2012)

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Soundtracks

S to U
Written by Stephen Gardner, Ben Bailes
Performed by Chessie
Courtesy of Plug Research

User Reviews

It's a Mystery Story, Really

It is best to remember that this film is pre-economic breakdown and surely many of the perks are gone. That said, the September issue is really an unfolding mystery story about a woman with little talent who manages to become the editor of the most popular fashion magazine in the world. The documentary is also a war story between two minds, Wintour and Coddington's. Wintour is the general, so she gets to decide and in general, no pun intended, she makes bad decisions. It is impressive that the documentary got made and that Wintour, who must have seen it was OK with the image its portrays of her because, the source of her power, her editorship are nowhere to be found. Wintour behaves like a celebrity because when the veil is drawn, there is not much there. Her visual sense is tired and the manner in which she makes her decisions, with wimp art director Charlie Churchward, is appalling. It is one of those ongoing ironies that editors get to claim the honors for their magazines, when the real visual artists, in this case, Grace Coddington, have to play second fiddle to people so clearly less talented. The only one to escape this fate was Fabion Barone, who having worked for Harper's Bizaar, actually is seen as the force behind the success of the magazine. The other elephant in the room about this documentary is that no one seems very happy. Anna clearly is depressed about being seen as a lightweight in her family (i.e.,fashion), even her own daughter, while clearly enjoying the riches of her mothers fame, doesn't "get it." Grace and her weathered face tell it all: it is torture to work with his talentless woman called the editor and all the minions run around in fear—of what exactly is the real question...which reveals Anna's only real talent and power she has: the ability to fire people.