The September Edition: Netflix Edition

Vogue has been one of the most well-known and well-respected fashion magazines in the world for decades. Each year, the journal devotes a fall issue to the designers that the editors feel will be influential in the next year. The September 2007 issue of Vogue became the biggest issue in the magazine's history. So, needless to say, someone just had to make a movie on it.

The September Issue is a 2009 documentary drama that follows Anna Wintour and her team at Vogue as they race to publish the September 2007 issue.

The film chronicles the effort that goes into publishing the most lengthy, and popular, issue of the year. Not only does it follow editor and chief Anna Wintour, but also model turned artistic director Grace Coddington, the only person with the guts to stand up to the notoriously aggressive Wintour.

The viewer is able to follow Wintour as she visits the annual Fashion Week shows, accepts or dismisses the latest creations of the biggest names in fashion, works with the models, photographers, and writers who help bring her vision to the page, and labors with her staff to determine what the world's fashionistas will be wearing for the next 12 months.

Though it is fun for fashionistas to watch Andre Leon Talley exclaim "It's the famine of beauty! It's the famine of beauty! The famine of beauty, honey! My eyes are starving for beauty!" and Anna Wintour complain "She looks pregnant, we need to fix her," the film is narrowed down to a fascinating study of the tension between creativity and commerce.

Grace Coddington (Left) and Anna Wintour (Right)

Even if you're not interested in fashion, it's still a fascinating film to watch. If not for the hysterical one liners, than for the inside look at Coddington's role at Vogue, who seems to be the real brains behind the famous magazine.

Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada is rumoured to be inspired by Wintour, and after seeing both films, it's not hard to see why. A cup of Starbucks in hand, the bob hairdo, the cutting remarks, the frenzy that ensues whenever her name is mentioned, and worse, when dazzled by her presence. Even the Vogue office seems quite similar to that depicted in the film. Even down to the many assistants scurrying about, busy executing Wintour's every command.

Even if you watch this movie for no other reason than to make fun of the dramatic and often times shallow world of fashion, I'm totally cool with that.

I mean, we are supposedly in the middle of a "famine of beauty."

You can view the trailer for The September Issue below: