This photo is by Edward Steichen, one of the most important figures in the history of photography. He had a long and fulfilling career, and was also known as artist, curator, writer, and technical innovator in addition to being a fashion photographer. Owen Edwards of Smithsonian magazine said about him in May, 2009 issue” A painter by training, Edward Steichen changed fashion photography forever.” He didn’t invent fashion photography, but most critiques agree that he developed a template for the modern fashion photographer.
This particular photo shows two models wearing gowns by Madeleine Vionnet. The name of the model in white is unknown; Marion Morehouse, in black, was one of the photographer's favorite models.The image truly depicts the ease of the movement for which the designer was known. Her nicknames included “Queen of the bias cut” and “the architect among dressmakers” and till today she receives the credits for inventing the bias cut as a way to create elegantly draped garments. The technique allows the dress to cling to the body while also moving easily with the wearer. The flattering silhouettes such as handkerchief dress, cowl neck and halter top which are widely used in a modern fashion were first introduced to the fashion world by Vionnet. Edward Steinchen took this photo in 1930, and it reflects the fashion of that time, with its elegance, glamour, luxury and a hint of mystique.
This photo is by famous fashion photographer Jeanloup Sieff. The photographer joined Magnum Agency in 1958, and his work for them made him travel to many different countries. He settled in New York for a number of years in 1960s where he worked for Esquire, Glamour, Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, becoming extremely popular in America. It is during these years that this photo was taken. The name of this important work could not be any simpler than it is – “Corset.”
This is how photographer himself described the experience of this photo shoot in his monograph: “'It was the beautiful Anka, with her desperately tiny waist, who posed in this 1900 corset. In spite of her slim figure, she found it difficult to breathe”. “Corset” tells a story about fashion history. It shows an iconic image of a beauty symbol that dominated fashion world till the beginning of 20th Century. Viewers can see how uncomfortable this model is wearing a corset. It was a common fashion for women for several centuries to wear corset underneath of the dresses. The idea was to make waist look smaller thus creating an hourglass silhouette. Most historical photographs showing women in corsets make modern women feel sorry for their predecessors, and this image does it too, but at the same time it is a very sensual and exciting picture to look at. The difference is in the photographer. He intrigues the viewers and let them see a corset from a different point of view. The lighting and composition of this photo focus attention directly onto the model’s hips and waist. Her pose with the slightly crossed legs helps to enhance the "hourglass" shape of the body. After a while, the beauty of a picture becomes more important than the feeling sorry part.
This photo seems quite simple in composition and color choices, but at the same time this beautiful work of art is also a controversial image. Should fashion be comfortable and practical, or better serve our esthetic needs and let the model suffer? Is the hourglass figure still a symbol of femininity? Who decides on what is an ideal beauty image?
This photo has a story to tell. It is a still image from one of my favorite movies - ‘Funny Face”, directed by Stanley Donen and produced by Paramount pictures in 1957. The Internet Movie Database describes the plot summary for this film this way: “Fashion photographer Dick Avery, in search for an intellectual backdrop for an air-headed model, expropriates a Greenwich Village bookstore. When the photo session is over, the store is left in a shambles, much to salesgirl Jo Stockton's dismay. Avery stays behind to help her clean up. Later, he examines the photos taken there and sees Jo in the background of one shot. He is intrigued by her unique appearance, as is Maggie Prescott, the editor of a leading fashion magazine. They offer Jo a modeling contract, which she reluctantly accepts only because it includes a trip to Paris. Eventually, her snobbish attitude toward the job softens, and Jo begins to enjoy the work and the company of her handsome photographer.”
This photo shows Jo Stockton posing for a photo shoot in Louvre. There are many reasons why I like this particular image. The most important one is Audrey Hepburn, the actress who plays Jo Stockton. It is not enough to say that she is an amazing actress. There is something in her personality and acting, that one cannot forget the image she portraits. Billy Wilder, a prominent Hollywood filmmaker, said about her “Audrey was known for something which has disappeared, and that is elegance, grace and manners….God kissed her on the cheek, and there she was.”
Another reason why I like this image so much is the fashion used in this movie and in this photo in particular. Great French couture designer Hubert de Givenchy had made most of her clothes, not only for this film, but also for herself. In his introduction to the book “Audrey Style” by Pamela Clarke Keogh, he said “Audrey had a big personality. In her choice of her dresses, in wearing them with such elegance, chic and simplicity. In a very personal way, she created her own look – “The Hepburn Style.” She was “unique” and will always be so. The Audrey Hepburn myth exists. It is here.” I think this photo illustrates Wilder’s and Givenchy’s remarks in the best possible way. Even more than fifty years after the film’s release, this image seems fashionable and contemporary, bringing energy and excitement to its viewers.
This is the famous photograph by Willy Maywald of “Le Bar”, a suit created by French designer Christian Dior. It made headlines in the newspapers in 1947 and marked the introduction of the fashion trend called the “New Look.” It was the period in fashion that started in 1947 and continued approximately till the end of the 1950’s. There are many fashion photos showing garments that were made and worn during that time, but this photo stands out. Fashion designers, historians, curators and other professionals may use a variety of examples to illustrate that time frame, but from my experience nobody misses the opportunity to include this photo.One could forget the name of photographer and designer, but not the image itself, because it illustrates this time period in the best possible way.
As the story goes, on February 12, 1947, Dior launched his first fashion collection for Spring-Summer 1947. It was presented in Paris, in the salons of the company's headquarters at 30 Avenue Montaigne. Dior called his line “Corolla”, a botanical term describing opening petals, which referred to his ideal of woman as a flower. However, the new collection went down in fashion history as the “New Look” after Harper’s Bazaar’s editor-in-chief Carmel Show’s exclamation, "It's such a New Look!"There were several characteristics that made this such a unique look: long skirt (full or straight), large bust (which fell from style in 1912), small rounder shoulder line and small cinched waist. During the WWII, designers and apparel manufactures had very strict fabric restrictions, and thus they were limited in their offerings. As if to celebrate the lifting of such restrictions, Dior used 20 yards of extravagant fabrics in his creations, that along was sensational and luxurious after the years of hardship. The New Look became revolutionary and strongly popular, influencing fashion and other designers for many years to come. Paris, which had fallen from its position as the capital of the fashion world after WWII, regained its esteemed position due in part to the attention it gained form Dior's New Look.
Why this photo is so captivating? Different viewers may have different opinions about this, but I can only have my own. I think that successful composition and choice of black and white colors are the key factors that made this photo being so famous. The model is the focal point and she is almost centrally located .Almost, because she stands on the sidewalk showing the road in the background. The road is behind the main character of this picture, but it seems like it is also an important part of this photo. The road is unobstructed and unknown, but very inviting. Even the model’s gesture is pointing to it. One can see that future is unknown, just like the misty road, but also “picture perfect.” It made sense then, after the WWII, when everyone was so full of hopes for a great future. The walls on the left side serve almost as a partial frame that adds some dimension to the photo in overall. The fact that photographer used black and white process instead of the color one, makes it even more special. The contract between black and white in the composition bring extra attention of a combination of black and white in the outfit worn by a model. It creates an image of clean simple elegance, something that both designer and photographer were aspiring to achieve. In overall, this image has a story to tell, and it is open to the interpretations by its viewers. A book “Fifty Years of Fashion” by Valerie Steele is a great source for additional information about New Look and other periods in a fashion history.
