Unzipped (1995) - full transcript

Isaac Mizrahi, one of the most successful designers in high fashion, plans his fall 1994 collection. He combines inspirations such as the Hollywood Eskimo look, the Mary Tyler Moore show, and Ouija-derived advise like "dominatrix mixed with Hitchcock" into a well-received collection. A behind-the-scenes look at the creative side of fashion.

"Was this collection half-full
or half-empty?

"That was the obvious question after
Isaac Mizrahi's show Thursday night.

"What he dubbed a mix
was more of a mess.

"His usually great color sense failed
him; His fabric sense failed him.

And certainly, his sense of how a modern
woman dresses after 8:00 P.M. failed him."

It's just the worst day
in the world after the show.

I just hate the...
I hate waking up.

I hate not sleeping after I've
just worked so hard, you know?

Worrying about the reviews
the next day.

I don't really take criticism
very well, I don't think,

but I've learned to sort of...
it's painful, you know.



I don't have a very...

actually, I have a very low threshold
of pain, but... physical pain, anyway.

I'm a baby even when I go for a facial
or something. I can't stand it.

But the thing is,

I... I hate, like,
mediocre things said about me.

I hate, uh...
you know, I hate that...

Because, you know, you either say
something's great or say it stank...

Or ignore it, you know?

That's how I feel. Ignore...

ignore it if you don't like it.

¶¶

¶ hmm-hmm-hmm ¶

¶ oh, you make me feel ¶

¶ mighty real ¶



¶ San Francisco ¶

¶ I say you make me feel ¶

¶ mighty real ¶

¶ Sylvester, sister you're
an angel walking among us ¶

¶ on the face of this earth ¶

¶ you were so beautiful
you were so fragile ¶

¶ you were so real ¶¶

here's my process:
I get inspired, somehow,

somewhere... from the ballet, from
a dance, from a movie, something.

I get this gesture in my head.

Then I think, like, is this worthy
of doing a whole collection?

Usually it is, because it's
the only thing I can think of.

And from there, I just do all
these millions of sketches...

About that one gesture. That's a
chesterfield with the astrakhan trim.

And I work with annica.
They make patterns.

This would be coyote and that
would be beast, let's say, trim.

We make them out
of muslin first.

Muslin is this inexpensive thing that
you make just to see the shape...

- And balance of everything.
- Don't you want a bigger sleeve?

Definitely. I want more here.

- Then we do fabric fittings.
- That would be much better, wouldn't it?

We book the girls, we plan the
show, we plan the figures.

What gets annoying is actually when
it becomes like a giant puzzle.

Things have to be taken out
for certain reasons.

Things have to be added in
this very kind of clever way.

That's when it becomes
grating on my nerves,

because it's no longer about creating
a look; It's about creating a show.

This is for a 750 girl. 750
dollars an hour for four hours.

- What's an average girl?
- Five-ten.

Okay. And do you do shows?
Mm-hmm.

Can I watch you walk? Sure.

Hi, Amber. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you too.
How pretty you are.

Thank you. What a pleasure.

Can you take your clothes off?
Just the jacket.

Take all your clothes off.
Where are you from?

Oklahoma. Oklahoma?

You're such a liar.
I swear to God.

Can you stand up a second?

And take your things off?
Thank you.

Let's see. You've done a million shows?
A million.

A million? Yeah, like her.

Thick shoulders, which is good.

Isaac Mizrahi.

Take these off.
Can you see without them?

Of course.

And is this how you're
gonna keep your hair? No.

You're gonna shave it more?
Yeah.

Normally, it's like you. Bald.
Like my face. Okay.

Great. Thank you.
Thank you to you.

I'll see you maybe.
Have a nice day.

You too. Bye.

Yes, I did.

I'm sitting here and I'm
watching nanook of the north.

Oh, it's so amazing, isn't it?

And it's so inspiring...
I can't even believe...

How beautiful
these eskimos are.

And I love they all
have fur pants,

and the thing is,
all I want to do is fur pants.

But I know if I do them, I'll get
stoned off of seventh Avenue...

Like some wanton heretic
or something.

So there won't be any fur pants
coming down my runway.

It's about women not wanting to
look like cows, I guess, you know.

And, in fact, there's something
very charming about cows.

Anyway, you know what I mean.

There's something very charming
about a big, fat fur pant.

Actually, there was one thing I wanted
to do, which was a fur jumpsuit.

Like the banana splits. You know,
those big, kind of giant...

I mean, I would love to have
one of those in beast...

let's say in beast fur, to
walk the dog in or something.

You don't to think about anything; You
just have your bra and panties on.

You just put this giant
fur jumpsuit on,

head to toe, hood and little
hush puppy boots or something.

You're out walking the dog
and looking amazing,

surprising everyone
in your neighborhood,

which, in this case, would probably
be Upper East Side or Alaska.

You know, that which is
our standard hood, right?

What I'm trying to do is... Douglas
has this fantastic down coat.

It's a drop shoulder, and yet it
wants to be smaller at the waist...

And just be this
little shape like that.

What I want to discuss this morning
are those embroideries of eskimos.

These are simple. They're just gonna
put into work, and boom, they're done.

You know what I mean? It's like a little
tulle skirt with a long pony skin skirt.

That looks like an eskimo. I just don't want
it to resemble at all those Indian things.

And it shouldn't,
because it doesn't.

I am loving that; Look at that adorable shape.
Isn't that cute?

Oh, isn't that adorable?
Adorable. Adorable!

How 'bout the clothes you made for
Norman and Marilyn's wedding?

Oh, my God. Those were so embarrassing.
Embarrassing?

They were so awful. The whole town was
talking about the wedding clothes.

They were so bad.
They were so beautiful.

Embarrassing. It was... I don't
know, it was like a straitjacket.

It was completely straight.
I didn't care. I wore it.

I wore it on the holy holidays,
the biggest holiday.

I came in and I was so proud.
I said, "my Isaac made this."

Every single morning on my way to
school when I was really young,

I used to steal into your room
while you were both asleep.

You took money? I used
to take money every day.

You took money? I can't believe
you never figured it out.

I thought for sure you knew
that I was doing it. Isaac!

I would take money and go to midwood
trimmings and buy all these fabrics.

Hmm. It's so true.

Mm-hmm.

It's really true. So I didn't tell
you about eartha kitt, did I?

