From the Mind of Isaac M.

Roberta, 1935As we approach the next screening of Style Cinema coming up on January 14th, I thought I'd share a few things I've dug up from a re-screening of the fabulous documentary Unzipped. One of my favorite fashion films, and an inspiration for Style Cinema itself, Isaac Mizrahi really shows how his mind works - and it seems to feed upon classic movies.

When I thought of hosting Style Cinema, I wanted to showcase not only the obvious fashion films, but also the films that fashion designers love and return to time and again for ideas. A moment, a gesture, a little bit of...something can often be found within the frames of old Hollywood, especially when you talk about Isaac Mizrahi. The glamour, high-polish production values, and cinematography go right to the core of his aesthetic.

In Unzipped alone, he mentions an array of different films as he talks about his life, his process, and the nucleus of his collection. While Nanook of the North (1922) and The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), (both silent films,) serve as the starting points for the collection he designs in the film, the polished look of Loretta Young in The Call of the Wild (1935) also sends his pencil into a flurry. Meanwhile, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) makes an appearance as Mizrahi makes fun of his former instructor from Otis Parsons. The designer also mentions the great Lermontov in The Red Shoes (1948) as someone he'd love to emulate in real life.

Clearly, the man has absorbed many many films and found gems of wisdom in most of them.

A number of years ago, Mizrahi hosted a night of guest programming on Turner Classic Movies. During his introduction, I remember him talking about the fun Astaire & Rogers film Roberta which takes place in a Parisian fashion house. He said he played it for his design staff, pausing frequently to point out the odd moment of design in the production. "That shoe is so good," or: "Look at that lamp, it's fantastic."

I love that Mizrahi shares this with us, the lay people of the design world. This is exactly how film and culture inform our products, designs, trends, interiors, and lifestyles. The eye of the designer or artist picks up on everything in front of them; even if it's totally incongruous, the image drives something in their creativity. Film unites everything together which is why it's so perfectly attuned to the mind of the creator. Is this why I love it so very much?

Do you have a favorite film that always inspires? Tell tell!

Join us (me and Catie from Cuffington) for a screening of Unzipped and Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton at 6:30 PM on January 14th at Le Velo Rouge Cafe in San Francisco. Velo Rouge is located McAllister & Arguello. Add yourself to our guest list on Facebook by clicking here!

Comments

[Laura Elaine]

The movie that's inspired me most lately is Across the Universe. It's such a beautiful and visceral film that transports me into another dimension. Being a diehard Beatles fan helps, but even if you aren't, anyone can appreciate the sheer visual artistry the movie displays. A rockin' soundtrack helps too :)