#Louis Philippe era fashion

[gogmstuff]

More pre-Victorian 1830s (from top to bottom) -

ca. 1830 Evening or wedding dress (location ?). From tumblr.com/andrayblue 1080X1350.

1831 Marquise Chasseloup-Laubat (probably Marie Augustine Antoinette Le Boucher des Fontaines) by Joseph-Désiré Court (Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen - Rouen, Normandie, France). From their Web site' enlarged by half 845X1181.

1830-1832 María Cristina de Borbón, Queen of Spain by José de Madrazo y Aguado (Prado). From their Web site 1280X1745.

1832 Marie Franziska von Freytag by ? (Salzburg Museum  - Salzburg, Salzburgland, Austria). From tumblr.com/history-of-fashion 766X963.

1832 Amalie Klein by Friedrich von Amerling (Österreichische Galerie Belvedere - Wien, Austria). From tumblr.com/history-of-fashion; fixed spots & cracks throughout w Pshop 2893X3508.

1835 Illustration from La Mode by Paul Gavarni. From tumblr.com/clove-pinks 1650X2048.

1836 Marriage Portrait of Charlotte de Rothschild by Moritz Daniel Oppenheim (Israel Museum - Jerusalem, Jerusalem District, Israel). From Google Art Project.

Lady with Pink Sash by Camille Joseph Etienne Roqueplan (Sotheby's - 29Jan22 auction Lot 703) 1583X2000.

[loudtravelerlight]

The Timeless Allure of Watch Museums: Preserving Horological Heritage

In an age dominated by digital technology and fleeting trends, watch museums stand as sanctuaries of craftsmanship, tradition, and innovation. These institutions preserve the intricate art of horology, showcasing the evolution of timekeeping devices from rudimentary sundials to sophisticated modern wristwatches. Watch museum are not just about displaying timepieces; they tell the fascinating stories of human ingenuity, cultural shifts, and technological advancements.

The Genesis of Timekeeping

Timekeeping is as ancient as civilization itself. Early humans relied on natural phenomena such as the movement of the sun and stars to measure time. The first mechanical clocks appeared in the 14th century, marking a significant leap in human capability to measure time with precision. These early clocks, often found in church towers, were massive, intricate, and symbolized the community’s wealth and technological prowess.

Watch museums meticulously chronicle this journey. For instance, the German Clock Museum in Furtwangen showcases the evolution from simple wooden clocks to intricate Black Forest cuckoo clocks. Similarly, the Musée International d'Horlogerie in Switzerland offers a comprehensive overview of horological history, with over 4,500 exhibits ranging from ancient water clocks to contemporary masterpieces.

The Renaissance of Mechanical Watches

The renaissance period brought about significant advancements in watchmaking. The invention of the mainspring in the 15th century allowed for the development of portable clocks, which eventually led to the creation of the first pocket watches. This era of innovation is beautifully captured in museums like the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva, which houses an exquisite collection of antique watches and showcases the technical and artistic evolution of watchmaking.

The 17th and 18th centuries saw further refinements, including the introduction of the balance spring, which greatly improved accuracy. Watchmakers like John Harrison, who solved the problem of determining longitude at sea, and Abraham-Louis Breguet, known for his tourbillon invention, are celebrated figures in horological history. Their contributions are highlighted in various exhibits, demonstrating how the quest for precision and reliability drove horological advancements.

The Golden Age of Pocket Watches

The 19th century is often regarded as the golden age of pocket watches. These timepieces became symbols of status and sophistication, often adorned with intricate engravings and made from precious metals. Watch museums like the British Museum in London feature stunning collections of these pocket watches, reflecting the artistry and craftsmanship of the era. The rise of American watch companies, such as Waltham and Elgin, which introduced mass production techniques, is also a significant part of this narrative. Their innovations made reliable timepieces accessible to a broader audience, democratizing timekeeping.

The Wristwatch Revolution

The early 20th century witnessed the transition from pocket watches to wristwatches, driven largely by practical needs during World War I. Soldiers found wristwatches more convenient, leading to a surge in their popularity post-war. The wristwatch became a fashionable accessory, and brands like Rolex and Omega emerged as industry leaders. The Omega Museum in Biel, Switzerland, and the Rolex Institute offer visitors a glimpse into the rich heritage of these iconic brands, showcasing their pioneering contributions to horology.