Oh, honey, we went up to visit her.
It was amazing.

Yes, in scheherazade, right?

You go to le chien on Saturday
to get yourself all dressed up.

It's almost impossible to have any
style at all without the right dogs.

You should have seen how chic it was to have
these two poodles flooding out of the room.

I just don't know
what to say, honestly.

Is that why you're gonna
make gowns for me?

Yes, I am, I'm gonna
make gowns for you!

That is how she referred to it.

She said, "will you make me gowns?
Ah-ha-ha-ha."

I was like, "are you kidding? I
will make you nothing but gowns."

This is like... I can't wait.

She was like, "something where
I can really move around."

Do all sorts of crazy,
wonderful things, you know,

so that it doesn't restrict me.

It's got to be a dress that I
can do everything in, you know.

R-r-r-r-r-r! You know.

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

- R-r-r-r-r-r!
- ¶¶

¶ R-r-rum tee Dee dum Dee dum tee
dum tee dum tee Dee dum tee ¶¶

you have to see this book
that she gave me.

It's called eartha kitt:
Confessions of a sex kitten.

I loved working with Orson
welles, this huge man.

And I had a song to sing.

She does this song, and he's supposed
to kiss her, and instead, he bit her...

And she started bleeding on stage.
Oh, my God!

So she starts bleeding on stage,
and she was furious.

After the show she went to his dressing
room... "'Orson, why did you bite me?'

he pushed me aside like a little
mouse." That's how she said it.

"He pushed me aside like a little mouse.
And he said, 'I got excited.'"

that was it? "'I got excited'."

¶¶

¶ Santa, cutie, there's
one thing I really do need ¶

¶ the deed to a platinum mine ¶

¶ Santa, cutie, and hurry
down the chimney tonight ¶

¶ Santa, baby, and fill
my stocking with a duplex ¶

¶ and checks ¶

¶ sign your "x" on the line
Santa, cutie ¶

¶ and hurry down the chimney
tonight ¶¶

I had this preview with candy
pratts, and it went really well.

She adored what I showed her,

which is, you know,
a good indication,

'cause candy would tell me;
She would say she hated it.

She wouldn't say she hated it, but she would
indicate to me that it wasn't working.

Just between you and I,

I'm sort of feeling
for, like, color in this way.

I'm not fond of plaids
like that.

Forget the... Forget the plaids.

What about those colors?

I like stronger color
than that.

Stronger color? Stronger color.

- Really? Now I'm totally confused.
- Oh, dear. Oh, dear.

Just one amazing color, like if you have
a long matte Jersey dress like that.

It looks heaven.

What I think happens...
and this is totally off camera.

Sound on this one should be turned
off because that's not right.

- Turn it off.
- Avocado?

That's chicken with Pesto.
Ooh.

And this is? Here's what the
ouija board said last night.

He wasn't looking at the board,
and I was calling out letters.

Ouija board was saying, "sexy,
sexy," and I'm like, "thank God."

It's like, "dominatrix. Dominatrix.
Mixed with Hitchcock."

I'm like, "that's insane."
"Hitchcock meets marnie."

It actually spelled out
the word "marnie."

"M-a-r-n-I-e." Like this. No!

I was like, "marnie."
It was like, "yes."

"M-I-c-k j-a-g-g..."
oh, it's a big speller.

"Ouija"... you know how
it goes over itself?

"Ouija likes... l-I-k-e-s...

B-o-y-s."

"Ouija likes boys."
I'm like, "ouija likes boys?"

"A-t n-I-g-h-t."

"Ouija likes boys at night."

Wow, what does that mean?

I said, "you mean Mick Jagger?"
It said, "yes."

Just a tuxedo or something.

It said, "flats for night. High
heels, dominatrix shoes for day.

Flats for night." Insane.
How do you feel about this?

Scary. Very scary.

The collection is being
designed with the ouija board.

Totally. What can I tell you?
It works.

I saved all this money...

And came to Paris
all by myself when I was 17.

It was, of course... the first
time you experience jet lag...

Is a very crucial and
important, you know, memory.

Anyway, there I was,
jet lagged out of my mind,

seventeen and landing in Paris with
this big purple leather ensemble...

That I had constructed
especially for the flight.

Terrified. It was the first time
I'd ever been away from home...

Without my parents
or something.

You know, I wasn't sleeping.

I was waking up at 6:00
in the morning.

What was great was that all the
pastry shops open really early,

like at 4:00 in the morning,

and I'd be walking on
the streets buying pastries.

Actually, that's my favorite thing...
another favorite thing about France.

I probably... the thing is, I say I hate
traveling and being away from home,

but I would love to live here for
awhile or to have an apartment.

It would be so cool,
'cause it's the coolest place.

I mean, look at this.

Look at this.

It's terrible to work so hard
in a foreign place.

You have to keep doing these
appointments and all you want to do...

Is blow your nose
or get sinutab.

And there's no sinutab,
you know?

Or feel comfortable and have people around
you doing what they're supposed to be doing.

But you're all alone;
It's horrible.

I can never wait to leave,
that's the thing.

I want to just get here,
have a great cup of coffee...

And then get the hell out.

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

You read the cards? You'll tell
us our fortune, our love lives?

Individually?
Individually, yes.

When you get to me, I'll tell
you what I want to know.

They're good. They're good
because they're seasoned.

I love them
because they're well-worn.

There is a wallpaper in that
bathroom that is so good.

Did you see the wallpaper?
That? Yeah.

So good. Wallpaper?

Darling, I would kill for
a swatch of that wallpaper.

I'm sure Donna karan had, like, a
polaroid camera when she went in there.

I went to the louvre today
to the costume archives.

They have this unbelievable
fake fur from the 18th century.

It's amazing. Fake furs
in the 18th century?

Made of silk. They're divine.

What's he saying?

I think he says this
to everyone.

But your whole energy is more...
it's always inside of you.

- Reconnaissance.
- Reconnaissance?

Reconnaissance?

- Reconnaissance.
- To remember, no?

No. No, no.

To be recognized.
Yeah, to be known.

To have a comeback.
The comeback!

Always the comeback.
Always the comeback!

The comeback is major.

¶¶

¶¶

If you're "ger-na."
If you're "ger-na."

That's our imitation of this kind of
wonderful illustration teacher...

That we all had at Parsons.

