Why The September Issue is a must-see 

Winter is well and truly upon us and it seems everyone has been hunkering down. What else is there to do?

Well, you can get along and check out some of the fantastic films that are a part of the NZ Film Festival , for a start.

This week Style Blog went along to the documentary The September Issue - an absolute MUST-see for all lovers of fashion.

Every year in September, Vogue produces its flagship issue - it's "The Bible" according to Anna Wintour. In 2007 it was the single largest fashion magazine ever published.

The film is a behind the scenes look at Vogue and the fashion world's matriarch ice queen. British born Wintour has been the editor-in-chief at American Vogue for the past 21 years.

Wintour is in charge of a $300 billion-a-year global fashion industry and boy does she have clout!

Wintour can make or break a fashion label's up and coming range simply by an off-the-cuff remark. Her frosty "I personally wouldn't put this one in the show, " to Oscar de la Renta is a case in point! You've got to see it for yourself - stony cold stares, hideously long, uncomfortable pauses and impassive glances. Terrifying! But great!

As one of her Vogue entourage mentions in the film: "Anna doesn't do warmth. I do the warmth for her."

Anna doesn't give a $%*# about causing offense to anyone and there are some classic, cutting remarks peppering the film such as:

"This type looks so large and pretentious. It looks like it's for blind people."

"She looks pregnant."

To a non-model cameraman whose body is used in a fashion photo shoot: "He needs to go to the gym."

There is lots of humour in the film, especially from Andre Leon Talley who is Vogue's Editor at Large. Andre is as camp as a row of pink tents, actually more like a field of the friggen things. In true "Editor at Large" style Andre does very little. He seems to provide the entertainment for all at the magazine, as well as attending all of those fabulous events. What a great gig!

Apparently Wintour has given Andre "the word" to get the weight off. There is a great scene of him playing tennis. It's hilarious, he's swathed in more Louis Vuitton accessories than you can poke a stick at and can barely lift the racket let alone navigate the court.

The movie is filled with a myriad of extremes: Extreme beauty and the opposite of that. All of the editors at the magazine look like ex-cast members of a Michael Jackson video. We kept waiting for a cut away shot to a bunch of them doing the Thriller dance, up and down the halls of Vogue. It's just a sea of dehydrated cadavers, with the worst sun damage you've ever seen.

They were split into two categories. The first aesthetic was the long centre-parted hair which had never seen a blow dryer or brush, topped off with the dried up old dermis, sans makeup. The second was the other end of the spectrum - Ru Paul style face with three hairs that have been back-combed from root to tip.

We at Style Blog feel the true star of the film is Grace Coddington. We LOVE Grace! Yes, poor old Grace does fall into the cadaver section of the film. However her amazing talent and personality overrides all of that. Grace started out as a model in the UK about 150 years ago, until apparently being in an awful car accident. Still no excuse for the current look. Sorry Grace.

Grace has worked for Vogue for 40 years! Starting out at British Vogue and moving to the US 20 years ago, Grace is THE fashion editor at Vogue and styles almost all of the fashion pages and shoots for the September issue. She is a LEGEND.

If you're a lover of Vogue or merely just a dedicated follower of fashion, please see this movie! We chez Style Blog are still in raptures about it. It's just sooo funny and inspiring at the same time!

What have you thought about the films on offer at the festival? Comment on our messageboard .