the only thing better than a whit stillman film is a whit stillman film presented with criterion clarity. having recently received my copy in the mail from the greatest website ever, i couldn't wait to revisit the sleek soundtrack and characteristically shrewd screenplay that pins two determined women against the glossy backdrop of early-eighties manhattan.
an unlikely bit of casting by today's standards, blockbuster-babe kate beckinsale (charlotte) and indie-darling chloe sevigny (alice) are equally unlikely friends, knee-deep in the editorial rat race, slaving away in meager publishing assistant positions, fresh from their ivy-league educations and intent on nothing more than stimulating conversation with their astute, male counterparts. oh, and of course, a dancefloor.
upon reluctantly moving in together, they become immediately aware of their mutual animosity, and that their conflicting and contradictory quests for happiness are at the source, resulting in dual epiphanies: by the end, disco has died, the hopelessly optimistic alice is skyrocketed to the top rung of the corporate ladder, and the outspoken know-it-all charlotte is left to reevaluate her beliefs.
in between the trysts and turns of socioeconomic imbalance, the girls flock to the hottest club in town, a studio 54-type where the girls are pretty, vodka-tonics and cocaine are abundant, and so, too, is the charming array of harvard-educated admen and yuppies on the prowl for all of the above. these traits are inconsequential when compared to the retro dance moves and groovy sounds of diana ross, sister sledge and evelyn 'champagne' king. without a shred of irony, big problems (i.r.s. raids, embezzlement) and similarly smaller ones (venereal disease, missed periods) all manage to melt away once the d.j. strikes up the latest disco chart-topper. don't let the music fool you: this film has insight, style and substance to spare.
original costume designer sarah edwards, recently featured in interview, stated that had she the enviable task of reimagining those timeless outfits for a modern-day alice and charlotte, she would be most inclined to sample styles from the likes of acne, the row and vionnet. we took a look at the best these design houses had to offer.
clockwise from top left: dana sleeveless dress, $440; rama long skirt, $250; patti oxford shirt, $270; evans swag dress, $500 - all from acne
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| vionnet, spring 2010 |
clockwise from top left: halston heritage, one shouldered cocktail mini, $287; helmut lang, roll-up sleeve blazer, $575; organic by john patrick, raw hem oxford shirt, $240; lacoste, short sleeve polo, $95; charles anatase, berthe trench coat, $1145
leave / your / cares / behind.
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