She used to say, "now, if
you're ger-na draw with chalk,

you're ger-na have to draw...
you're ger-na."

"Yarn't" comes
from Bette Davis,

from that movie called who's afraid of...
no. What ever happened to baby Jane?

You know that scene where Joan
Crawford is in the wheelchair...

And she says, "if I can only
get out of this chair"...

and she says, "yarn't ever gonna
leave that chair, blanche,

and yarn't ever gonna..."
yarn't. Yarn't.

So we put it together.
Yarn't ever ger-na...

you can make sentences. It's pretty insane.
People think it's insane.

You don't know
what you're saying.

Blanche,

yarn't ever gonna
sell this house.

And yarn't ever
gonna leave it...

Either.

Maybe just do these in suede
and those in nubuck.

Suede, we're getting in black.
We're "ger-na" get in black.

Then this thing is probably wrong to have in here.
That's one, two, three, four.

- Fourteen, fifteen, sixteen.
- These are out, right?

Color, which is here, right?

- I was thinking, make this...
- That check... - a bustle.

These are the beast coats and almost the
same jacket, minus that figure, right?

These are simple. They're gonna put
them to work, and boom, they're done.

Look at it on.
If I had a short skirt, right?

Is it better shorter?
It's better shorter, isn't it?

Isn't it good? Women's wear isn't
going to be happy; There's no color.

Then I redid... I know, exactly.

Who's doing
the crossword puzzle?

I redid the, um...

um...

"incur."

"Incur."

Um, five. "Iguana."

Iguana. Iguana.

Don't put it on your wall
until after April 12th.

2:45? You would have
till, like, 3:00.

So Elle magazine, five people
at 2:45.

Speaking of
astrakhan, there's this dress.

Oh, my God! That's great!

You love that?

Look how cute this little skirt is.
I can't wait for you to see that.

Pink satin, with, like, a tutu?
Where are they going to be?

- I've got something for the 7th.
- When are you shooting?

12th and 13th. Of, um, April?

You're not shooting on the 12th,
honey, because my show is on the 12th.

You better be there.

There's always this moment of
revelation when you kind of know...

That you're going to dare
yourself to do something.

This time it happened.
I don't remember exactly when.

It was way before Christmas
when I thought,

oh, it has to be this
kind of like, you know,

'50s cheesecake meets...

Like eskimo, kind of
just crazy fake fur.

Very glamorous kind of a thing.

I was watching
call of the wild last year.

There's this scene in that movie where
she is abandoned by her husband...

'Cause she's on the tundra, and he goes
looking for food and eventually dies.

And Clark gable discovers her after, like, four
days of being frostbitten and nearly dead.

Of course, when the close-up
happens, the makeup is perfect,

dewy skin, perfect eyebrows,
lip liner;

The hair is, you know,
perfection.

I'm thinking, if you must freeze on
the tundra, this is the way to do it.

So I made a big note
in my notebook,

"call of the wild."

Is he dead?

No, he isn't dead,
and he isn't a he.

Maybe that could be...
maybe like right here...

Could be a little shorter.

Why do I like... because I'm
American, and I'm not a stone.

That's why I like
Mary Tyler Moore.

Um, basically, I think because
between her and Jackie Kennedy,

they shaped this country,
that's why.

Between all of her portrayals... between
Laura petrie and Mary Richards,

it's, you know, what shaped
Americans' whole taste level.

¶ Who can take a nothing day ¶

¶ and suddenly make it
all seem worthwhile ¶

¶ well, it's you, girl
and you should know it ¶

¶ you're gonna make it
after all ¶¶

¶¶

I am very happy where I am.

I am very happy in New York.

I don't need a lot of money. I don't
need to move a thousand times.

I don't need to go to Australia or to India
to do collections about those places.

I can do them
from my imagination,

or from having seen, you know,
the flintstones episode...

That was set in Australia
or something, you know.

That... that's what I love.

You know, that's what
I'm kind of about.

A lot of times she bought clothes
that were cheater clothes,

like cheap clothes,
and turned them around.

Like high necklines in the front
and low necklines in the back.

That's cause I wore it back to the front.
Like strange things.

Cut them at strange lengths,
sew feathers on them.

Daisies... she had this pair of
great shoes that were mules...

That all of the sudden had
daisies on them, miraculously.

And who knew he was
looking at them?

I mean, he was four years old. I
was obsessed with them, okay?

He was four years old and he
noticed the daisies on the mules?

You all right? Actually, we
have a very big day tomorrow.

Naomi... like, all these girls.

Cindy Crawford, 9:45. Perfect.
And it's all day, right?

What are you doing for fall? I know
you've always been a proponent of color.

Are you doing color now?
I'm doing a lot of color.

I'm sort of doing, like, uh, Giselle
meets Fred flintstone or something.

It's all about fake furs,
actually, for me.

These textures
that are sort of beastly.

The texture
of Isaac's fake furs...

Are so extraordinary.

Plus, weightless.

Pom-pom. Nothing. Powder puff.

You know what? Pins get stuck in here.
You better check for pins.

They get lost?

Yeah, they get lost. The thing is,
all of the sudden you discover one.

And then Clark gable, like, discovers
her nearly frostbite... Clark gable.

Clark gable... nearly frostbite, in
a, like, skunk coat or something.

You know, fur to, like, here.

Then they have a close-up of her
being discovered on the tundra.

Dewy makeup, eyebrows... she's
supposed to be, like, you know...

perfect lip liner. Everything
is so perfect. Key light.

And she's, of course,
dying of frostbite.

Which I love.
That's my favorite reference.

But...

Perfect makeup on the tundra.
Perfect hair.

Polly was freaking me out last night.
She was saying, "well, you know..."

the whole scale
of Isaac's show...

Changed my eye.

I had been saying,
"I don't know about short.

Not too short.
Too short looks wrong."

"But when you do too short,
it works."

And I'm thinking, "what does that mean?
Are all my skirts too short?"

What do they want, a longer short skirt?
Sorry, we did that last year.

Honey, what is this funky
tissue in your pocket?

I don't know, to tell the truth.
It's some scary...

it's not scary. I don't have
anything scary in my pockets.

Trust me.

¶¶

Irving. Irving. Irving.

My name is Irving. I write for
Marty Allen with the crazy hair.

You're with Marty Allen?
Marty Allen!

