Film Review: Fashionistas Will Swoon for ‘Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s’

Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 17, 2013 - 7:31am

CHICAGO – Watch out folks, the one percenters are fighting back. After the rabble of the 99 forced their way into Occupy Wall Street territory, the true rulers of America are pushing back in the only way they know how…by shopping. “Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s” is a gloriously vain documentary about a legendary shopping experience in Manhattan. What, The Gap wasn’t available?

Rating: 3.5/5.0

To be fair, this is a harmless celebration of the store Bergdorf Goodman, a place where the highest level of fashion designers sell their wares to drape the nouveau and old money riche. One of the participants offer that yes, this is expensively priced finery, but it gives the dreamers “something to aspire to.” And essentially, they are right. Money changes everything, and no one knows what they would do with it, once it is obtained. Even the freaking counter culture maven Yoko Ono is portrayed purchasing 400,000 bucks worth of furs from Bergdorf’s on a long ago Christmas Eve, while hubby John Lennon nods approvingly. Apparently there is something we need more than love.

What began as a tailor shop run by Herman Bergdorf in 1899, expanded to a destination store in the first decade of the 20th century, with the additional of partner Edwin Goodman. The newly renamed Bergdorf Goodman took up residence on 32nd Street, and became the talk of town. Goodman eventually bought out Bergdorf, and moved the store uptown in 1928 to it’s present boutique address of 5th Avenue and 56th Street.

The documentary is a celebration of this legendary catering-to-the-rich retail outlet, and celebrities and fashion icons like Joan Rivers, Nichole Ritchie, Candice Bergen, Susan Lucci, Tom Ford, Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs, Isaac Mizrahi and Michael Kors add their perspectives. These interviews are framed by the process of creating the anticipated Christmas windows of Bergdorf Goodman, the examination of which is painstakingly (emphasis on pain) detailed.

“Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s” continues its limited release in Chicago. See local listings for show times and theaters. Featuring interviews with Mary-Kate Olsen, Candice Bergen, Nicole Ritchie, Joan Rivers, Susan Lucci, Tom Ford, Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs, Isaac Mizrahi and Michael Kors. Written and directed by Matthew Miele. Rated “PG-13”