Watch Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco

Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco is a documentary film that takes its viewers on a journey through the life and career of Antonio Lopez, one of the most influential fashion illustrators of the 1970s. Through interviews, archived footage and photography, the film tells the story of Lopez's rise in the fashion industry, his influence on fashion and art, and his boundary-pushing approach to sexuality and gender.

The film starts by introducing Antonio Lopez as a Puerto Rican born in New York City in 1943. From a very young age, Lopez was interested in art and fashion, and his drawings quickly caught the attention of some of the biggest names in the fashion industry, such as Andy Warhol and Diana Vreeland. By the 1960s, he had taken over the fashion illustration world, and his work could be seen in major fashion publications such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Elle.

The film delves into two major aspects of Lopez's career that set him apart from his contemporaries: his portrayal of people of color in his art, and his exploration of unconventional sexualities and gender roles. Through the eyes of people who knew him personally, such as his former models Pat Cleveland and Jerry Hall, we see how Lopez's depictions of non-white models in his illustrations and photography challenged the prevailing Eurocentric beauty standards of the time.

Lopez's personal style and flamboyant persona are also key components of the film. He was one of the first openly gay men in the fashion industry, and his hedonistic lifestyle of partying, drugs and glamour is documented in the film through stories told by people who knew him. Through interviews with his family members, we also get a glimpse into his Puerto Rican heritage and the lasting impact it had on his life and work.

One of the most fascinating parts of the film is the discussion of Lopez's working process. His sketches and drawings became known as "Antonio's Girls," and he was renowned for his ability to capture the essence of a model's personality in his illustrations. We get to see some of those iconic drawings being created, as the film shows Lopez's process of sketching live models in his studio, rather than using photographs as reference.

As the fashion industry moved towards photography and away from illustration, Lopez's career started to decline in the 1980s. He passed away in 1987 from AIDS-related complications, but his legacy lived on through the many artists and designers he had influenced.

Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco offers an immersive experience into the life and work of an artist who has been largely overlooked by mainstream culture. Director James Crump weaves together an intricate tapestry of Lopez's life through interviews with the people who knew him best, chronological footage from the time, and Lopez's own words through audio recordings. By the end of the film, the audience is left with a deep appreciation for Lopez's artistic vision and the lasting impact he had on the fashion industry.

Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco is a 2018 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9.