- He uses all my jokes.
- Like which ones?

Uh, you know, uh, uh...

New York has the most
topless bars in the country.

- Yeah.
- Really?

- I feel like I'm living in New York titty.
- Ohh! Irving, please!

This racy humor!

Who's the greatest mayor
this city ever had?

A fella by the name of naze
was the greatest mayor. Why?

You never heard of naze? Never.

You never heard of mayor naze?
Never heard of him...

oh, mayonnaise! Oh, you are...

what's your name?
Sandra bernhard.

How do ya like that?
You're a famous person.

Of course she is. You're in with,
uh... let's see, who's with you?

I read about you and, uh, uh...

oh, gee. Oh, here it comes.

The one who ran for mayor.
Bella abzug.

Bella abzug? Heavenly. What
did they write about us?

- I wrote her campaign song when she ran for mayor.
- Sing it.

¶ My dear, it's so plain ¶

Wait. ¶ So says Streisand
and MacLaine ¶

¶ I know that our vote
won't be in vain ¶

¶ oy, oy, oy Bella, Bella
¶ oh, that is brilliant.

¶ To me you are a star ¶

¶ you show concern for all no
matter who or what they are ¶¶

can you believe we just met him?
Isn't that unbelievable?

Oh, I love New York. You know who
raved about your show? Andre talley.

- I talked to him last night and he said,
- Oh, look at this!

"It's genius!
It's absolutely genius!"

- When did you break it?
- I was trying to move it by myself.

I knew it! Steven, you're crazy.
You fool!

You'd better be careful.

It's a little dusty.

Oh, who cares? Ohh! Ohh, ohh.

Remember when merv Griffin used to have his
afternoon show? That was Mike Douglas.

¶ No, no, no, no, no, no, no ¶ ¶
yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes ¶

it was also... maybe it
was on another coast.

No, here, in Michigan. Merv
Griffin was always at 8:00.

Are you finally waking up?
Yeah, finally. God.

I'm finally waking up, yes.
You sounded very, very...

I took a valium last night. I could not go to sleep.
You seem a little bit, uh...

Well, I am. Agitated.

You know what it is? It's because my
fittings start in a week from now.

I'm trying to focus everybody so we have as
many things ready for the fittings as possible.

Half the stuff isn't ready.

I mean, the shoes are running
really late, which is crazy.

The clothes... I'm just
freaking out in general.

I can't take this. I definitely want the
cashmere, but if it's not gonna be possible...

otherwise I can't stand it one more second, you know.
No, I can't... I mean...

it's, like, fucking gray flannel.
I'm not asking for, you know...

it's gray flannel and corduroy.

Like I'm asking for, like, some kind
of extinct animal skins, you know.

Where the hell is she? I can't deal with this anymore.
Just get her over here.

They sent this rib with it, and you
put your finger right through it.

They were trying to put the lycra
in it to make it more steady,

but they tried three different
trials and it didn't work.

Well, I don't understand it. It's yarn.
Can't they just knit a rib?

That knit on there is washed.
Then wash the sweaters.

They always say the same thing. These agencies
are such fucking liars; I can't deal with them.

I can't deal with this either,
I have to tell you right now.

- I can't do all of this; I just can't.
- I know, I know.

Every single one of these
appointments are ridiculous.

I don't know what they think I am made of, you know.
Where are those chips?

Everything is frustrating. Every
single thing is frustrating.

Except designing clothes.
That's not frustrating.

That's really liberating
and beautiful.

You know, being...

frustrating is, I don't know,

being overweight and not being able
to lose weight... that's a problem.

Anything that you're really working hard
at that's not working, that's a problem.

But frankly, designing
clothes is never a problem.

I've always sort of been inspired
by that character called...

Boris lermontov
from the red shoes.

I've always wanted
to be that character.

That incredibly precise,
handsome, trim,

in control...

he's totally in control.
He's very, sort of, severe.

He finishes with people
and says, "good morning."

He doesn't say "thank you;" He says
"good morning," and they walk off.

- It's really dramatic.
- If you take my advice,

it is worth remembering that it
is much more disheartening...

To have to steal
than to be stolen from.

Hmm?

Good morning.

There's this scene where he's having
breakfast in the most beautiful room...

it's this gorgeous beige room.

I actually thought about that room a lot
when I was decorating my apartment.

It's all kind of this dark kind
of honey color and black accents.

The piano is black lacquer
and he has a coromandel screen...

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

That girl has
a run-of-the-play contract.

- I know all about run-of-the-play contracts!
- Helen, this isn't gonna help...

the only hit that comes out of a
Helen Lawson show is Helen Lawson,

and that's me, baby, remember?

There's one star in a Helen Lawson production
and that's Helen Lawson. Remember?

Me! One star... in a Helen
Lawson production...

And that's Helen Lawson.
And that's me, remember?

There's one star!

There's one star in a
Helen Lawson production,

and that's Helen Lawson,
and that's me! Remember?

The sculptures that Richard Sara
makes that are, like, scary...

Can't look at that there.
Messes with my eyes.

I like it. That one's
really cool, I think.

I love these pictures. This
messes with my eyes, though.

Very chic pictures. To
my eyes, it's like...

from a certain distance, when you look
at it, it's controlling the picture.

You see?

- When are we getting engaged?
- Engaged? I am engaged.

Every time she has another ring at the fittings,
I say, "who are you engaged to this time?"

I've only been engaged once in my life.
Oh, right!

It's mark Morris. I see him.
Right there. Where?

Mark! Where is he?

He's over there.

Naomi Campbell, mark Morris.
Nice to meet you.

You are my heroine. Yes, of course you are.
How could you not be?

- She was a ballet dancer for a really long time.
- Me too.

Look, it's a dance step.
Do it again.

Here, I'll hum the music.
¶ Dee Dee Dee ¶

¶ ba da da Dee da da
da da da da da da bom ¶

¶¶

Yeah, exactly. It fits
me, though, exactly.

Isn't it great? It's sort
of rod Stewart on me.

It's very munster
It's very rod Stewart.

It's very good. It is good, but what
if you had little tiny breasts?

No, it would be better, because your
back is smaller if you're a girl.

- That's true.
- And your shoulders are smaller.

It's not balanced on you.

It's kind of simian, isn't it?
It's supposed to be.

Well, then, it worked. It's
beastly, really, more than simian.

