Isaac Mizrahi Overview

"Witty, warm, colorful, and hearty," gushes the mother of fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi in the documentary "Unzipped," referring both to her son and to his fashion designs. Mizrahi's clothes are like lovely comedies, mixing both vibrant and soft shades of color... [more]

"Witty, warm, colorful, and hearty," gushes the mother of fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi in the documentary "Unzipped," referring both to her son and to his fashion designs. Mizrahi's clothes are like lovely comedies, mixing both vibrant and soft shades of color with shapes and fabrics previously used for sportswear, such as parkas and T-shirts. His delicately nuanced fashion risks have been driven by a fear of mediocrity; Mizrahi would rather fail than come in second. Bursting onto the scene in 1998, he was praised as the "year's hottest new designer." Even more than many of his contemporaries, he drew on film, the media, and the glamor of "super models" to create and promote his look. Despite his early success, Mizrahi was eventually forced to close his doors to the public. One Mizrahi employee suggests that the designer spent too much time in the media spotlight and allowed his work to stagnate. The youthful esprit and urban dance of color and taste in Mizrahi's work, however, are far from fading in the history of fashion. Most recently, Mizrahi seems to be priming himself for a comeback, as he rediscovers his inspiration. [show less]