The Quartz Crisis and the Mechanical Revival

The 1970s brought about the quartz revolution, which dramatically changed the watch industry. Quartz watches, with their superior accuracy and lower production costs, nearly rendered mechanical watches obsolete. Watch museums like the Seiko Museum in Tokyo narrate the impact of this revolution. Seiko, a pioneer in quartz technology, showcases its groundbreaking advancements that reshaped the industry.

However, the 1980s and 1990s saw a revival of interest in mechanical watches. Collectors and enthusiasts began to appreciate the craftsmanship and tradition behind mechanical timepieces. This resurgence is evident in the exhibits of the Audemars Piguet Museum in Le Brassus, Switzerland, which highlights the brand’s commitment to preserving traditional watchmaking techniques while innovating for the future.

Contemporary Innovations and Future Trends

Today, the watch industry is a blend of tradition and innovation. High-end brands continue to push the boundaries of design and technology, incorporating materials like ceramics, carbon fiber, and even meteorite into their timepieces. Smartwatches have also carved out their niche, integrating advanced technology with traditional watch aesthetics. Museums like the Longines Museum in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, provide insights into these contemporary trends, showcasing how the brand has adapted to changing times while staying true to its heritage.

The Role of Watch Museums in Education and Preservation

Watch museums play a crucial role in preserving horological heritage. They are centers of education, offering workshops, lectures, and interactive exhibits that engage visitors of all ages. Museums like the National Watch and Clock Museum in Columbia, Pennsylvania, exemplify this role by providing hands-on experiences and detailed explanations of watchmaking processes. These institutions also collaborate with watchmaking schools and industry experts to ensure the transmission of knowledge and skills to future generations.

Moreover, watch museum often participate in conservation efforts, restoring and maintaining historical timepieces. This meticulous work ensures that these artifacts are preserved for future generations to admire and study. The preservation of horological artifacts is not just about maintaining physical objects; it’s about keeping the stories, traditions, and innovations alive.

Conclusion

Watch museums are more than repositories of timepieces; they are guardians of human history and ingenuity. By exploring the exhibits and stories within these museums, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for the art and science of watchmaking. These institutions celebrate the timeless allure of horology, reminding us of the intricate relationship between time, technology, and human creativity. In a world where time is often taken for granted, watch museums offer a profound reminder of our enduring quest to measure, understand, and master the passage of time.

[oldbookist]

i sometimes hear people say that writing canon era fic is intimidating because...it's historical, and research is hard.

and it is true that most of us who write canon era fic REALLY enjoy the research part. (i love it so much i just end up not writing. lol.) research is fun!

but to be honest it is completely possible to write perfectly adequate canon era fic and do zero outside research.

why? because les mis is fucking encyclopedic. i mean, it's fiction, so i perhaps wouldn't cite it in a history paper, but i think it's a perfectly acceptable source for writing, you know, Les Mis Fanfiction.

and les mis is really, really good for providing insight to what actual daily life was like for people back then, because that was hugo's time. that was the culture and city he knew in his youth, much of which had already disappeared by the time les mis was published.

if you're writing about les amis, there's a wealth of information to be gleaned that gives you a fundamental idea of what their lives would be like: they come from the south to study in paris. they're classically educated, and know latin and ancient greek. they're probably law or medical students. they live in rented rooms and hotels. they get around by hired carriage, omnibus (horse drawn bus) or mostly by walking (which is partly why canes were fashionable). for fun, they go out drinking with friends, go to public balls, go to the theater, skip class, play billiards or dominoes, read novels, stroll in the park, or attend public lectures; they care about politics, fashion, girls, gossip, science, art, puns etc.

for politics: want to know about louis-philippe? got it covered. courfeyrac and combeferre's opinions on the constitutional monarchy? yep. bonapartists? obviously. secret societies, street orators, secret codes, ammunition and arms stockpiling: all referenced. want to know about the cannon? combeferre's here for you.

