Legendary fashion editor Diana Vreeland had an impact that extended beyond the realm of style. Her affinity for magnetic personalities, and ability to encourage them to blossom, made her a cultural curator for a generation.

Her accomplishments are celebrated in a documentary screening at TIFF Bell Lightbox. “Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel” interviews icons who knew and worked with Vreeland in her time as fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar and editor-in-chief of Vogue. Director Joel Schumaker recalls Vreeland advising him to push people’s faults, and make them the most beautiful thing about them. Vreeland’s ability to celebrate the unexpected and eccentric led to people crediting her with “creating” personalities, but she deflects. “All these people invented themselves,” Vreeland says. “Naturally, as the editor, I was there to help them along.” But perhaps Anjelica Houston puts it best when she says in the film, “She made it okay for women to be outlandish and extraordinary.”

Here’s to Diana Vreeland, and outlandish and extraordinary women everywhere. 

“Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel” screens at TIFF Bell Lightbox from Oct. 19th until Oct. 24th.

~ Haley Cullingham