Tuesday, September 8, 2009

September Issue

Caught September Issue, the documentary by RJ Cutler on how the september issue of the American edition of Vogue is put together, last week. More than Vogue or even fashion, it explores the personalities that run the magazine. Naturally, Wintour looms large over the documentary.

What caught me by surprise was how Wintour's body language contrasted against her reputation. She has a tiny, little-girl body and an angelic page boy haircut. She walks with her arms folded, her body shrinking inwards rather than projecting outwards. When she would talk to the camera, a coyness would take over - her eyes would become big and she would look at the camera through her lashes in a Diana-esque manner. And yet, she is known to be (and is) a barracuda and an iceberg rolled into one. She is also perfectly aware of how her iceberg-y personality affects people, and uses it to the hilt.
I wonder then, what do the shrinking body language and shy, little girl mannerisms of Wintour say about her. 

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Maybe it's part of her persona. Formidable reputation + oddly shy demeanor = mystery.

globalbabble said...

Or maybe that is how she is! Maybe she is shy and formidable at the same time. Her body language was rather different from Meryl Streep's in Devil Wears Prada. Streep's body language was what you would expect of someone with Wintour's stature and reputation. Only you got something oddly different.

Anonymous said...

In many ways, she sounds like she reinforces the old Scarlett O'Hara prototype. Petite, strangely vulnerable but still a barracuda.