Bill Cunningham New York

The New York Times Style photographer Bill Cunningham is a living legend.  Seeing him on the street or at fashion shows will never cease to excite the fashion flock.  He once took my picture on Fifth Avenue and even though it never made it into the paper, it was still a thrilling moment.   He reminds me of Jeremiah Goodman in that he continues to pursue his lifelong passion at 80.  I'm sure it keeps him young.  It also seems fitting that the new documentary about him is entitled Bill Cunningham New York because he is New York.  The film is the first feature by director Richard Press and it has already won the audience award for best documentary award at the Melbourne International Film Festival. I'm not sure when Bill Cunningham New York will be in the theatres but I'll keep you posted.  Anna Wintour once said, "we all get dressed for Bill." I will definitely continue to dress for Bill in the hopes of catching his eye.  But if I don't, I will be just as excited to catch a glimpse of him.

L'Amour Fou

L'amour fou translated into English means crazy love or mad love.  It is also the title of a new documentary about the love of more than 50 years between fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner in business and life, Pierre Bergé.  Listening to Pierre Bergé speak at Yves funeral is enough to make even the most hardened heart cry with sadness.  Theirs was a love that endured even through Yves' issues with drugs and alcohol.  The filmmaker, Pierre Thoretton, met the legendary designer through his former wife, Chiara Mastroianni, whose mother is Catherine Deneuve.  He originally wanted to focus on the couple’s homes but quickly realized the story lay not in the interiors Saint Laurent and Bergé had created, but in their enduring relationship. “I have never met a couple that has stuck together for 50 years, through the ups and downs, and I thought it was simply extraordinary,” he says. “Their love was unconditional. I have never seen anything like it and it still blows me away.” Pierre Bergé also generously opened up to the director about his decision to sell their art collection at Christie's after Yves death. Their close friends Betty Catroux and Loulou de la Falaise are also included in the documentary that debuted at the Toronto Film Festival recently.  It will be released in Europe on September 22nd but I'm not sure when we'll be able to see L'Amour Fou in the States.  As Yves Saint Laurent famously once said, "fashions fade, style is eternal," and in this case, love is also eternal.

Smash His Camera

Ron Galella was the original stalkerazzi and his most famous prey was Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. He tormented her and even followed her to Capri. She obtained a restraining order against him. The New York Post at the time called it "the most co-dependent celeb-pap(arazzi) relationship ever." Without Ron Galella, we wouldn't have any of these most iconic images of Jackie O. What I love most about them is how chic and stylish she looks in the late 1960's and early 1970's. She was definitely a fan of a fitted tee or sweater! One of my most prized possessions is Ron's book from 1974 Jacqueline by Ron Galella which you can still find online that is filled with even more candid shots.

What's even amazing is that Ron Galella is still making headlines. HBO will air a documentary about the photographer this Monday, June 7th at 9:00pm entitled Smash His Camera which will also have an accompanying exhibition at Clic Gallery on Broome Street. "Smash His Camera" is apparently what Jackie said to her secret service agent after Ron got a little too close for comfort after a bike ride to through the Park with John Junior. So glad they smashed it after he got some good photos!

Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston

I love myself a good fashion documentary and so of course I am dying to see Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston. It is premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival Friday night and you know there will be just as many stars and fashionistas in the crowd as there will be in the film. As Halston once exclaimed, "you're only as good as the people you dress," and he dressed all the best in the 1970's including Bianca Jagger, Liza Minelli, Elizabeth Taylor, and even Jackie Kennedy Onassis! I don't know how he managed to design anything with all the time he spent at Studio 54 but as he also said, "party hard, live hard, and have the best life." Unfortunately, all that hard partying caught up to him and cut short his reign as the Emperor of Style. Luckily, it looks like his legacy will live on in Ultrasuede. Bon Weekend!

