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Brüno!
Tomorrow night I am off to see Brüno! Brüno, who considers African babies the ultimate fashion accessory (”I shwaped my bebe for an ipod) and describes Al-Qaeda as “so 2001,” is an ambassador of bad taste — both sartorial and political.
In Borat Cohen does some pretty extreame things, and in Brüno I expect to see nothing less. I didn’t think about what it would be liked to be pranked by Brüno untill I read an artilce about it.
For those who don’t know, Brüno is portrayed by comic provocateur Sacha Baron Cohen, who plays an Austrian fashion journalist, in a narcissistic, fame-obsessed, overstyled manour. In the film Cohen plays alot of pranks on others, which is funny to watch but not so much if you are on the receving end.
“Just ask Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, who watched in horror as Brüno invaded the backstage of her spring 2009 runway show and bullied his way onto the catwalk. Clad in a velcro jumpsuit, Brüno streaked through de la Prada’s collection, taking much of it with him, and stepped onto the runway in what looked like some kind of bad deconstructionist ensemble. His blitz prompted the designer to kill the lights and suspend her show.
“I was furious with that man. He was violent. He pushed my art director to the floor and scared the models,” recalled de la Prada of Brüno. “But there he was, turning my show into a nightmare, and I wanted to kill him.” De la Prada at one point threatened to sue Cohen for the damaged caused, but now sees the funny side of it all. “I am happy with it now,” she said after reflecting on her upcoming star turn in the film. “It can be amusing, no? Besides, he’s given me a lot of publicity.”
Some of Cohen’s on-screen victims in Brüno have fought back. Two years ago, spectators at a Kansas cage-fighting event hurled beer cans when two fighters (one of whom was Brüno) began to make out. Last year, local police had to subdue flustered travelers when Brüno began an impromptu strip show at the Wichita airport. Last month, an employee of a bingo hall in California filed a claim against Cohen seeking damages for injuries she allegedly suffered while Brüno, dressed in “sexually revealing clothing,” shouted obscenities at the hall’s elderly guests.
By comparison, the fashion establishment’s only complaint is that Brüno didn’t punk them more. “He didn’t come to my fashion show,” lamented von Furstenberg. “But I wish he had.” “Getting name-checked in Brüno is the ultimate fashion accessory,” said Halpin. “People want to be in the movie. It’s more insulting not to appear in it than to be insulted in it.”
Some in the fashion world have been in on the joke for months. In Paris in the fall, when Brüno was busy crashing runways at Iceberg and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Stella McCartney allegedly knew about Brüno’s plans at her show.
“I don’t know who you’re talking about,” she said with a wink when asked backstage about Brüno’s presence. He had clapped a little too loudly and showily preened himself while seated in the second row, but otherwise, Brüno was on his best behavior that day — a token show of…respect? “I love his work in fashion,” McCartney added.
In addition to Marie Claire, Brüno also landed the cover of GQ this month for a nude portrait shot by Mark Seliger — marking a rare moment in publishing in which one (celebrity?) books top billing on both a men’s and women’s title in the same month. The GQ cover, which was inspired by the famous 1971 nude portrait of Yves Saint Laurent, is nothing if not a nod to fashion insiders.
For all its garishness, there is also actual fashion in Brüno. Cohen wears bona fide pieces from Alexander McQueen, Roberto Cavalli, Raf Simons, Dolce & Gabbana, Thierry Mugler and Dsquared in the film and also name-drops the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton. To the movie’s Sydney premiere, Brüno dressed as a sexy knight in shining armor (complete with white horse), sporting a Gucci shirt and tie.’ ” Via WWD
I can’t wait to see it tomorrow night! So excited! 
What about you? are you a Brüno fan? I know my friend Bell is!
xoxo
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Brüno
One Response to “Brüno!”
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“Your finger is in my alley!… Not Yet!”
Hilarious movie! Can’t believe some of the stuff he gets away with.