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• October 14, 2008
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Who Are You Polly Maggoo? The Original, Magical MODEL.LIVE

By Sarah Maher

Who Are You Polly Maggoo? is the 1966 French film directed by former Vogue photographer William Klein and starring real life '60's model Dorothy McGowan as Polly Maggoo, the Brooklyn-born fashion model in Paris. Shot as a faux TV documentary and spoofing high fashion, the media covers Polly's fame with a trite profile, Peggy Moffitt cameo, dental issues and a model's mod wardrobe to sell your soul for.

In a wig and belted trench coat, carrying a shiny patent hat box and soft leather duffel bag she is accosted by random creeps on the street, wearing a fine knit top with banded collar Polly admits she poses with her mouth open because of her rabbit-like teeth. She washes her hair over the tub in a striped tank top, eats in bed, zaps blackheads in a button down henley suit with footsies and is psychoanalyzed while wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with her name. She's kind of like us, except rich, famous and better looking. With a bedroom wall full of her own tear sheets and carrying a dolls head mirror we are asked- Is there more to pretty Polly and fashion than photogenic looks? In today's era of vapid reality shows and modelizing madness that question is still relevant.



Follow Polly's folly in a popover sweater by Zero Maria Cornejo, Opening Ceremony's layered trench coat, the Henley jumper from Society For Rational Dress, Future Classics Placket leggings http://www.standarddeviationny.com/future-classics-placket-legging.aspx, a striped racerback tank by BDG, Rosenmunns "I ate Mary-Kate" T-shirt, Alexander Wang's baggy pant Reetto's Irene boot.While searching for Polly's identity, the film concludes that fashion is indeed all about the surface. We say who cares, as long as the surface is good lookin'.