barring super specific topics, a good many questions you may have about canon era are answered or implied in the text. (and sometimes even then--i was once trying to find out when the polytechniciens got breaks, and having no luck, i opened les mis and. ah. enjolras says wednesdays.)

now that being said, one thing les mis is not so good with is the specific timeline of major political events, presumably because readers would already be familiar with those. (1830 is...a thing that happened guys.) so you may have to pull up a wikipedia page for that if you don't know.

but you really can't go wrong with referencing les mis while writing les mis fanfiction. i feel like that is kind of the point, actually.

go forth and write with confidence, my brethren.

[historyofid]

Summary, Week 4

Lecture 4: Art Nouveau and more

Gilded Age The Industrial Revolution allowed (made inevitable?) the Victorian era’s creation of opulent looking objects in many materials, and many price ranges. The wealth created by manufacturing (and transportation, and industry of all sorts) made a new class of super-rich, not through inheritance but through capitalism and consumption. Many designers and craftsmen appealed to this wealthy market by creating ostentatious luxury goods. The second half of the 19th century also saw tremendous advances in old technologies, the introduction of new technologies, and a gradual shift away from steam power to turbines and electricity. This early era of electricity is often called the Second Industrial Revolution.

• You should know these folks: - Alexander Graham Bell - Thomas Edison (Westinghouse) - George Eastman (Kodak) - Christopher Sholes  - I.K. Brunel

• You might like to know: - Elisha Otis (Otis Elevator) - Eadweard Muybridge - Gottlieb Daimler - Karl Benz - Edward C. Moore (Tiffany)

• I showed work by these folks but you are under no obligation to recognize their names: - Cornelius & Co, - Nunns and Clark - Julius Dessoir  - Alexander Roux - David Hughes - William Thomson - George Phelps - Charles Elmer Yetman - Christopher Huygens - Niépce Brothers - Joseph Etienne Lenoir - Alphonse Beau de Rochas - Nikolaus Otto - Pavel Ovchinnikov - Benn Pitman - Herter Brothers

I cut these folks out to save time but suspect you might enjoy looking them up: - George Hunzinger

Art Nouveau: – First global style, only “self-concious” style (it was called Art Nouveau while it was happening). – First time designers began thinking in terms of stylizing.  – Designs came from significant and meaningful sources, but were inherently fashionable.  – The influence of Japanese art changed the way Western artists considered their work (and also an increasing awareness of “other” cultures). – The world began to consider trends and use that information in the design and marketing processes. – Consumption as we now know it is a product of the Art Nouveau sensibility. – Technology, and available materials challenge designers to begin figuring out how to give form to new devices.

• You should know these folks: – Héctor Guimard – Louis Comfort Tiffany – Henry Van de Velde – René Lalique – Émille Gallé – Daum frères – Tiffany & Co. – Gorham Co. – Ernst Hæckel – Victor Horta – Antonio Gaudi – Peter Behrens

• You might like these folks: – Sigfried Bing – Mariano Fortuny – Gustave Serrurier-Bovy – Eugene Gaillard – Otto Wagner – Paulding Farnham (Tiffany) – Lumière Brothers – John Wannamaker – William C. Codman (Gorham) – Leon Kann – Greenwood Pottery – La Pierre Mfg. Co. – William B. Durgin Co. – Charles Rohlfs – Carlo Bugatti

• No reason to know, but how could you not want to: – Loïe Fuller – Buster Brown

• Other names employed in the execution of this lecture: – Alphonse Mucha – George de Feure – Edward Colonna – Cornelius L. J. Begeer – Arthur Silver/Silver Studio – C.F.A. Voysey – William H. Bradley – Frank Hazenplug – Edward Penfield – William Carqueville – Hugnet Frères – Wilhelm Lucas von Cranach – Philippe Wolfers – John T. Curran – Jacob Prytz – Joseph Heinrichs – Candace Wheeler

[littlewritingrabbit]

I think the only time when France was “okay” with homosexuals around this era was during the rule of King Louis XIV. This is because his younger brother, Philippe, was very open about his love for men and crossed dressed at court sometimes while at Versailles. So because royalty was seen as a god given right, they had to accept it. I’m not sure if this all completely correct or accurate, you can find more on the Versailles website.

