A documentary about the life of influential fashion writer and editor Diana Vreeland, directed by her grandaughter-in-law Lisa Immordino Vreeland, topped the fashion category in this year's Designs of the Year Awards (+ movie).
The film chronicles her rise from columnist at American fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar to editor-in-chief at Vogue and features interviews with fashion designers including Calvin Klein, Diane von Fürstenberg and Manolo Blahnik. Archive footage shows her reminiscing about key moments in her career and encapsulating highlights: "I wasn't a fashion editor, I was the one and only fashion editor!" she exclaims in one clip.
Throughout her working life, Vreeland championed an alternative view of beauty by accentuating models' flaws in editorial campaigns. She kick-started the careers of photographers, models and musicians deemed unconventional at the time such as David Bailey, Twiggy and Mick Jagger.
The cultural shift she instigated is documented through iconic photographs and page spreads from issues of Vogue during her eight years at its helm in the 1960s. Vreeland's celebrity status and famous companions as well as the strained relationships she had with her family are also touched on in the movie.
The film beat nine other projects including Yayoi Kusama's collaboration with Louis Vuitton to win the fashion category in the Designs of the Year Awards organised by London's Design Museum. Winners in other divisions include a folding wheel and the redesign of the UK government website. The overall winner will be announced as the Design of the Year tonight.
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