Diana Vreeland: The Eye has to Travel (2011)
Fashion editor Diana Vreeland lived a life as remarkable as the images she published. This documentary looks at her early years with a caustic mother in Belle Epoque Paris, her coming of age in New York, and her epically influential time at Harpers Bazaar and Vogue, where she discovered Lauren Bacall, Angelica Houston and Edie Sedgwick among others, and created many of the 20th century’s most iconic images.
Picture Me (2009)
Theirs are the faces blown up 1000 percent, yet models themselves are rarely heard. Shot by model boyfriend Ole Schell, Picture Me follows Sara Ziff, as she journeys from enthusiastic new recruit to internationally recognised model, and features many familiar faces finally speaking for themselves. The doc inspired Ziff’s Model Alliance and her campaign for better working conditions for underage models.
About Face: Supermodels Then and Now (2012)
What happens to fashion’s finest when their star power fades? About Face looks at those who created the supermodel mould, including Carmen Dell’Orefice, Jerry Hall, Paulina Porizkova, Beverley Johnson and Isabella Rossellini. These women candidly discuss ageing, plastic surgery and life after leaving the world of fashion behind.
Bill Cunningham New York (2010)
He’s the man credited with inventing street style photography. Photographer Bill Cunningham’s regular New York Times page On the Street has charted the fashion of the metropolis since 1978. Introduced by Vogue editor Anna Wintour, the documentary looks at the man behind the blue French workman’s jacket who has captured the looks of the rich and colourful while sleeping on a filing cabinet in a rent-controlled apartment.
The September Issue (2009)
It was the film that brought the glossy pages to life. Filmmaker RJ Cutler was given unprecedented access to the world of Vogue and its cast of characters including Grace Coddington, Mario Testino and the one and only Anna Wintour, as they created the much anticipated September 2009 issue.
In Vogue: The Editors Eye (2012)
When Vogue made their own documentary, they put the fashion editors front and centre. From Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele to Polly Mellen to, yes, Grace Coddington (make that lady a dame), these are the women who have created some of the most defining and magical images of our time.
Mademoiselle C (2013)
The other contender for the title of queen of fashion, editor Carine Roitfeld left Vogue Paris to launch her own fashion magazine CR in New York in 2013. Packed with friends and fans, this documentary highlights the influence of the chic Parisian on the world of fashion and beyond.
Valentino: The Last Emperor (2008)
“Apres moi, le deluge.” Valentino Garavani’s famous words weren’t exactly prophetic as the Italian fashion designer stepped down as the head of his eponymous fashion house, yet this documentary is a fascinating look into the rarefied world of celebrities, couture, pug dogs and a true partnership.
Dior and I (2014)
Raf Simons was an unlikely choice to succeed the extravagant John Galliano as creative director of Dior, and he was given just eight weeks to create his first couture collection from scratch. Yet this documentary chronicles how the Belgian designer carried it off with aplomb, and revitalised the French fashion house in the process.
McQueen and I (2011)
London’s Alexander “Lee” McQueen stormed the fashion industry from his terrifying early collections and time at the helm of Givenchy to his own couture house. This is an insight into his long-standing relationship with stylist Isabella Blow, his depression, and his unabashed, unrestrained and glorious creativity.
Catwalk (1992)
A look back at the world of the original supermodels, this 1995 documentary follows Christy Turlington on her whirlwind tour of Milan, Paris and New York collections. Look out for a very young Kate Moss (circa the three minute mark), a punky John Galliano and a sunglasses-free Karl Lagerfeld.
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Virgin Australia Melbourne fashion festival is at Docklands Central Pier, Melbourne, 14 to 22 March