The September Issue Part Deux

If you saw The September Issue then you will remember this photo shoot that Grace Coddington worked on with Patrick Demarchelier for Vogue. You might also remember Anna Wintour's comment about the photo above. Grace's reaction was what made me, and I bet many others, fall in love with her. I hope there are more great Grace moments on the DVD when it's released this Tuesday, February 23rd. It will include 90 minutes of unseen footage that I hear does include some classic Andre Leon Talley moments and if you order the DVD from Barnes & Noble, it also includes a third disk with exclusive coverage of the planning of The Met Costume Institute gala.

I have to admit that I didn't love The September Issue as much as other fashion documentaries such as Valentino: The Last Emperor, Lagerfeld Confidential and anything by Loïc Prigent, but it's still fun to peek into the fashion world's inner sanctum. Just remember to never look Anna directly in the eye!

Photos by Patrick Demarchelier

Valentino: A Perfect Life

My favorite part of the Valentino: The Last Emperor DVD is the aptly titled special feature A Perfect Life: Around the World with Valentino. In it, we get a sneak peek at what it takes to run Mr. Valentino's life and homes including his gorgeous chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland.

The ultimate treat was getting to watch the uber talented photographer Francois Halard photograph Mr. Valentino and his ski chalet for British Vogue. Mr. Halard is one of my favorite photographers and it was a pleasure to watch him work and see the results which I've posted here.

I was lucky enough to speak the man behind the Valentino documentary, Matt Trynauer, about the film and it's instant sensation. Matt wrote a really fabulous article about Valentino for Vanity Fair for which he met them in Rome where he was able to look into their world and their life. It is the relationship between Valentino and his business partner Giancarlo Giammetti that captivated him and made him think that it should be on film. So he asked them and they said yes but it definitely wasn't that easy!

Matt and his crew would follow Valentino and his entourage for about two weeks per month for two years and always when they knew something important would be happening. I mentioned to Matt that you could easily hate Mr. Valentino for all his wealth and privilege but yet you don't and I think it's because you see how hard he works and that he gets upset just like everyone else. He said the final cut took a year to negotiate because Valentino wanted those outbursts cut out of the film but they definitely serve to show that his life isn't always perfect or without problems.

I had watched the Karl Lagerfeld documentary Lagerfeld Confidential shortly before seeing the Valentino documentary in the theatres and was struck by one major difference between the two legendary fashion designers. While Mr. Lagerfeld states that he needs his alone time to recharge his batteries, Mr. Valentino is never alone but constantly surrounded by an entourage of people! Giancarlo Giammetti says that they never spent more than two months apart total in the entire 50 years of their relationship.

It's no secret that Valentino lives like no other fashion designer but I guess when you've worked as hard as he has for so long, you're entitled to live so beautifully. Matt said that during times of economic despair such as the depression, the movies became more "diamond encrusted." The world needed a fantasy and Mr. Valentino definitely gave us a look into his diamond encrusted fantasy world!

I was surprised that quite a few of friends haven't seen the Valentino documentary yet and if you are among those who haven't, I highly recommend that you rent it today! And don't forget to watch the special features! He really does have the perfect life and perfect homes! Oh, and perfect pugs too!

Photos by Francois Halard

Valentino: The Last Emperor

I've been hearing nothing but good things about the stylish new documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor and now it's finally about to make it's theatrical debut this Wednesday, March 18th in select cities. Andre Leon Tally, the style scribe and editor at large of Vogue will be on hand at the Film Forum March 19th and 20th to conduct a Q&A session with filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer. Start picking out your most stylish outfit today!

I love beauty. Is not my fault. - Valentino

The Ice Queen Cometh

Fashion Week begins on Friday and already everyone is in a twitter especially since some shows and parties have already been cancelled or scaled back. Everyone is also buzzing about the new documentary The September Issue which chronicles Vogue editor Anna Wintour and her team as they put together the 5 pound September 2007 issue. Director and producer R.J. Cutler and his small crew assembled more than 300 hours of footage from January to August 2007 and just premiered the completed documentary at Sundance last month. I haven't heard when it will be released theatrically but I hope it's soon!

We wanted to be as careful as we could to signal that this magazine is aimed at a different market, ... upscale feel. - Anna Wintour