In one of the lectures, we watched a film documentary based around Diana Vreeland. I had no idea what it was going to be about because I've never heard of her before but the film reflected her character and personality so beautifully - who was she though?
She was a woman, an uneducated one as such, dedicated her early life to dancing, until.. a woman named Carmel Snow offered Diana Vreeland her first job at Harper's Bazaar in 1936; even though Vreeland had no experience in this area of work, Carmel Snow recognised her impeccable talent and style which she felt Harper's Bazaar was missing. While being at Harper's Bazaar, she was known for her 'Why Don't You..' column and creating new styles and movement in fashion.
The next step of her life, after being at Harper's Bazaar for 26 years; was Vogue in 1963. She was editor-in-chief til 1971. After being dismissed from this career, she moved onto something different and became the consultant to the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
In 1989, Diana Vreeland then died from a heart attack in Manhattan.
Although her extravagance towards her work was affecting her career, she definitely made her mark and created/evolved some of the most beautiful magazine spreads and museum displays anybody could of seen. Diana Vreeland succeeded in everything she did, even though it was according to a brief, she made her own brief and believed in her own opinions.
It's striking how terrified of Vreeland so many of her former colleagues remain. For example, Ali MacGraw, who worked as her assistant in the days before she became a movie star, talks with evident alarm of Vreeland 'storming into the office' and barking out orders (like Miranda Priestly in The Devil wears Prada'. Half her staff was reduced to tears before the day was over. Even so, they grew and remained devoted to her.
I believe that she is a legend in herself, and unlike other Fashion Editors today, Vreeland opened her eyes to the world outside the atmosphere outside the shows and catwalks. Also, she would embrace the odd; for example, if a girl was very tall, she would embrace her height and elongate her legs, or if the model had a big nose, she would shoot her in profile. This is why I think she was so admired because of her own knowledge and thought processes of fashion and the industry itself.
The thing I admire most about this woman is her enthusiasm in life, even though her childhood wasn't pleasant - being called the 'ugly duckling' of her family in comparison to her sister, and failing education; Diana Vreeland has made a big success of herself in life, throughout each of her careers.
This documentary is definitely a big contrast in comparison to Bill Cunningham's - two very different characters; Diana Vreeman was what I would imagine in films, she was such an exaggerated person, her power in fashion was unbelievable then Bill Cunningham is a normal man, friendly and passionate about his job, both had different meanings and purposes in life. However both are admired so much in the fashion industry.
Both documentaries, I enjoyed equally and definitely have come away from them inspired and wanting to know more about them because both lead lives which I'd dream of myself.
Diana Vreeland was the real-life Miranda Priestly.
"She was never a very rich woman, she was never a very beautiful woman and yet she created beauty and she created wealth,"
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