In and Out of Fashion (1998)

Director: William Klein
Writers: William Klein
Stars: William Klein (archive footage), Azzedine Alaïa (archive footage), Anémone (archive footage)

This kaleidoscopic montage mixes excerpts from Klein’s feature films and documentaries with imagery from his photographs, books, and paintings. Narrated by the man himself, it is a selective guided tour through Klein’s career, shedding light onto his modus operandi by focusing specifically on his relationship with fashion. For example, rare footage he captured of Yves Saint Laurent’s very first catwalk show is revealed as the inspiration for his first feature film, Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? (1966); later on, Roland Barthes’ description of Klein’s 1959 photograph Mayday, Moscow in Camera Lucida provides the pretext for an oblique reflection on clothing as a cultural signifier in street photography. The film’s title suggests not only the shifting role of fashion within Klein’s oeuvre, but also the fluctuations of taste that have variously affected the reception of his work over the years.

Extras:
- None