Every time she comes in
it's another engagement ring.

Let's see the engagement ring
this time, Naomi.

Then she'll wear it open
like this.

So that's the jacket,
right, annica?

Taking it out, opening the vents
again, and then this, right?

Here, hold that, would you?
Oh, Naomi!

I won't have it. I'll take it out.
You promise?

Off. Good.

Make sure this
doesn't show, okay?

You should take off all
model's own jewelry. Oops.

Except for model's
own navel ring.

No, that's coming out. The ring doesn't come out.
The chain and the blue thing.

Mary! I can't! It
closes up in an hour.

I have to get it redone. Twenty
minutes you'll be on the runway.

As soon as air gets to it,
it starts to...

ew! Gross! I have to leave it in
for nine months before it stays.

You don't understand.

When I take my engagement ring off, the
newspapers say I'm not getting married.

So I get scandal.

- The boot is silly, isn't it?
- The high boot?

Hello. Hello. I don't like the boot.
The hush puppy boot?

It's not working. I'm in the middle
of a fitting and can't talk.

Where are you? The high heel.
It's a poodle moment.

It's a poodle thing. It's a pink,
sort of Parisian poodle thing.

Bye! Thank you! Bye, Ingrid!
Bye, everyone!

Did you? I had braids and I
had the little curls here.

They even had a lot of bald men
because it was punk and hasidic.

There was booing at the end.
I didn't hear anybody booing.

I certainly heard afterwards, "oh, my God!
Gautier's gone too far.

"Now he's done a thing
about hasidic Jews.

"Jews are going to be upset
and people are going to say,

you know,
this is a sacred thing."

I completely,
completely disagree.

I think that what was
so fantastic about it,

and what is so fantastic
about gautier,

is that he incorporates politics
and culture into his fashion.

I think to take something that none
of us understand, necessarily,

and mix it up and incorporate
it into the culture...

And show all sorts of
different people wearing it,

is a way of removing strife.

I think that was really great.

I think that what one sees in
Isaac's collections, you know...

in a way he sort of does
the same thing.

He doesn't do it
with that subject,

but he picks on subjects that so
many of us, that are part of life.

His last collection when he did the
divorcée and the Hollywood thing...

I think to build content into
fashion is where fashion's at.

Oh, please, no navel rings.
You don't have a navel ring, do you?

Do you have a navel bra... a navel bra!
Do you have a navel ring?

No. Please don't surprise me.

Do you want me to get one?
No, I don't!

¶ It's working ¶ that's what Naomi would say.
¶ It's working ¶¶

aren't they handsome?
Very handsome.

She's going to work
at hachette filipacchi.

She's going to work at Elle.

You know what I think?
This is very Isaac does Ralph Lauren.

Is it?

Thanks, Nina.

Now I won't sleep
for the rest of the week.

I was just trying to make
a tiny little bit of fun!

Inuit. No, it's true. She's right. I
didn't know that "eskimo" is a slur.

It's like a slur. It means
"fish eater" or something.

According to shalome.
"Eskimo" means "fish eater."

"Fish eater." Yeah.

It's fish hater.

Raw fish eater.

If there was a word for gefilte fish
eater, that would be me, actually.

Gefilte fish eater.

This is honestly one of the worst
weeks I've ever had in my whole life.

You should call me
when you feel like that.

It'll make you feel better.
It was just so busy.

Monday I had a huge fight
with Nina and Jennifer.

I actually ended up screaming at them
in my office, which I've never done.

I've never done something like that.
It made you feel better.

It felt good, actually.
That's all.

Sometimes you have to
clear the air, honey.

You want to me to tell you something?
Please.

I'm getting women's wear every day.
Everything you did I see them doing.

Me too. I swear to God!

I know. I see this guy coming
out with Peter Pan collar...

And the ruffles coming out
of the sleeves like you did.

Everything you do
is copied left and right.

Me too. Left and right,
without even a modification.

I don't know what... it's like I have
no perspective on anything right now.

You haven't got an idea? No,
I have a million ideas.

Why don't you let me
look at them, Isaac?

You're laughing? You're a riot.

Excuse me. I just think
it's very funny.

That's not funny at all.

That's very funny. I have
a very good eye, Isaac.

¶ I know ¶

¶ beyond a doubt ¶

¶ my heart will
lead me there soon ¶

¶ we'll meet
I know we'll meet ¶

¶ beyond the shore ¶

¶ we'll kiss just as before ¶

¶ happy we'll be
beyond the sea ¶

¶ And never again
I'll go sailin' ¶

¶ somewhere ¶

¶ beyond the sea ¶

¶ she's there watching for me ¶

¶ if I could fly
like birds on high ¶

¶ then straight to her arms
I'd go sailin' ¶

¶ it's far beyond the stars ¶

¶ it's near beyond the moon ¶

¶ I know beyond a doubt ¶

¶ my heart will
lead me there soon ¶

¶ we'll meet ¶

¶ beyond the shore ¶

¶ we'll kiss just as before ¶

¶ happy we'll be
beyond the sea ¶

¶ and never again
I'll go sailin' ¶

¶ no more sailin' ¶

¶ so long, sailin' ¶

¶ bye-bye ¶¶ it's
actually perfect on her.

You know, it was actually in
Paris, with katell at the louvre.

And we found all these racks.

It was like this empty space
with all these racks of muslin.

I picked up one of the muslins
and there was...

The most amazing corset.

It's impossible to believe.

It's metal inside.

It's metal, but goatskin also.

In between the linen, which
is lining, and the iron.

Otherwise the iron would have
pierced through there...

And would have-
gorged their gorgeous...

But it's such fabulous...

to me it has to be
our favorite Teddy bear.

Actually, it's... if
you have enough hair.

It's to be like nanook of the north.
Oh, I see. Mm-hmm.

Sophisticated, soft and warm.

Saturn is rising
above your horizon.

Now, on one level, you could have more
than the normal aggravation with people...

That you deal with.

You could find people
who are even important to you...

In terms that you need
their cooperation in the work...

you could find that they're not as
cooperative as you would like them to be.

I'm doing this
very new thing...

With, um,

the way I'm showing, which
is a platform and a scrim.

There are girls changing
from behind the scrim...

So you can see through
to where they're changing.

That could be a little bit
of a problem.

Take all those flats out,
right?

And you give me a scrim,
just a scrim.

