Fashion Photography Power Duos
The most influential photography couples of the fashion industry right now.
photo collage by Katerina Stamatopoulou, 2018.
Fashion photography, whether in print or online, will always capture humans’ attention and create emotions. Since its earliest days and the invention of photography at the beginning of the 19thcentury, fashion photography expressed the photographer’s vision about style, attitude, makeup, story of the subjects, lifestyle and in this way it attracted the attention of the viewers.
During its long history, there have been many photographers who have served this creative means of fashion as art. From legends like Horst P. Horst and Cecil Beaton to Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin who inspired more recent ones like Steven Meisel and Peter Lindbergh.
But, apart from the solo artists of fashion photography, there are also some couples who, through their creative mood and love for this magical world, create unique photos together that leave their mark. Such, photography couples are the ‘Power Duos’ of Fashion Photography.
PORTER magazine, Issue 2, 2014 (inezandvinoodh.com)
TOM FORD RTW, FW2016 (inezandvinoodh.com)
VOGUE March 2017 (inezandvinoodh.com)
Inez & Vinoodh
Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin have been working together since 1986. The power duo from the Netherlands met as students at the Amsterdam Fashion Academy in the 1980s. They collaborated for the first time when Matadin, then fashion designer, was looking for a photographer for his lookbook. From then on, they not only became photographic partners, but they also became partners in life.
They have been digital photography pioneers, and they have invented their own personal style. YSL, Balmain, Balenciaga, Givenchy, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and many other houses have collaborated with them for their campaigns. Their award-winning work appears in countless fashion magazines; Vogue, Vogue Italia, W, Visionaire, Vanity Fair, and Harper’s Bazaar to name a few.
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Mert Alas, INTERVIEW magazine, 2014 (interviewmagazine.com)
Mert & Marcus, Calvin Klein Underwear, 2015.
Mert & Marcus, LOVE magazine, 2013 (thelovemagazine.co.uk)
Mert & Marcus
Born in the same year, but in different countries with very different cultures. Mert Alas was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and Marcus Piggott was born in Wales, UK.
They first met in 1994 in England while Piggott’s was a photographer’s assistant and Alas was a fashion model. They worked together a couple of times, and in 1999 they decided to join forces.
The strong use of color brought by Alas’s Turkish heritage and Piggott’s expertise in art and antiques create a unique, highly polished, hyperreal fantasy outcome. They have worked for numerous fashion and beauty houses such as Lancome, Missoni, and Fendi. Also, Vogue Paris, Love Magazine, and The Gentlewoman are some of the magazines that have hosted many of Mert and Marcus’ photos on their pages.
Cattelan & Ferrari, KENZO FW2013 (toiletpapermagine.org)
Cattelan & Ferrari, NEW YORK magazine, August 2017 (toiletpapermagazine.org)
Cattelan & Ferrari, KENZO FW2014 (toiletpapermagine.org)
Maurizio Cattelan & Pierpaolo Ferrari
“We would like to evoke familiarity and disgust at the same time. We desire to bring seemingly normal situations to their very extreme”, says the provocative Italian photographic couple during an interview with Dazed and Confused. Cattelan is a contemporary artist and Ferrari is the photographer of this multi-tasking duo, who are also the founders of the biannual magazine Toiletpaper. They are more well-known for Kenzo’s surreal campaigns and their longstanding collaboration with MGSM.
Their breaking-down-the-rules-of-beauty and cheeky work have made appearances in fashion magazines such as W, New York Magazine, Vogue, Elle, and Dazed&Confused.
PFW F/W2018. We’ll Always Have Paris.
February 27, 2018
Christian Dior
First, it was the “We should all be feminists” T-shirt, now the “C’est non, non, non et non!” sweater. It’s been 50 years since the student riots in May 1968, and Maria Grazia Chiuri decided to make another social-political statement. Inspired by the tumultuous protesters of 1968 and Diane Vreeland’s “youthquake”, Chiuri wanted to target younger customers but retain Dior’s high-fashion aesthetic and legacy. A wardrobe that is revolutionary but also highly creative.
Saint Laurent
Anthony Vaccarello was inspired by the Yves Saint Laurent’s “Russian Peasant” couture collection of F/W 1976, an extravagant collection in its time. But, Vaccarello gave a more Parisian direction of that elaborated and voluminous collection of Monsieur Saint Laurent. Mini shorts, large brimmed hats, fiercely impressive décolletés and the sparkling Eiffel Tower as a background accessory created a strong, contemporary fashion statement.
