Style icons you've never heard of: 'Who are You, Polly Maggoo?'
Long before Robert Altman pointed his camera at the fashion industry, photographer William Klein created "Qui êtes vous, Polly Maggoo?" ("Who Are You, Polly Maggoo?), a film that looks at the fashion world with a skeptical side eye and a smirk. There is plenty to make fun of here, and Klein does an insightful job of skewering the fashion industry with humor. Because the movie was made in 1966 and it's French, it is truly odd and at times feels like a bad LSD flashback dressed up in a Pucci muumuu. But the visuals are stunning (watch the YouTube clips), Klein takes full advantage of filming in black and white, and the movie is worth watching for the opening scene alone (see below). If only they still made fashion shows like this. Sigh.
Contributors
Hayley Kaufman is editor of the Style section.
Rachel Raczka (@rachelraczka) is the lifestyle producer for Boston.com.
