The New and Iconic Biopics on Fashion Mags You need to Watch

British Vogue, Conde Nast, linda brownlee, alexandra schulman Behind the Scenes at British Vogue. Image by Linda Brownlee for British Vogue.

 

On Thursday on BBC Two in the UK, “Absolutely Fashion: Inside British Vogue”, an access-all-areas documentary on the style bible, airs its first episode of a two-part series. The tongue-in-cheek title that riffs on the satirical show “Absolutely Fabulous” suggests some high-fashion drama is afoot. British red-top rag, The Sun has seen the show and reviews it as: “BITCHY, BACK-STABBING AND BONKERS”. Needless to say: we are excited.
What to expect: Behind-the-scenes on a cover shoot with Mossy, drama as said cover get pulled hours before print, and evidence that, shock horror! Fashion girls actually eat! As the documentary maker, Richard Macer told the BBC here in his tell-all interview on the experience.
 

Vogue Fashion Films, Conde Naste Uk, Behind the Scenes at British Vogue. Image by Linda Brownlee for British Vogue.

 

Fashion and la Famiglia 

Next up on the style-bible is the documentary following Italian Vogue’s Editor Franca Sozzani, “Franca: Chaos and Creation”, which took six years to complete and was produced by Sozzani’s son, Francesco Carrozzini. This will be the first feature-length film for Emmy-award-winning film director Carrozzini who has made music videos for ASAP Rocky. It was premiered  last week at the Venice Film Festival.
In a recent interview with Vanessa Friedman for New York Times, Carrozzini explained that “It’s really about a mother and son and trying to understand this thing that took up so much of her life, which was fashion.”
 

Ms. Sozzani, the editor of Italian Vogue, in her office in Milan laying out a cover story by Steven Meisel in a still from the documentary film, “Franca: Chaos and Creation.”. Image by New York Times Ms. Sozzani, the editor of Italian Vogue, in her office in Milan laying out a cover story by Steven Meisel in a still from the documentary film, “Franca: Chaos and Creation.”. Image from New York Times

 

In the Stars 

It seems that fashion fans can not get enough of the people behind the publications. We have heard rumors of a film in progress about NOVA, the controversial British magazine of the ’60s and ’70s by film director Kes Glozier illustrator and contributor to Another Magazine, L’Officiel and Dazed & Confused, Glozier also designed the logo for Amy Winehouse’s ‘Lioness’ record label. As soon as we know more, we will update you.
 

Film Still Nova Art Director Harri Peccinotti with Director Kes Glozier. Image from the Huffingtonpost Film Still Nova Art Director Harri Peccinotti with Director Kes Glozier. Image from the Huffingtonpost

With so many new releases to look forward to, we consider other fashion magazines and their editorial teams that have been immortalised on film

The Fashion Mags Film Archive 

September Issue (2009)

 Follow Vogue’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and her team of the magazine’s iconic fashion editors, behind the scenes, for the making of the largest issue ever made; September 2007, which weighed over four pounds and sold thirteen million copies.

In Vogue: The Editor’s Eye (2012)


A insight into the world behind the creation of some of the most influential fashion images conceived by Vogue fashion editors including Hamish Bowles, Grace Coddington and Anna Wintour, to name a few.
 

Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (2011)


This documentary film showcases the long career of fashion editor of Harpers Bazaar, Diana Vreeland, from her tenure at the helm of Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, to her final years at the head of the fashion department the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
 

The Look (1992)

“The Power of Press” is the third episode of BBC documentary series on the fashion industry “The Look”. The doc focuses on the relationship between the fashion press and the incredible make-or-break relationship with top fashion designer. A must-watch for any fashion fan, spot a fresh-faced Katy Grand amongst an unruly gang of the fashion students trying to blag their way into shows, and a much younger Karl Lagerfeld air-kissing backstage.  This is Nineties fashion at its finest, when super models strutted and editors filed copy from their hotel beds, with a bottle of champagne by their bedsides. Our favourite part? The David Attenborough-style voice-over that comments on the action.
 
“Absolutely Fashion: Inside British Vogue” airs on BBC Two on 8 September at 9pm GMT