A white scrim.

And we have the name painted
on... like in the theater?

You know, a scrim. Have you been to
the ballet ever in your entire life?

It's like a painted backdrop,
and you see right through it.

But this won't be painted. It'll
just be white. Wait a minute.

You can do it also as a color.
So you're suggesting that...

I'm not suggesting it.
The models actually...

Are seen changing? Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. Yes.

Are they gonna want to do that?
I don't give a shit.

They're gonna have to do it.
Here's the thing, yasmeen. Go.

They're gonna give you a
bra and a panty because...

In the show, hopefully... well, if
you don't want, you don't have to.

You have to cut that ribbon.

In the show, hopefully,
there's like a scrim.

You can see through where the
girls are changing. If you want.

You know, when you go to the ballet and
you see a backdrop that you see through.

Okay, yeah, yeah. That's
what it's gonna be, I hope.

They're gonna see us in bras and underwear?
Maybe. If you don't mind.

Some of the girls don't care.

Uh, I kinda care. You care?
All right. That's fine.

So she... she cares. I care.

She'll be in the back
somewhere.

Robert, are you keeping a list of
girls who don't want to do it?

Yeah. Of girls who care.

Naomi, I have to tell you
about this thing in the show.

That is that some of the
girls... maybe you, even...

are going to be changing on stage
where people can see you, sort of.

Uh-huh. But you'll be in your
bra and panties the whole time.

What? No.

No.

Now, Cindy, here's
the idea of the show.

If you say you don't like
the idea, you're uncomfortable...

- be careful.
- You don't wanna put it...

Hello! This says hello
to me very distinctly!

Isn't that amazing? It's fake?

It's fake. At last I
have a sable coat!

Don't you think? It's
so politically correct.

It's politically very correct. Oh,
the '40s chubby is back! Thank God!

Why are you going so fast? Because
I want to show you the highlights.

Actually, that is very good. That
little chiffon dress with the sweater.

Very good, no?

Not fussy, no? No, never fussy.

Fussy, finished.
Fussy, finished.

Too much jewelry, no.
Bad. Wrong.

Anjelica Houston last night,
she had that beautiful dress...

And then these
long earrings... no!

I have just been to a show. Be
careful of makeup. Be careful.

"You just made fashion
history." "You..."

did she say that to you? My favorite
thing was once she said to us,

"oh, it erases everything!"
I love that line.

This is so major.

Isn't that so good?
This is so major.

You get what I want? It's sort
of, you know... it's not...

explain to me how glamorous
your life really is.

Start with, here it is, 8:30.

Um, here it is, 8:30. I still have
makeup on from the last show.

I'm an hour behind schedule.

And I have a new husband
at home waiting for me...

Kind of patiently.

Some other strange man
under your skirt.

Isaac under my skirt.

Is this the height of fashion?

This is the peak.
This is mount Everest, darling.

Isaac's first show,
I was hysterically sobbing.

I had no idea
he was so sophisticated.

He was a kid.

The color combinations
and the fabrics...

Were so sophisticated
for his age.

Very, very, very high.

And it was... I heard somebody
say, one of the models...

she said, "fashion history
is made tonight."

¶¶

We're still trying
to get buttons,

order decided on,

um, stockings.

Our shoes... are, like, late.

Um, it... it's just a madhouse.

It's completely crazy.

I think...
everything is designed...

And I think, like, somewhere
he knows it's good,

but then he starts
to doubt himself.

We know it's good,

but if he doesn't... if he
starts to doubt himself,

then there's just no way
to convince him.

You just have to let him
go through.

¶¶

¶¶

I'll look into it. I don't know
if these people can handle...

Creating this scrim.

Well... the other thing, Isaac...

you know how much a scrim costs? Like 40 dollars.
It's so not expensive.

This scary union thing,
we'll overcome it.

I'll stretch the fucking thing.

I'm just afraid of the
press at this point.

Don't be so afraid.
I'm not afraid.

The minute you start getting afraid of the
press is the minute that they're mean...

I had a conversation
with twyla tharp.

It's like the most common
material in the world.

That's twyla tharp.
They do this every day.

Why do we have to distract from the clothes?
They look so good.

Nina is snow white.

Actually, she looks
like snow white, doesn't she?

Just exactly like the cartoon of snow
white and the seven dwarfs of Disney.

Um, but aside from that,

she's just a really
important... person...

Because she...

Feels everything
as much as I do.

She goes through everything
as much as I do.

She's as devoted as I am,
I think.

Nina is like a sister.

I always sort of viewed her
in that sisterly way.

It's a really great
relationship that we have.

Meanwhile, just covering up this little
nipple means that you're not nude?

How did you have that idea?
I just had it.

I had it a long time ago. To do it with
the scrim or to do it with nothing?

I was gonna do it with nothing, then
I was at the ballet and thought,

"if Nina's too nervous without
anything, we'll just have a scrim."

You show me the pose, and I'll do it.
All right. Do this.

Last night I went to the
Knicks game and they won.

Have you ever been to the garden for
a game and sit in the front row?

No. It's so cool.

I'll go! These guys are like
gods because they're so tall.

Hugely tall. Beautiful
bodies, like sculpture.

It's so funny that I know this whole
different world which is fun.

It's fun to not only know
fashion people.

Once I went to a baseball game
at shea stadium...

And it was out of this world.

At night... it's all lit for day
so it's all this halogen light.

Everything becomes
kind of surreal.

The grass is really
sort of like lime green.

It's so fabulous.
And the skin is orange.

I was screaming. I was so into it.
I was so excited.

At some point somebody in the back
screamed out, "sit down, Nelly!"

It was so embarrassing.
Everybody started to roar.

This is what I meant when I
said these are cheesy fake...

fake shooting is cheesy.
Absolutely.

I just had this big fight. "I'm not
trying to be a bitch, but really,

you cannot fake a shoot; It's
cheesy." You're absolutely right.

Thank you very much.
It's paper dolls.

We're like on... Models, inc.
On models, inc.

Beautiful.

You're a little close. It's like,
hello, my pores are not that small.

Exactly.
Your pores are very small.

¶ Don't need to waste it ¶¶
ooh, that was flat.

I can't decide if it's the most ridiculous
thing I've ever done in my life...

To be away from my studio.

But you know what? It's not about me.
It's about the sewers now.

I've done my work.

