His use of models, lighting and experimental studio techniques were completely revolutionary and, for many years, his contemporaries had no other choice but to follow his path. Steichen formed his own unique visual vocabulary throughout the ’20s and ’30s, distilling classic renaissance imagery with cubism and futurism to create something that was fresh and exciting. What Steichen and Vogue gave to modern photography were the blueprints for almost all fashion advertising that was to come in the years after. In 1913 he followed that up with the launch of Vanity Fair, and together the two titles spent decades fighting Harper’s Bazaar to become the top fashion magazine in America. Horst a platform to showcase their work to a huge new audience. In doing so, he created the world’s premier fashion publication - one that gave photographers such as Steichen, Cecil Beaton and Horst P. His style centred heavily on the model, in typical portraiture style, but used lighting and carefully planned studio setups to focus on the clothes and give them a lavish and elegant look that was indicative of the time.Īnother crucial factor in widening the appeal of modern fashion photography came in 1909, when the successful publisher Condé Nast purchased American lifestyle magazine Vogue. Widely considered the very first modern fashion photographs, they conveyed the aesthetics, movement and details of the clothes as central to their approach. To do this, he took a series of photographs of the gowns created by renowned French fashion designer Paul Poiret, which were subsequently published in the April 1911 issue of Art et Décoration magazine. After a supposed dare by a close friend, Steichen undertook the task of promoting fashion as fine art via the medium of photography. To many, Edward Steichen is the founding father of modern fashion photography. To understand them both a little better, and see how we arrived at where we are today, we’ve compiled a look back at some of the most important moments in the history of fashion photography over the past 100 years.įrom humble beginnings at the start of the 20th century, the following is trip through the glamour, rebellion, artistry and commercialism of the past century to discover how the art of an entire industry was defined.ġ910 – 1934: Edward Steichen and the Condé Nast years Whether it’s the model chosen, the styling of their outfit, the set design of the shoot or the photographer themselves, great campaigns transcend the actual clothing and help tell a story all of their own.īut the art of a good photo editorial isn’t set in stone fashion photography, like art, has movements defined by its leading talents and the prevailing cultural zeitgeist. Somehow, these great examples manage to capture the spirit, voice and aesthetic of a designer so perfectly that they add a whole new level of context to their brand. Over the past 100 years the medium has worked hard to establish itself as a valid and legitimate form of expression, so read on for a thorough history lesson in the movements that defined a genre.Īs with all great advertising, some of the most recognizable fashion campaigns in history have become every bit as iconic as the brands they were first designed to sell. Nowadays we take it for granted that fashion photography is an art form as creative and varied as any other, but it wasn't always this way.
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