Educational Media Reviews Online

Antonio Lopez was a prominent figure and illustrator in the fashion world during the late 60s and 70s. He worked collaboratively with Juan Ramos to develop fantastic drawings of models which appeared in publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and The New York Times. In this documentary, we see a glimpse into the fashion world of the 60s and 70s through Antonio’s eyes.

Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco provides an intimate portrait of Antonio Lopez through personal photographs and interviews from those who were close to him, some of which include Bill Cunningham, Jessica Lange, and Pat Cleveland. What is apparent throughout the interviews is the enormous amount of love these people had for Antonio and the energy he exuded which seemed to draw people to him. However, the two most influential people in Antonio Lopez’s life, Karl Lagerfeld and Jerry Hall, are not interviewed here, which may account for the lack of context in the second half of the film. The first half of the film is excellent, focusing on Antonio’s rise to fame and his influence on the fashion world, while the second half seems to focus more on the excessive partying and debauchery of Antonio and his “posse.” This may be in an effort to set-up the ending in which his fight with AIDs and the end of his life is briefly discussed, but the film does not spend enough time on this topic, as it is only brought up during the last ten minutes of the film.

This film, at its core, is a celebration of the life of Antonio Lopez. While it provides some insight into the fashion world of his time, it fails to provide any real commentary on the movements of that time period and its impact on the AIDS epidemic. It does a great job of showcasing the social culture surround the fashion scene, but does little else. This film is recommended for any academic library and for viewers interested in the fascinating life of Antonio Lopez.