Ohhh that makes more sense. I have to admit, that’s something I’ll have to read up on because despite seeing his house one (1) time, I really don’t know anything about Phillippe other than the shoes story. 

Doesn’t Cardi B have a song about bloody shoes? Someone will have to ask her what inspired it, because the original red-shoed party-goer was Phillipe d’Orleans. Apparently he was the guy to go to for fashion, and whatever he wore, everyone else would copy. So one night, tired of the glamor and sparkle of Versailles (somehow???) him and his friends went into town and visited all the inns and got absolutely pickled, so much so that they went dancing in the streets. Specifically the street where the butcher’s shop was, which was all covered in blood, and which left their shoes also all covered in blood. I guess someone must have seen them stumbling home at some ungodly hour, because the next morning when Phillipe woke up, he noticed that everyone at Versailles was wearing red shoes. “Who the heck started this trend??” he asked, probably more eloquently, and someone said, “It was you, sir!” And that’s when his gaze must have fallen on the bloodstained shoes he had kicked off the night before and realized, yeah, it was him, completely by accident! 

Credits to an overly-enthusiastic tour-guide (who managed to get us locked in the courtyard of the house of the guy who invented the guillotine. it was wonderful.) for this story, which comprises pretty much everything I know about Philipe. I shall have to research him more :D

[caesarsme]

Dior Bag

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[gogmstuff]

Emily, Lady Isham by Richard Buckner (Lamport Hall - Lamport, Northamptonshire UK). From bbc.co (now artuk.org) 729X944.

[minah-delacroix]

About Minah’s family...

CAROLINE MADELEINE DELACROIX MONTPENSIER, 43 || THE AUNT || CEO of Delacroix Corporations

“Being powerful is like being a lady.

If you have to tell people you are, you aren't.” 

DATE OF BIRTH: May 13

PLACE OF BIRTH: Paris, France

NATIONALITY: French

BLOOD STATUS: Pureblood

FACE CLAIM:  Melanie Laurent

TRADEMARK: Icy blond hair, perfect skin, demure composure, and sophisticated style. Is known for gracing social events wearing either power suits or evening gowns that always flatter her statuesque figure.

FAMILY BACKGROUND The House of  Delacroix is an ancient noble family in France. One of the most powerful dynasties in Europe today, the family dates back to Jeanne Louise de Bourbon, Marquise de Montespan, a legitimized daughter of Louis XIV, le Roi Soleil, who ruled over France between 1642 and 1715. Jeanne Louise was given the title of Duchess of Bourbon and Princess of Condé upon marrying a distant cousin of King Louis I of Spain, who later on founded the House of Delacroix, taking the name from his nobiliary title of Duc de Delacroix. Over several centuries the Delacroixs have maintained complex ties with Spanish and German royalty, but never fond of attention they kept themselves distanced from the spotlight during the post-revolution era. During la Belle Epoque, however, as Paris recovered from the horrors of the Siege and The Commune, the Delacroix settled back in the City of the Lights after a long exile in the Provence.  Along with the ópera, the prose of Marcel Proust and the paintings of Picasso, a new Empire was born under the command of the visionary Jacques Luc du Delacroix who became a pioneer in the modern French textile industry and founded a major clothing and apparel company that managed survived the Nazi occupation. 

Fast forward to the present and according to the New York Ghost, The Delacroix Family is currently the wealthiest wizarding family of France. Besides inheriting large amounts of gold and state from the older generations, the family has amassed a big fortune with a revamped fashion business that has become one of the biggest emporiums of luxury clothing in the world. Likewise, and unlike most wizards, the Delacroix Family has also ventured into the muggle world where they have built a huge conglomerate that runs a business in different fields, ranging from energy suppliers to fashion. The members of the Delacroix family are notorious in their own fields without exception. From politicians to artists, they all have succeeded, becoming recognized names in both worlds. Nevertheless, the Delacroix remain slightly hermetic in regards to keeping a pureblood line and their traditions as wizards. They might appear open-minded and unconventional, but they’re rather conservative and elitist.

