Documentary on Zac Posen debuts at Tribeca Film Festival

By

Emily Jensen

Published
Apr 26, 2017

After a meteoric rise in the fashion world in his early 20s, designer Zac Posen faced seasons of mixed reviews and negative press. A new documentary, titled House of Z, follows his career ups and downs.

Posen was just 21 when he came into fashion stardom. He quickly became known for his elaborate gowns, often worn by A-list celebrities on the red carpet. The new documentary, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival this week, doesn’t shy away from showing the difficulties his career faced later on when he was no longer fashion’s wonderkid. “I think if you’re going to make a movie, especially today about the creative process and media, you have to be honest,” Posen said
 
House of Z’s director Sandy Chronopoulos says she didn’t approach Posen with the goal of making a feature-length documentary about him. The project was initially supposed to be a television special about his new collection, but as filming wrapped she saw the potential to turn it into a full-length film.

Despite his troubles, Posen certainly still has friends in fashion. He recently dressed Claire Danes at the 2016 Met Gala in a light-up ball gown that captured the attention of fashion editors and bloggers. Following a screening of the documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival, Vogue’s Nicole Phelps, Hamish Bowles, and André Leon Talley moderated a discussion on the film. There, Posen offered his advice to young designers. “Study the history of fashion, stay off Pinterest,” he said. “Be cutting and sewing everything that you wear every day—that’s key.”
 
Chronopoulos says creating the film was a chance to see the man behind the glitz and glamour, as well show the slightly grittier side of the fashion industry. “To see his rise and fall and rise again is a story of redemption,” she said.