Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel | B
If
you’re looking for a better example of the cult of personality, it’s hard to
compete with 20th century fashion maven Diana Vreeland (1903-1989). From her
20-plus years as the fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar to nearly a
decade as the managing editor of Vogue to a late-in-life gig as the
consultant who transformed the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute from
a stodgy historical depository to a must-attend cultural happening, Vreeland
was the queen of style, taste and, ultimately, artifice.
Documentary-makers
Lisa Immordino Vreeland (her granddaughter-in-law), Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt and
Frederic Tcheng have taken the fashion icon’s public facade to heart and
created a film that is brisk, vibrant, entertaining … and more than a bit
superficial. The film rarely delves into her personal life, is light on
insight, and glosses over some of Vreeland’s more unflattering traits — her
sense of entitlement, incessant name-dropping and manipulative nature.
But
for fans of the fashion industry, the film is a warm and rich celebration of
Vreeland’s drive, self-confidence and eccentric passions — as well as her
undeniable impact on contemporary haute couture. Amassing a parade of engaging
interviews (Richard Avedon, Lauren Bacall and Marissa Berenson among many),
terrific archival footage, revealing magazine layouts and incisive movie clips,
the documentary breezes by in the best possible way. A particularly savvy
choice is the inclusion of actress Annette Miller, who helps re-create
conversations Vreeland had with George Plimpton for an autobiography.
Diana
Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel may be more of an energetic and affectionate
sketch than a revealing portrait of this oversized personality, but one has to
wonder if the woman who celebrated glittering surfaces would have wanted it any
other way.
Showing
at the Birmingham 8, 211 S. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-644-3456.
This article appears in Nov 14-20, 2012.