🎥 Just watched and enjoyed the new documentary, Marc By Sofia.
In the doc, Sofia Coppola follows and interviews her friend and legendary fashion designer, Marc Jacobs. As far as documentaries go, it’s a tame piece. There is no investigative element, no drama, no tea. As a result, critics have largely accused it of being anodyne. There is some truth in the accusations.
However, I found the documentary very worthwhile. Sofia’s friendship with Marc may not have created the space necessary for the cagey creative to divulge his innermost secrets, but it certainly allowed the man to be himself in his most natural environment: the atelier. Moreover, Sofia’s clout in this world allows her to stand in these spaces without insecurity, which made for a refreshingly ego-loss documentary. It was apparent that the often handheld camera was never steered by a gaze that was intimidated or in awe of the world of luxury fashion. Most importantly, Sofia never steals spotlight from her friend, who himself is winsomely charming when allowed to simply talk. As someone who is inspired by the creative process of fashion designers and intrigued by the interplay between beauty and commerce in the luxury world, it was everything I hoped for (even if it wasn’t life changing). The small tidbits of Marc and Sofia talking film, Broadway, fashion, music, and Liza Minelli brought a smile to my face everytime. New York really does have a way of bringing the right people together.