“Unzipped,” the documentary capturing fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi’s journey in creating his 1994 fall collection, marked its 30th anniversary with a newly restored digital screening at the 2025 Sundance film festival — three decades after its world premiere in 1995.
Director Douglas Keeve and Co-executive Producer Dori Berinstein were among the key creators of “Unzipped” who attended its re-screening at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 28 at the Egyptian Theatre in Park City.
Berinstein said that the film was one of the first fashion documentaries that took audiences behind the scenes of the fashion world.
“What I love about filmmaking is to really be able to impact people,” Keeve said.
Both Keeve and Berinstein highlighted the authenticity of the film, which offered a raw and unfiltered look at the industry. Keeve noted that, unlike many fashion documentaries that focus on polished and staged ‘behind the scenes’ aspects, “Unzipped” captures the real energy and liveliness in the world of fashion.
“We put the fun in fashion,” Keeve said. “It’s such an amazing, kooky, mercurial world.”
The film shows the creative process Mizrahi embarks on amid the development of his fall 1994 collection, from inspiration to execution.
Berinstein said that she had always been fascinated by the “eclectic” sources of Mizrahi’s inspiration.
“He was one of those people who was larger than life,” Keeve said.
Keeve mentioned great fashion icons that he described as “larger than life,” and “dramatic drama queens,” noting names such as Princess Diana, Polly Mellen, Karl Lagerfeld and Carmel Snow.
“They had so much color in their voice and the words they used,” Keeve said.
One of the main reasons Keeve chose to film “Unzipped” in such an authentic and unconventional style, rather than a traditional, straightforward documentary approach, was his deep fascination with the people in the fashion world. He described himself as captivated by them.
Keeve highlighted the brainpower and intellect needed to succeed in the fashion industry, describing those who work in the field as “tough,” “beautiful” and “knowledgeable.”
“They know more than anybody about politics and culture and history and art,” Keeve said.
Keeve noted that working in fashion required a deep understanding of its history and an ability to innovate. To create something truly impactful, he said, fashion professionals must know what came before them and how to push it forward.
“You’re really working with the zeitgeist,” Keeve said.
Keeve stressed that every role in the fashion industry, even the ones stereotyped to be the most simple, require great work and dedication.
Keeve recalled a conversation with Naomi Campbell, who explained that when models walk the runway, they enter a zone of strict focus, blocking out everything around them.
“Unzipped” released in 1995 and captured the fashion trends of the era. Now, three decades later, its re-screening offers a nostalgic look back at the fashion world of the past.
“I think it’s very iconic just to see this film and go back in time,” Berinstein said. “The fashion world has changed, the world has changed, so much has evolved.”
Berinstein said the world of fashion was “at its incredible peak” in the ‘90s.
Keeve reflected on how fashion has evolved since the film’s release, noting shifts in the industry over the past 30 years.
He recalled a conversation with designer Vera Wang, who pointed out that fashion once had more time, more money and a stronger connection to political thought. Keeve emphasized that these elements have always shaped the industry, and as they have diminished over time, they have influenced fashion’s evolution.
Keeve described fashion as both art and commerce. He said that in the past, fashion was a little more art, and today, it’s a little more commerce.
“Sometimes it takes time and money to create something truly great and truly thoughtful,” Keeve said.
While Keeve still admires today’s fashion, he sees the era captured in “Unzipped” as uniquely rich and influential — a time when creativity and craftsmanship thrived under different conditions.
Keeve also reflected on something Tom Ford once told him about the relentless dedication required in fashion. Ford described the process as moving heaven and earth: driving everyone crazy, changing your mind about 50 times and making last-minute adjustments up until the moment a dress hits the runway. Keeve noted that in that era, designers had the freedom to be uncompromising in their vision.
“You saw that in the work,” Keeve said. “Those shows were just incredibly exciting and kind of magical.”