Isaac Mizrahi's Unzipped Reflection: A Fashion Icon's Wild Ride Through Time

When the Past Haunts You

Isaac Mizrahi's eyes light up when he talks about fashion. But as he sits across from me, sipping coffee and speaking candidly, there's a flicker of something else — hesitation. The man who once commanded runways and styled A-listers is suddenly vulnerable, revealing that watching his 1995 documentary 'Unzipped' feels like reliving an embarrassing phase in a friend's life.

“I have to say I hate looking back,” he says. “I hate this whole process, a little bit of looking back.”

I'm struck by the honesty in his voice — a stark contrast to the flamboyant persona that defined his early career. Mizrahi is 64 now, and the weight of time has hit him in more ways than one.

The Unzipped Experience

Directed by then-boyfriend Douglas Keeves, 'Unzipped' captured Mizrahi's whirlwind of a fashion show for his fall 1994 collection. It's a behind-the-scenes peek at the chaos, glamour, and raw energy that defined an era — but also one that now feels uncomfortably distant.

"We didn't intend to make it that short," Mizrahi recalls. "We wanted it to be longer. There were about 10 minutes of Faye Dunaway that got out because we couldn't get the rights to run footage from 'Mommy Dearest.'" His eyes widen as he remembers her presence, adding a note of delight in his voice.

"She came to a fitting," he continues. "She was doing a TV pilot, and she needed a lot of suits. We had her for a day and a half, a fitting that was endless. Being the big gay that I am, I was enthralled by every word out of her mouth. One really hilarious thing that I do remember about Faye Dunaway was that she would look in the mirror, and when she liked something, she'd go, 'Oh, that's very Faye. Very Faye.' Talking about herself in the third person was so fantastic. And I do that now. If I like what I look like, I go, 'Oh, it's very Faye.' It's like I think of myself as Faye Dunaway."

Looking Back, Laughing (a Little)

But Mizrahi isn't just chuckling at the past — he's grappling with how time changes not only appearances but also self-perception. He admits to being particularly harsh on himself now.

"I looked so cute, and I look so shitty now," he says. "I was so agile, and I'm not as agile anymore. My knees hurt. My back hurts. Even my hair. I had such cute dark hair. Oh, well. But it's not just vanity. It's more just about the experience of your life. Thirty years! Man, that is crazy."

His humor is sharp but tinged with nostalgia — a reminder that behind every stunning runway look was a young man trying to navigate his own identity and the world of fashion.

What Would You Tell Your Past Self?

When I ask Mizrahi what he would tell his younger self, he doesn't hesitate. "'You're not that fat!' Swear to God, that's what I would tell myself. I used to wear these crazy Fred Mertz kind of high-waisted pleated pants that I made myself because I was so fucking crazy that my waist was big. I was so stupid, and I look stupid, I don't look chic. I look stupid, and I was perfectly fine. I was not fat. But I was a really fat kid, so I lost 75 pounds in high school. I'm never going to get over that. You never do."

It's these moments of unvarnished truth that make Mizrahi compelling — he's no longer just the designer but a man reflecting on a life lived with passion and purpose.

On Fashion, Fame, and the Devil Wears Prada

He's also got strong opinions about today's fashion world. When I ask him about the current state of fashion, he lets out a sigh that sounds like a mixture of exasperation and affection.

"I don't know if those giant spectacles they have in Paris and Milan are necessarily supposed to be influential in the way people dress six months later," he says. "That is why that speech in 'The Devil Wears Prada' about cerulean blue makes me want to kill somebody because that is so not the way things work. They want you to believe that's the way it works. I want to shout that from the rooftops, 'It never has worked that way — never!'"

Mizrahi's critique of the fashion industry is as fierce as his love for it — he understands how spectacle can become a tool of control, not creativity.

Met Gala and John Galliano: A Fashion Fiasco

Just days before our conversation, The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced that it would no longer move forward with its planned retrospective for John Galliano, who was to be feted at the Met Gala. Mizrahi had strong feelings about this decision.

"When they announced [the Galliano Met Gala], I thought to myself, 'Wow, who's going to that?' I'm not even talking about Jews or donors of the museum. I'm thinking about a celebrity showing up. I don't know who would show up on that red carpet. No one is going to say, 'I love John.' Who's going to say that?"

His perspective reveals how much the fashion world has shifted — and how the legacy of certain figures can be more damaging than inspiring.

The Future: From Fashion to Film

Mizrahi isn't resting on his laurels. He's currently developing a TV series about legendary paparazzi photographer Ron Galella with producer Christine Vachon. "We're doing it with the Ron Galella estate," he says. "It's very exciting. We're in the first, first, first stages, so we haven't even pitched it or anything yet. But it's really such a great idea, only because of what it means culturally to our country."

His transition from designer to producer isn't just a new chapter — it's a continuation of his deep interest in storytelling, whether through fashion or film.

A Final Thought on Legacy

As our conversation draws to a close, I can't help but admire Mizrahi's honesty and humor. He's lived through decades of fashion evolution, and he's not just surviving — he's thriving. His reflections on the past aren't just nostalgia; they're lessons in resilience, self-awareness, and an enduring love for the artistry that has shaped him.

“Unzipped” is now showing at the Film Forum in New York City, with a rollout to Los Angeles starting October 9. It's a must-watch for those who want to see how one of fashion's most unforgettable icons navigated the chaos of his own career — and how he's still very much in the game.