Harvard alumnus R.J. Cutler's new movie explores Anna Wintour's Vogue

A new documentary by R. J. Cutler '83 takes viewers behind the glamour of a fashion powerhouse.

The new documentary film The September Issue, directed by R. J. Cutler '83, takes viewers into the hallways, offices, and meetings behind Vogue magazine.  Cutler, who produced the documentary The War Room on Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign (it was nominated for a 1994 Academy Award), shot 300 hours of footage to record his portrait of Vogue and its famously icy editor, Anna Wintour, the model for Meryl Streep's imperious character in The Devil Wears Prada.  The nexus of The September Issue is the relationship between Wintour and Vogue's creative director, Grace Coddington, the Welsh fashion model of the 1960s who has spent more than 40 years working for the British and American Vogues. Coddington, far the more engaging character, becomes the real protagonist of a finely crafted documentary on a subject that everyone talks about, but next to no one understands.

The Boston Globe reviewed the film on September 11.

You might also like

A New ‘Black Swan’ Musical Cranks Up the Tension

The creative team of the A.R.T.’s new show dish on adapting Darren Aronofsky’s thriller classic from screen to stage.

Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Honors Rose Byrne

The Bridesmaids actress celebrated her 2026 Woman of the Year Award with a roast and a parade.

How a Harvard and Lesley Group Broke Choir Singing Wide Open

Cambridge Common Voices draws on principles of universal design. 

Most popular

250 Years Ago, Harvard Was Home to a Revolution

A look at the sights, sounds, and characters that put the University on the frontlines of history

Harvard Graduate Student Workers Strike

Union demands higher pay, protections for non-citizen members, and changes to the harassment complaint process.

Government Seeks to Move Funding Case to Contracts Court

In a new appellate brief, the Trump administration shifts its argument for rescinding Harvard’s grants.

Explore More From Current Issue

Mercy Otis Warren in period attire writes at a desk by candlelight, surrounded by books.

The Woman Who Penned the Case for War

Mercy Otis Warren’s poetry and plays incited the Patriot movement.

Portrait of a man with white hair, wearing a black coat, arms crossed, thoughtful expression.

The Framer Who Refused to Sign the Constitution

Harvard’s Elbridge Gerry helped draft the U.S. Constitution, but worried it might create a new monarch.

Four stylized magnifying glasses arranged in a gradient background with abstract patterns.

AI Hunts For Stolen Harvard Coins

A museum curator and a computer scientist track down ancient coins taken in a legendary heist.