FAMILY AFFILIATIONS  The Delacroix are direct descendants of the French, German and Spanish nobility. The patriarch of the family, Louis Pierre Philippe Delacroix has particularly been linked to Le Roi Soleil (Louis XIV) and the House of Bourbon, being a descendant of King Louis XIV of France (ruled 1643-1715) through his daughter Jeanne Louise de Bourbon. In the most recent generations, the family has also been linked to the Spanish nobility through the Infanta María Inés de Galicia, who's Louis great-grandmother, as well as German nobility through Louis’ wife, Madame Laetitia Montpensier, the daughter of the German Countess Marie Louise Larisch von Moennich.

The Delacroix House also maintains strong ties with Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, where Louis Pierre was headmaster for few years and currently serves as one of the 12 members of the Beauxbatons Board of Governors. They're also linked to the French Ministry of Magic, the French Wizarding High Court of Law and Parliament and the Academie Française des Sorciers (French Academy of Wizards), where the family has been appointed important positions throughout the last decades. In the muggle realm, they're related to the French Government as Louis Pierre Philippe’s brother has served as Prime Minister and other important political positions during the Fifth Republic and with other members of the family playing key roles as high profile politicians. 

SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS: Like previously stated, The Delacroix family is a powerhouse in both the Muggle and Wizarding Worlds. The Delacroixs are listed among the richest households in Europe and according to the New York Ghost, they’re the unrivaled richest Wizarding family of France.

QUICK BIO The eldest daughter of  Louis Pierre Philippe Delacroix and Madame Laetitia Montpensier, Caroline was born and raised in the heart of Paris and was educated in both the muggle and the magical world. She grew up in an almost private world of unimaginable splendor and security, always encouraged by her parents to excel and become a role model to her younger siblings.  From a young age, Caroline possessed great confidence, impressing her family and notable members of French high society, who noted her poise and competence when she started to host fancy soirées with only 17 years of age.

Like many other women of her class, Caroline patronised a great number of charities during her twenties. Upon having access to her fortune, one of her first acts was to found an education foundation in honor of her father. However, her main causes have always been connected to the assistance and welfare of women. She was president of the French Young Women Association, a charity which sponsored college education for young women in need. Nowadays Caroline has stepped as CEO of her family’s conglomerate. A passionate and perfectionist woman to the bone, she usually plays the role of the disciplinarian among her siblings, although contradictorily enough she also happens to be the kindest and best natured of them all. She is that one person who always takes the lead during troubling times and fixes problems for every member of her family, for what she is considered to be the future matriarch of the Delacroix House.   LOVE LIFE: Caroline has been romantically involved with a number of prominent men, including Paul-Henri Jeseaux (a Prime Minister of Belgium), film director Marcus Huston, British diplomat Carl Shaughnessy, French-Russian heir Andrei Levesque Pavlovitch and painter James Harris. However, following the Delacroix women tradition, Caroline’s relationships have been short-lived and rather disastrous, which is probably why she’s focus on her family business instead, conducting a strategic restructuring and modernisation of the Group during the last years.

MOST LIKELY TO BE FOUND: When not at work, probably plotting a fashion takeover with a glass of champagne in hand or chilling home and enjoying her favorite wizarding show The High Society, which has been said to be inspired by the European wizarding elite, (herself included).

RELATIONSHIP TO MINAH: As Minah grew up, Caroline was usually the one handling her day-to-day raising. Despite being a busy woman, Aunt Caroline played an important role in Minah’s education and would usually take her to business meetings and around high society parties although MInah was nothing but a child. Nowadays, Caroline is that one aunt who always knows best; offers the best-unsolicited advice at the right moments, and still drags Minah around the fanciest parties of the Wizarding World.   OTHER FACTS - Lives to slay power suits. - is to blame for Minah’s obsession with baths and champagne. - Will probably never marry because she expects perfection from everybody and so far all her past relationships have ended in disaster. - Has been picked as the most influential woman in fashion for three years in a row by Forbes.