February 28, 2018
Maison Margiela
Décortiqué. John Galliano loves to name his collections with French adjectives. In this collection, he stripped down the garments to their essence and just kept their skeletal structure. Unconscious glamour was the collection’s name, but it looked more like ‘Rushed Dressing’ glamour. Coats worn before dresses, blazers before sweaters, holographic coats and a lot of deconstructing garments all over the catwalk. Galliano loves the pair-if-you-dare game of fabrics.
Dries Van Noten
Fashion is good, fashion is nice. It sounds like a mantra but that was the message Dries Van Noten was passing through his collection. We live in a very complicated and wild world, and maybe the Dark Ages are back. But, fashion should reflect the bright side of life. That was what Van Noten’s collection was all about. Utilitarian sportswear, ‘70s glam, and Paul Poiret references. Fashion is good, fashion is nice.
March 1, 2018
Ann Demeulemeester
The dark romanticism of the British poet, William Blake, was what Sébastien Meunier had in mind while creating this strong, aggressive but feminine collection. Clothes for modern amazons. Unfastened leather straps, painted black clothes, but there was also a hint of innocence. Jeanne d’Arc could have been Meunier’s muse for this collection.
March 2, 2018
Loewe
Five classical novels in their native language, with jackets photographed by Steven Meisel, were placed on every chair. “Classicism is always there…sometimes you change the cover and make it relevant for today,” Jonathan Anderson referred to the reading material. Loewe craftsmanship and the meticulously detailed mixing of the fabrics created an updated classic collection.
Balmain
Olivier Rousteing’s “Balmain Army” became fierce disco queens this season. They love wearing ripped jeans with holographic jackets, quilted leather, PVC thigh-high boots, and whatever has a shining effect on the designer’s favorite ‘80s silhouettes.
March 3, 2018
Comme des Garçons
Rei Kawakubo always loves to deconstruct the shape of the clothes and create theatrical figures inspired the history, even if she has stated that she doesn’t like to look back. For this season, CAMP was the name of her collection. She referred to Susan Sontag’s 1964 essay “Notes on Camp”. “I think camp can express something deeper, and give birth to progress,” Kawakubo wrote in her show notes. The progress of thinking and feeling the world around us.
Altuzarra
Joseph Altuzarra designed a collection that was all about the women he grew up with. His mother, his friends, all the women who work and get dressed to go to the office. La Coupole restaurant at Montparnasse was the perfect choice for this real collection to take place.
March 4, 2018
Givenchy
If someone wants to learn about the ‘80s in East and West Germany, Clare Waight Keller’s collection for Givenchy would be the best fashion history class. Rich faux furs, leather, sharp tailoring and lace created the desired contradiction so as to present those two different sides of a country. Glamour and cruelty.
Valentino
“Sometimes it’s felt as if a woman had to dress like men to be more powerful. Today is a different moment. People can be exactly how they are,” said Pierpaolo Piccioli. Flowers, the symbol of romance, were the collection’s main theme. Flowers that were a reminder of Georgia O’ Keefe paintings but much more minimal. Long dresses, coats, jackets; everything a romantic Valentino woman would wear.
March 5, 2018
Alexander McQueen
A McQueen woman is always powerful, and so was Sarah Burton’s show. Metamorphosis was the name of the collection, and it was an ode to powerful womanhood. Like a caterpillar transforms into a beautiful and ethereal butterfly, so does a girl become a mighty woman. Undoubtedly, throughout the collection butterfly wings had a special place.
Giambattista Valli
“Humanity, much less politics,” Giambattista Valli said backstage. Valli’s collection was a collision between different cultures and politics where everyone accepts each other as they are. A journey through different countries, unique civilizations and unlike mentalities, but with bohemian attitude.
March 6, 2018
Chanel
Karl Lagerfeld always narrates a personal story through each of his shows, and he did so again this time. Twelve old alleys decorated the runway, at Grand Palais, along with a German forest that is usually spotted somewhere in north Hamburg, a memory from Lagerfeld’s childhood. Everything that one needed for a stylish walk into the woods was in the collection.
The #CHANELFallWinter 2018/19 show, presented by Karl Lagerfeld yesterday in Paris. #PFW
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Miu Miu
Miu Miu is about girls who love to have fun with fashion. This time, Miuccia Prada mixed the ‘50s and ‘80s and the outcome was an eccentric and colorful collection. Different types of models, but all were referring to strong personalities. One thing in common… they all love the ‘80s powerful dress code.
