Series is Part of Multi-Platform Launch of Full Frontal Fashion Franchise
New York, NY, September 8, 2009 – Sundance Channel will unveil "The Day Before," an original four-part series which goes behind-the-scenes in the final hours leading up to major fashion shows for Sonia Rykiel, Proenza Schouler, Fendi by Karl Lagerfeld, and Jean Paul Gaultier, in time for fashion week, September 9-12 at 10 pm, ET/PT. The series’ premiere coincides with the network’s multi-platform launch of the popular Full Frontal Fashion franchise, which will also include a dedicated website (www.sundancechannel.com/fullfrontalfashion), coverage of the 2009 CFDA Awards Show, a regular weekly column and photo diary from A-list photographer Patrick McMullan, and weekly columns by experts and newsmakers.
In each hour-long episode of "The Day Before" an influential designer gave Paris-based producer Loic Prigent ("Signe Chanel," Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton) unprecedented access to the frantic final 36 hours leading up to the house’s runway show. The series covers the global fashion calendar – from Sonia Rykiel’s 40th anniversary celebration in Paris in October to Proenza Schouler in New York in February, Fendi by Karl Lagerfeld in Milan in March, and Jean Paul Gaultier’s haute couture Paris show in July – capturing designers at this intense period in time when creativity and commerce come together.
Each episode of "The Day Before" is followed at 11 pm by a documentary about a fashion icon, beginning September 9 with the U.S. television premiere of a documentary about France’s exceptionally stylish First Lady, Somebody Told Me About… Carla Bruni (2009 George Scott).
The episode line-up is as follows:
Wednesday, September 9 at 10 pm
"The Day Before Sonia Rykiel" – Sonia Rykiel, the flame-haired Parisian known for her chic, playful knitwear, marks her house’s 40th anniversary with a spectacular runway show in Paris in October.
@ 11 pm
Somebody Told Me About… Carla Bruni (U.S. Television Premiere) – Directed by George Scott. A disarmingly candid profile of Carla Bruni, the stunning Italian supermodel who left fashion to become a singer/songwriter and who is now the First Lady of France. While Bruni offers frank recollections about her childhood, career and experiences, Scott’s camera captures her at home and in the recording studio, visiting her family and nuzzling with her husband, French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
Thursday, September 10 at 10 pm
"The Day Before Proenza Schouler" – Whiz kids Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler send out their Fall 2009 collection in New York in February.
@ 11 pm
Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton – Directed by Loic Prigent. Considered one of the world’s most influential designers, Marc Jacobs is the creative force behind two of the world’s most successful and fashion-forward brands: his eponymous American line, and the venerable French house of Louis Vuitton. This witty, insightful film captures Jacobs at work on his spring 2007 ready-to-wear collections for the two labels, revealing a quirky talent who draws together disparate thematic threads – from cookies to Cubism – as he conjures clothes, bags and shoes that will be coveted by stylish women of all ages.
Friday, September 11 at 10 pm
"The Day Before Fendi by Karl Lagerfeld" – The unflappable Karl Lagerfeld presents his Fendi Fall 2009 collection in Milan in March.
@ 11 pm
Jack Taylor of Beverly Hills – Directed by Cecile Leroy Beaulieu. For more than 60 years, tailor Jack Taylor defined men’s fashion for Hollywood’s A-list, dressing Cary Grant, Sid Caesar and Elvis Presley in his custom-made suits. Inspired by his illustriousness and dedication, director Beaulieu chronicles Taylor’s life and historic career, paying bittersweet homage to a bygone era of glamour while recognizing one man’s role in shaping it.
Saturday, September 12 at 10 pm
"The Day Before Jean Paul Gaultier" – The final episode captures fashion at its most rarefied and magical, as it goes behind the scenes at Jean Paul Gaultier’s July Haute Couture show in Paris.
@ 11 pm
Lagerfeld Confidential – Directed by Rodolphe Marconi. Shot over the course of three years, this documentary offers an extended, entertaining and illuminating visit with redoubtable couturier Karl Lagerfeld. Filmmaker Marconi attempts to uncover the man behind the image as he captures Lagerfeld gliding through various milieus: backstage at Chanel, where he has reigned for 25 years; on a private plane bound for Monte Carlo; at a Paris nightclub, photographing Nicole Kidman for an ad campaign; in his cluttered Paris study, sketching dresses for his new collection.