Ozwald Boateng has enjoyed a heady rise to the top of the fashion world. The son of Ghanian immigrants, Boateng owned his own shop at an early age on London's famed Savile Row, was creative director of menswear at Givenchy, and recently has been the dresser to top Hollywood male stars including Will Smith and Jamie Foxx. He's been called the fashion world's "best kept secret," a man who designs clothes to "make you look better than you really are." Directed by Varon Bonicos, A Man's Story follows Boateng's hectic career from 1998 to 2010, enjoying seemingly unrestricted access to the celebrated stylist, designer, and tailor. Boateng's clothes promise an "elegance that comes from within," and the man himself comes off as supremely confident, whether supervising a shoot in China or planning a landmark fashion show in Ghana. Boateng seems to be living everyone's fantasy life, with a beautiful wife and children, jetting around the world, and even receiving an award from Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. However, the portrait here is not always flattering: Boateng frequently comes across as short tempered and unhappy, and in the end, his marriage falls apart in acrimony, although he scores a triumph in 2010, staging the largest men's fashion show in London's history. Surprisingly, however, the film provides few insights into the wellsprings of Boateng's talent, his working methods, or his contributions to fashion. Moreover, the sound is frequently muffled, making some dialogue hard to hear. Fashion and design schools will likely be interested in this profile, but it is optional elsewhere. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)
A Man's Story
(2012) 98 min. DVD: $19.99. Virgil Films (avail. from most distributors). Volume 28, Issue 2
A Man's Story
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