our "glamorous girlfriend"

“Vogue is the best of everything that fashion can offer, we are the leader in the field, we point the way, we are a glamorous girlfriend”. Anna Wintour

OK – I’ll admit it. As much as I love books, I am a total magazine freak! My sister Gail was the undoubtley the “bookworm” of our family. I think she probably read all the Nancy Drew stories by the time she was 10. She was the oldest, and while my younger brother and sister and I would huddle under the covers, Gail would read Grimms Fairy Tales to us by flashlight. Each short story would take us to some far away never, never land, and could be read start to finish in 1/2 hour or less. Perfect timing for a quick bedtime story. I think that instant gratification was what later attracted me to magazines. While Gail went on to read J.D. Salingers “The Catcher in the Rye” and other lofty novels, I preferred the excitement of flipping through the glossy pages of a magazine, each article something new to explore. Truth be told I was instantly addicted, any magazine would do; but when I got my hands on my first Vogue – it was true love at first sight. All of the glamor, gossip and fashion quickly got under my skin. It was the late sixties, the era of the “London Invasion”. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, London’s “Mod fashion”, and Twiggy.

Through the magic of Vogue I learned how to dress, apply makeup, live like a superstar, explore exotic cuisine, and travel the world. Over the years, the photographs by Richard Avedon and Patrick Demarchelier brought fashion to a level of perfection that literally made me count the days until the next issue was on the news stand. My love of fashion eventually led me to opening my own boutique, Lotus, and Vogue is still a major source of inspiration to me as person and a business woman. I’m loyal to my girlfriends! I had the fantastic opportunity in September, 2007, to actually see Ms. Wintour at the Betty Jackson show during London Fashion Week. I was with my friend, photographer Barabara Banks, at the Betty Jackson show, and took this photo with my IPhone. I was so excited that I could not be still, hence the blurry photo, but there she is in her “Darth Vader” sunglasses, petite, perfect, Anna.

Every issue of Vogue is a thrill, but one month has always stood out from the rest. The jewel in the crown, the September issue! The biggest, and most influential publication in the fashion world, read by 13 million readers, The September Issue is now a documentary film and will be released later this summer. A behind the cover look at all the drama, beauty, power and secrets of the reigning queen of Vogue Magazine, who Karl Lagerfeld called “The most famous fashion journalist in the world”, editor in chief Ms. Anna Wintour.

I, for one, am counting the days until the release! Here is a preview clip of The September Issue Enjoy! Caio bella!

Written by Wendy Getchell on July 26, 2009