¶ Do-do-do do-do-do-do ¶

¶ Do-do do-do-do you're
gonna make it after all ¶

¶ da-da dun-dun
dun-dun-dun dun ¶¶

You better bring it in to him.

He's gonna seem like an idiot
if he doesn't know.

We're not going to design fake furs because
gautier is doing it? That's crazy.

Do you believe this?
"Nanook of the north."

Isaac's gonna flip. How could another
designer have the exact same idea?

And they show before we do.

What? Look at this.

Oh, my God!

Do you believe this? No.

Oh, my God!

Doesn't look anything like...
oh, my God!

Take it away! Take it away!

Oh, take it away! This happens
every season with people.

It doesn't mean
that we can't do this.

We're obviously doing it. That's
why... don't show these things to me.

I've not been looking at it.
Just don't show it to me.

You showed it to me. It's like you
took some evil pleasure in it.

No, I didn't, Isaac!

We're gonna talk
to women's wear tomorrow.

Right now I feel very trapped,
in a way,

like there's no way
to change anything...

Or rethink anything.

It's all done.

A scrim. I scrim, you scrim.

We all scrim for the scrim.

To scrim or not to scrim.
That is the question.

The scrim, yeah. I'm totally ready.
Who really cares, anyways?

I mean... yeah, I'm sure they
care, but anyways, who cares?

Yep. Yep, really.

It's very good, isn't it?
With the pin and everything.

This is my mother's hat,
actually.

"Lucilla Mendez,
exclusively New York."

I love it.
I think it's so good.

How come you're so stressed out
right now?

Um, I'm not really
that stressed out.

I hate it when people tell me I'm
stressed out, more than anything.

I'm not that stressed out.
I'm fine.

That was an endless fitting
today, am I wrong?

It was just...
I was losing my mind.

Putting the scrim together,
way more overtime than normal.

We always have overtime.

Um, I don't know. I just
feel really vulnerable.

I feel really set up
or something,

as I do before most
collections, you know.

And it's a mood swing.

I have a feeling it has more to
do with what I ate for lunch...

Than anything else, but...

and you can't help it.
You can't help feeling moody.

You know?

You just can't help it.

Um,

I like to feel in control, and, you
know, on the last couple of days,

I don't ever feel like
I'm in control.

I feel like, um,
out of control,

so, um...

I just can't wait for the show, really.
That's it.

I just can't wait for it.

It has to be the most wonderful
20 minutes of a designer's life.

You know?
You look forward to it...

So much.

¶¶

How fabulous this is
gonna be, you know?

You're just gonna see right through.
Amazing, you know?

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

Then you have to change from that
into this really quickly, so...

no, you can turn your back
or go in the corner.

There's also gonna be
a dresser, so...

we don't have the lights on, though.
Guys?

You can see everything!

No, you see everything!
I told you!

Can you see what I'm wearing?

You can see everything!

I know! I told you!

It's my natural
exhibitionism...

That comes out
of this situation.

You really do see everything. Oh, yes.
So, how are we going from here to there?

You can see everything!

It's like you're the...
you're out there.

- It's so crazy to dress nude next to Naomi and Carla.
- Oh, shut up!

I must be out of my fucking mind to dress
next to the two best bodies in the business!

Ouch! Oww!

Oww! Oww!

Aaah! You hurt my hand!

You have taken him!

We just got here!
Let me get roseanne!

My God!

Give me just a little, all right?
All right, just a tad.

Being rude to me
isn't going to help.

So, are you on the list?
Joyce. Yes.

- Okay, so what's your last name?
- Clifford.

Clifford? Yes. Certainly.

I don't have it on the list.
What?

I'm not trying to be rude, but if I don't
have you on the list I can't let you in.

I don't think you have to try.

Pardon? You don't have to try.

Are women's wear here yet?

How about the retailers?

Women's wear? Are they
here... women's wear is here.

Ten minutes, the show is gonna start?
Yes. Five minutes.

Five minutes. That's good.

We're right about to start.
Go get your seat. Yes, okay.

Girls, you're in
your first look?

They're gonna see me naked backstage?
You look heavenly.

Sexy.

Well, a little bit. It's
like... "playboy" Mizrahi.

Isaac, why do you always give me the flat shoes
and you always give Naomi Campbell high heels?

You gave me slippers for my finale last season!
She wouldn't take them!

Every single time! Oh, shut up!

Do you have something
against white women?

Because you have to
speak up, lovey!

I did, for my finale; I said, you ain't givin'
me slippers... I had slippers last time!

I've got the same problem.
Heels, heels, heels!

All right, where we goin'?
What do we do...

Let's just get it started.

Go music!

I'm serious. Go music.

Let's go! Let's go!
Just get lost!

Go! ¶¶

It's getting sheer, girls.

¶¶

¶¶ they can see us now, right?

¶¶

¶¶ girls!

¶¶

¶¶ we're starting now!

¶¶ Where is Linda?
Has anybody...

¶ Oh, you make me feel ¶

¶ mighty real ¶

¶ my darlin', you know
you make me feel ¶

¶ mighty real ¶

¶¶ Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.

¶¶

¶¶ okay, go.

¶¶

¶ I passed your street
on a Saturday night ¶

¶ it was outta sight MacArthur
park melting in the background ¶

¶ you walked into the disco
and hit the dance floor ¶

¶ you're a little out of place
but you know you want more ¶

¶ baby, now you're free ¶

¶ and it's gonna be all right ¶

¶ 'cause somewhere in this world
you'll find true love tonight ¶

¶ oh, you make me feel ¶

¶ mighty real ¶

¶ my darlin, you know
you make me feel ¶

¶ mighty real ¶

¶¶ Anna, where's Linda?

¶¶

¶¶

¶ he walked right over said I'll
treat you right ¶ ¶ it's all right ¶

¶ I walked outside
the air is fresh and sweet ¶

¶ rain fallin' down
your heart you conceal ¶

¶ you get on the back
of his motorcycle ¶

¶ hit the pavement and baby
you feel so real ¶

¶ oh, you make me feel ¶

¶ mighty real ¶

¶ my darlin', you know
you make me feel ¶

- ¶ mighty real ¶
- I've got a cramp in my foot!

¶¶ Really? What do I do?
You don't care!

¶¶ I have a cramp!

¶¶ You don't care!
I totally care!

