Isaac Mizrahi Gets Unzipped — Again
Isaac Mizrahi's landmark 1995 fashion documentary "Unzipped" is returning to cinemas after being effectively unavailable for roughly 30 years due to a tangle of rights and ownership issues. The film, one of the first behind-the-scenes looks at the making of a fashion collection, was hugely acclaimed on its original release but vanished after its theatrical run, making its restoration and rerelease a significant moment for fashion and film fans alike who have only been able to experience the genre through later, more polished imitators.
The documentary, directed by Douglas Keeve, Mizrahi's boyfriend at the time, follows the designer from the poor reception of his Spring 1994 collection through to his triumphant Fall 1994 runway show. A restored print screened at Sundance in January 2025, almost exactly 30 years after the film won the festival's Audience Award, prompting Janus Films to acquire North American rights; it will open in a limited run on 25 September before expanding nationally in October. In a new interview, Mizrahi, now 30 pounds lighter after using GLP-1 medication, reflected on the film's loose, unstructured style and the confusion over rights involving Hachette Filipacchi and Hearst that kept it out of circulation for decades.
- Isaac Mizrahi's 1995 doc "Unzipped" returns to cinemas after 30 years.
- Rights disputes had kept the acclaimed fashion film unavailable since its release.
- Restored print screens from 25 September via Janus Films.