‘Zoolander 2’ teaser has plenty of laughs, but where’s the fashion?
The first trailer for the forthcoming fashion world spoof “Zoolander 2” is here.
Leaked on Friday, the teaser features a Stephen Hawking-like voiceover asking questions about the mysteries of the universe and taking viewers inside male model Derek Zoolander’s barren brain.
“In the beginning there was nothing--an infinite void,” the voice says. “Then in an instant everything known to man came into being…The human brain, the pinnacle of millions of years of evolution. A brain that possesses the power of reason and ability to ponder life’s most ancient riddles: why are we here, is there intelligent life beyond our galaxy, or the one question that has puzzled mankind since the beginning of time….”
Cut to Zoolander saying, “If God exists, why did he make ugly people?”
It gave me a chuckle, but I was surprised there wasn’t more….fashion.
You’ll remember Paris Fashion Week in March, when costars Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson hijacked the runway during the Valentino show to confirm the start of “Zoolander 2,” the long-discussed follow-up to the 2001 film, appearing as rival models Derek Zoolander and Hansel.
The deal was apparently orchestrated between the fashion house and the film studio Paramount, spearheaded by Stiller, who is friends with Valentino’s global marketing director. It was a marketing coup for the film, which is scheduled for a Feb. 12, 2016 release, in front of a captive audience of the most prominent fashion world editors, writers and stylists. Not surprisingly, the event went viral, dominating social media. The two stars were clad in Valentino, too, so it was a win-win.
But in the trailer leaked over the weekend, the only costume we see is Zoolander’s loud allover leopard print suit with popped lapel.
It could be that the filmmakers felt like they had already teased the insular fashion world enough to generate online buzz and secure long lead features in glossy magazines about the film, and that this trailer, released six months out, is aimed at the mainstream public -- the kind of people more likely to laugh at the “stupid model” stereotype, than appreciate the subtleties of a Valentino silk jacquard suit.
Understandable. Still, I wish there had been more hints of what the film will look like. The costume designer is Leesa Evans, who did not work on the original film, but has been a comedy world favorite in recent years, having worked on “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “Bridesmaids,” “Get Him To The Greek” and “Trainwreck.” In addition to her original whacked-out designs for the film (pictures of Kristen Wiig in a black-and-white op art suit, pointed wig and plumped lips leaked from the Rome set in April), Valentino, Kenzo, Opening Ceremony and Saint Laurent have all collaborated on costumes.
Stiller wrote the script for the sequel with Justin Theroux (“Tropic Thunder”) and it picks up 10 years after the original, with Derek and Hansel trying to survive in a new world where they’re not so relevant anymore. Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Cara Delevingne, Karlie Kloss and Justin Bieber all have cameos.
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