¶¶ Go out, go out, go out,
go out, go out! All right!

¶¶

¶¶ they can see everything
through that fucking screen!

¶¶ everything!

¶¶ I'm naked in public!

¶¶ Just drop it down at the end of
the runway, right? At the what?

¶ My darlin', you know
you make me feel ¶

Genius! ¶ Mighty real ¶

¶ my darlin', you know
you make me feel ¶

¶ mighty real ¶

- ¶ my darlin', you know you make me feel ¶
- Ooh!

¶ Mighty real ¶
Take it off, Cindy!

¶¶

¶¶ help me. Help me.

¶¶ - Out! Out! Clear out!
Wait a minute!

¶¶ Major lint!

¶¶ Get the major lints off!
Isaac don't like major lint.

¶¶ Sweetie, that thing
is in my fucking face...

¶¶ all the time, sweetie!

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶ Isaac, call them
and get a coat!

¶¶

¶¶ oww!

¶¶

¶¶ Paul, you pervert!
You pervert!

¶¶

¶¶ go!

¶¶ Together? Together, but don't
walk together; Walk stag!

¶¶ The three of you go
out, and then you...

¶¶

¶ Who can turn the world on
with her smile ¶

¶ who can take a nothing day ¶

¶ and suddenly make it all
seem worthwhile ¶

¶ well, it's you, girl
and you should know it ¶

¶ with each glance and every
little movement you show it ¶

¶ love is all around
no need to waste it ¶

¶ you can have the town
why don't you take it ¶

¶ you're gonna make it
after all ¶

¶ you're gonna make it
after all ¶¶

¶¶ I'm limping back!

¶¶ My ankle kept on
going like this!

¶¶

¶ You'll miss me ¶

¶ I know that I lied to you ¶

¶¶

¶¶ ¶ I'll take you and
you'll never be sure ¶

¶¶ ¶ and the way that you
need is too much like greed ¶

¶¶ hit it, baby! ¶ Decide if
you are rich or you're poor ¶

¶ and the love
that I have to give ¶

¶ nothing's better
than that kind ¶

¶ it can make you rich
it can make you poor ¶

¶ but I know that you'll
miss me blind ¶

¶ I know you'll miss me ¶

¶ I know you'll miss me I
know you'll miss me blind ¶

¶ I know you'll miss me ¶

¶ I know you'll miss me ¶

¶ I know you'll miss me blind ¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶ ¶ I know you'll miss me
I know you'll miss me ¶

¶ I know you'll miss me blind ¶

¶ I know you'll miss me ¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶ I know you'll miss me
I know you'll miss me ¶

¶ I know you'll miss me blind ¶

¶ I know you'll miss me
Naomi's the last!

¶ I know you'll miss me ¶

¶ I know you'll
miss me blind ¶¶

¶¶

Whoo!

¶¶

¶ We love you ¶

¶ phone rings, door chimes
in comes company ¶

¶¶

¶ no strings, good times
room hums, company ¶

¶ late nights, quick bites
party games ¶

¶ deep talks, long walks
telephone calls ¶

¶ thoughts shared, souls bared
private names ¶

¶ all those photos up on the ¶

¶ good and crazy people
my friends ¶

¶ those good and crazy people
my married friends ¶

¶ that's what it's all about
isn't it ¶

¶ that's what it's really about
isn't it ¶

¶ that's what
it's really about ¶

let's give it up to Isaac.
The scrim worked.

I just wanna have a very
dry Martini right now.

I loved it, I loved it.
It was... it was...

The quintessential Isaac.

It was witty and warm
and colorful and beautiful.

¶ Company life is company ¶

¶ love is company ¶

¶ company ¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

Is Nina awake or asleep?

She did? Pass the phone over.

Hon?

Fantastic.

Isn't that thrilling? I just had to
call you and tell you that, 'cause...

it says "Isaac Mizrahi,
mad about you."

It's a big picture on one page,
thank God, and it says,

"Isaac Mizrahi really knows how to put on a
show... " do you want me to read it to you?

"Mizrahi had some tough going
in recent seasons,

"and with this collection he pulled
everything together like the Isaac of old...

"the energy, excitement,
ideas and the joy.

"He started by turning the
lights up behind the scrim,

"giving his audience a peek
at what goes on backstage.

"But the real story was on the runway, where
there was never a dull moment, literally.

"He had said this collection would be
insane with color and he wasn't kidding.

By and large, the man's
got a hit on his hands."

They gave it to me.

This is great.
This is really great.

Hallelujah.

Oh, my God, I feel like
marlo Thomas or something.

The thing is, it's great.
That's all. I'm really happy.

Is it worth it?

Yup. It was worth it.
It's always worth it.

Even when it sucks,
it's worth it.

I don't believe it.

I would throw my hat up in the air, but
you don't wanna see my hair today,

this early in the morning.

I feel like passing out cigars
or something. Thank God.

Jesus.

Will you sing the Mary song?

No. Just a little.

¶ Well, it's you, girl
and you should know it ¶

that's all.

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶ I'm so mad about you
going out of my mind ¶

¶ happy sad are you feelin'
good or feelin' bad ¶

¶ you say you want me baby,
could you send me a sign ¶

¶ shoo-be-doo-be-doo are you
feelin' good or feelin' bad ¶

¶ 'cause every time we're
together you keep me guessin' ¶

¶ thinkin' about
the moon in your eyes ¶

¶ smile as I see you
walkin' up the runway ¶

¶ love you
and it's no surprise ¶

¶ happy sad ¶

¶ happy sad are you feelin'
good or feelin' bad ¶

¶¶

¶ Shoo-be-doo-be-doo are you
feelin' good or feelin' bad ¶

¶ and every time that
I see you walkin' away ¶

¶ you know I don't know
what to do ¶

¶ just like living
on a roller coaster ¶

¶ my heart just belongs
to you ¶

¶ my moody blues could stay
or go away ¶

¶ boy, you just call
my name ¶ ¶ hey ¶

¶ my heart can make brand-new
kind of sweet soul music ¶

¶ don't care if I'm mighty proud
make me feel so happy sad ¶

¶¶

¶¶

¶ Happy sad
happy sad, oooh-ooh ¶

¶¶

¶ Happy sad
happy sad, oooh-ooh ¶

¶¶

¶ sad happy sad ¶

¶ sad happy sad ¶¶

¶¶