Vogue Magazine has always been a world of mystery, like a secret society. Models, editors, designers, photographers have all followed the code of Omerta and never spoke about what went on behind the scenes. Lauren Weisberger gave us the “Devil Wears Prada,” but I always assumed the details were greatly exaggerated for shock value.

Rumors often swirl about what it’s like to work on the inside. Were the girls really only allowed to wear stilettos, even in the snow? Was there a ban on pantyhose? If you came in with last season’s handbag would you be the subject of ridicule? This and most of your Vogue questions can be answered by simply seeing my new favorite movie, “The September Issue.”

Grace Coddington and Anna Wintour

If you haven’t seen it yet, what are you waiting for? I caught the documentary mere blocks from the Conde Nast building right after it opened. Miss TLC accompanied me to the screening and she was the ideal partner-in-crime to experience such a huge dose of Anna Wintour. TLC and I are fans of Anna and she can do no wrong in our eyes, so we were excited to see her in action. I’ve worked for difficult bosses and I always thought the rumors about her are greatly exaggerated. In order to produce greatness, the leader of Vogue must demand that from her employees. The proof is in the pudding when my monthly copy of Vogue arrives and I am immediately transfixed into a world of glamour, fashion and no such thing as a budget.  The length of time it takes me to get through the latest issue is a whirlwind of fashion fantasy mixed with thought provoking articles. If I could only walk around in Vogue euphoria everyday.

In ‘The September Issue,” Vogue lifted the couture veil to reveal what really goes on inside. For the past 20 years, Anna Wintour has reined Queen Supreme of the fashion bible or rather the “Pope,” as her colleague, Style.com executive fashion director Candy Pratts Price so candidly puts it. But the interesting this about “The September Issue,” has been Grace Coddington. A character widely heralded as the real star of the movie, the Creative Director captures the heart and soul of the magazine and audience alike.

Coddington began at Vogue after winning a Vogue model search as a teenager, which launched her career into fashion — first as a successful model and then on the other side, starting at UK Vogue as a junior fashion editor and eventually working her way to becoming American Vogue’s creative director. Her first day at U.S. Vogue was on Wintour’s first day as editor-in-chief. As we watch Coddington work with and against Anna, it becomes apparent that director R.J. Cutler has decided to use her as the lens through which we experience Anna and the creation of the issue. Every spread is wrought with tensions between the two — Coddington continuously checks the status of her shots to find out which outfits Anna has approved of, what Anna has decided should be kept in the magazine, what Anna insists must be taken out — but regardless, the duo’s immense amount of respect for one another is consistently apparent.

Coddington worked with Steven Meisel on the twenties Paris, Je T’aime photoshoot, which is one of the most visually stimulating collection of pictures ever. Featuring ladylike attire of the twenties combined with the vamp of French café society, the photographs were initially overruled by Anna, but Coddington held her own and made her thoughts known in a way few are able to do in her presence therefore getting the photoshoot into the September issue.

For your viewing pleasure, here is the entire photo shoot which appeared in the September 2007 issue of Vogue magazine. Enjoy!