Yesterday it was like a second Vogue's Fashion's Night Out took place! All faces familiar were gathered at 8 o'clock outside Danaos cinema, waiting-anticipating to see the one and only documentary approved by Anna Wintour herself, "The September Issue".
And while everyone expected to see just Anna being herself, at the end all the interest of the movie was about the person of Grace Coddington, the magazine’s longtime creative director that entered the business as a model!
The fact that she manages to argue and have different opinions than the ones of Anna was something not a lot of people knew (including me!). In fact, the whole world thought that Anna Wintour is that powerful,because noone dares to have another opinion! Well....NO!
Here are some parts of the interview that Grace Coddington gave for the September Issue:
You were reluctant to be in The September Issue. But you eventually decided to do it. Why?
I really wasn’t given an option, and I guess R.J. [Cutler, the director] noticed I was the only one who argued. I was even a bit spiky with them. And they wanted that dynamic. I still didn’t want to do it. It’s not what I do, but I gave in. These things do come back to haunt you.
Does the movie accurately portray life at Vogue?
It portrays a small part, I think. It showed the racks whizzing by. And it showed us all sneaking into the art department when no one is looking to see what pictures made it up on the board and how they’re jumping around. Everyone does that, though maybe I’m a bit more like a dog with a bone.
Of the photo shoots you did in the September 2007 issue, which is your favorite?
The one I make such a fuss about in the movie—the twenties story I did with Meisel, who also won’t allow cameras on his set. He was allowed not to allow it.The New York Times characterized your most important relationship here as one like that between Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. . . .
What I want to know is which one’s me. Anna’s the leader like Mick. I guess I’m Keith because I’m wrinkled. Seriously, though, a lot of people say Anna’s the business one and I’m the creative one. It’s not true. She’s the creative one. So many of the shoots I do start with her ideas.
What was going through your mind in the infamous silent-elevator scene?
“Oh, God, I hope it’s not too many floors up.”
What’s the secret of surviving for 27 years in fashion?
Twenty-seven! Are you kidding? Do I look that young? Try 50!
There is no secret—just by absolutely loving what you do. Maybe it looks easy in the film to get great pictures. But there’s a lot more lead up, which you wouldn’t want to film because it’s boring. There’s all the wheeling and dealing to get the people to do the picture. There’s making sure you get the best clothes first, getting the right photographer and model, hair and makeup. The precise team is all-important. I do not accept second best. That’s my strength and my downfall, at the same time. Because I’m so stubborn I often do end up getting what I want. Even at school. On my reports it used to say, “Grace has a sweet way of getting her will.” I mean, I AM aware that sometimes I can be very annoying.
p.s. now i have even more respect for Grace, as the twenties photoshoot is one of my all time favourite vogue photoshoots! The picture on the right is saved on my computer from 2007!
