The First Monday in May - My Review

Now that the mayhem surrounding Fashion Weeks, celeb parties, Kim Kardashian getting robbed etc has died down, I can write about the American Vogue documentary I saw last week. The First Monday in May is truly an inspiring and informative documentary film, which charts the build up to the 2015 Metropolitan Gala, staged at the renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In cooperation with American Vogue, the Gala is the biggest fashion event on the calendar, and has been widely refereed to simply as "Anna Wintour's party". If you're lucky enough to be invited (we're talking mainly celebrities here) then you can expect a grand red carpet entrance, a private view around the current exhibition and a sit down dinner with some of the most influential people in the world. This documentary shows you how it all unfolds.

A lot of emphasis in the documentary was on Andrew Bolton, chief curator at the museum. From meetings with Anna Wintour, planning the exhibition and traveling the world to meet key players in the art world to delving through archives in Paris and trying to organise an 11 room display; you see Bolton navigate it all, keeping a cool head the whole time. I found watching his way of working so inspiring, as someone who studied Fine Art, and the way in which he is not phased by Wintour at all, but regards her simply as another person he comes across at work. I wouldn't want to be a curator after watching this film though! Stress, stress and more stress.

But Bolton is fantastic at what he does, and manages to create a simply stunning exhibition, China: Through the Looking Glass. I especially loved when he spoke to John Galliano about his use of Chinese culture in his designs and when he visited the Yves Saint Laurent archives in Paris, with so much knowledge about the clothes. And he's British which makes him even better!

Anna Wintour comes across excellently too. Straight to the point, honest, hard working and so passionate about what shes doing with the museum, I saw a different side to her compared to 'The September Issue.' In meetings she makes decisions in a flash, is able to literally put everyone in their places all the while Vogue make the move from their old offices to their swanky new premises at 1World Trade Centre. When Michelle Obama makes a moving speech about Wintour at the museum before opening a Costume Centre in her name, she was visibly moved and I swear I saw tears in her eyes. The ice lady has a heart. Anna Wintour has raised millions for the museum and after seeing how much she does for them, I admire her even more.

Overall, the whole documentary was touching, intriguing, fascinating and not once boring. My eyes were glued to the screen the whole time and I would happily go and see it again. So if you haven't seen The First Monday in May yet, I suggest you book a ticket and watch the show. It's a real treat.