“There is something about fashion that can make people very nervous” Pronounces Anna Wintour in the opening scene, of the much anticipated ‘The September Issue’. If by ‘fashion‘ she is referring to herself, then she’s probably right.

The September edition in fashion, is like January for the rest of us. Its the start of a New Year, the launch of Autumn/Winter collections and the chance for designers and editors to set down the rules of dressing for the 6 months ahead. And it is down to Wintour and her formidable reputation, to decide at a glance, through her over-sized Chanel’s,  whether Blue is the New Black, or thigh highs are the new knee highs … It is the magazines most important issue,

Seemingly unconcerned about the comparison between herself and her alto ego in the movie ‘The Devil Wears Prada’, the slick documentary is possibly a stroke of genius from Wintour. Rumor had it that the Editor in Chief of American Vogue, was slowly on her way out, with the threat of being replaced hanging above her, and so, usually adverse to interviews, Wintour allowed the behind the scenes documentary to be made  in a final attempt to revive her career. (of course this was just a rumor). The Issue was the biggest to date and sold the most copies worldwide. With 840 pages, an incredible 722 were lucrative adverts!

Wintour intrigued me throughout the entire film. The most powerful women in the fashion industry, with her hauty ways and icy stares, reduces everyone who comes into contact, to a visible nervous wreck. Months of work on the Yves Saint Laurent collection are dismissed in a moment, with gritted teeth and an unambiguous sigh. She drops a $50,000 fashion spread, five days before deadline, without batting an eyelid. And in a shoot with Sienna Miller shot by top photographer Mario Testino,  Wintour demands rigorous re-touching for the cover shot claiming Millers hair is ‘Lacklustre’, her chin isn’t up to scratch and her teeth are causing problems.

What makes this film work so well, is Grace Coddington, with whom Miss Wintour shares the screen with. The Welsh born creative director brings a sense of perspective to the documentary and is as endearing and emotional and Wintour is icy and aloof. She is the only one who dares stand up to Wintour and questions her commands, which provide a much needed lively dynamic between the two and possibly emerging the star of the film.

“I think we understand each other.” She says of Wintour “she knows I’m stubborn. I know she’s stubborn. I know when to stop pushing.” she says before a pause “She doesn’t know when to stop pushing me” After countless arguments and endless riveting tension, Wintour does indeed acknowledge her long term partner to be a genius.And rightly so.

I fully expected The September Issue to be more about office politics and business than fashion, Which it was, but I didn’t expect Wintour to come across as human and sympathetic as I came away feeling she was. This was most certainly down to Award winning director RJ Rutler who does an excellent job at probing the cold, hard surface revealing a softer and more surprisingly lighter side of the dictatorial Brit. At one point, she is caught laughing at the expense of all the ‘over the top people who take it all too srioulsy’. I’m not convinced

“Anna is  such a singular figure the way that every once in a long while individuals in various industries can be. And this phenomenon in only enhanced, i think, by the fact that shes a very powerful women in a very public industry where knives are kept so sharp”