[mezukst]

Ten Best Watch Brands You Should Know

Not all watches are created equal. In fact, some are in a league of their own. Combining impressive craftsmanship with a stylish aesthetic, luxury watches are so much more than simple accessories; they’re wearable works of art. As such, it’s no wonder why names like Rolex stir a certain feeling in not only watch enthusiasts but just about everyone. So, if you’re looking for a timepiece that’ll provide fashion and function for years to come, you can’t go past the world’s most lavish watch labels. Unbeatable for their sophisticated designs and precise manufacturing, these names ooze prestige and magnificence. Here, we’ve rounded up the best luxury watch brands you need to know. 1. Audemars Piguet Founded in 1875 by Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet, Audemars Piguet produces 36,000 of their prestigious timepieces a year. In fact, Tiffany & Co and Bulgari use this brand’s movements. This luxury watch brand is also noted for creating the first steel luxury sports watch. This was dubbed the Royal Oak in 1972. Later, in 1993, the brand created the first oversized watch named the Royal Oak Offshore.

2. Vacheron Constantin One of the oldest manufacturers of luxury watches, Vacheron Constantin, was founded by Jean-Marc Vacheron in 1755, in Geneva Switzerland. This brand of fine watches is a member of the Richemont Group. Vacheron Constantin’s watches truly reflect their heritage. With precise detailing alongside traditional shapes and styling, these watches are unlike others. Napoleon Bonaparte is said to have worn their watches, along with other noted historical figures like Harry Truman and Pope Pius IX.

3. Patek Philippe The Swiss brand, Patek Phillipe & Co was founded in 1851. The watches boast complicated mechanics and traditional styling and have been worn by royalty throughout history. Inspiringly classic and unique with its distinctive signature style, this brand keeps its marketing consistent with their promotional campaigns.

4. Blancpain A subsidiary of the Swatch Group, watch brand Blancpain was much like the other brands founded in another era; 1735. Blancpain underwent big developments, with its growth thriving in the 19th century, updating and modernizing production and innovation of their watches. Blancpain has a broad range of different watches available; including minimalistic designs as well as more elaborately styled pieces.

5. Chopard Known for their Swiss watches, Chopard is not only known for their unique timepieces, but also for their jewelry. Founded in 1860 by Louis-Ulysse Chopard, a Swiss watchmaker, Chopard is identifiable for its classic look and great detailing. With state-of-the-art technological influence and well-established craftsmanship, Chopard is coveted because of its sophisticated models. With a clear design aesthetic and innovative development, Chopard has grown into a worldwide luxury brand.

6. IWC Schaffhausen Established in 1868, IWC Schaffhausen has specialized in premium Swiss watches. This watch manufacturer combines precision engineering with exclusive design, and its timepieces are identifiable by their classic shape and superior material. Interestingly, the brand has expressed a desire to create watches with superior standards while responding to the environmental challenges of today as well as supporting landmark projects around the world.

7. Rolex One of, if not the most identifiable luxury watch brands, Rolex is internationally acclaimed and coveted by society. Prized for its timeless form and function, Rolex watches are prevalent in popular culture. Its British origins are still represented in this brand’s consistently classic designs. Rolex is internationally recognized and has been featured on Forbes’ list of the world’s most powerful global brands. Rolex is also the largest single luxury watch brand, making 2,000 watches per day.

8. Ulysse Nardin Ulysse Nardin has been in continuous production since its creation in 1846. Specializing in wristwatches, writing instruments and accessories, the materials used in these products are visually distinctive, much like the uniquely colored leathers utilized in many of their goods. The craftsmanship of the Ulysse Nardin watches is also internationally renowned for their work with modernized materials and manufacturing.

9. Jaeger-LeCoultre The luxury Swiss watch brand, Jaeger-LeCoultre features timepieces boasting faces with unique and complex detailing. Since 1833, this brand has sustained the initial envisions for the brand, which was innovation and unique clarity. The classic elements of these watches are particularly appealing because they can be worn again and again.

10. Panerai Founded in 1860 in Florence Italy, today Panerai’s headquarters are located in Milan Italy. With an international clientele, the Italian company is known for its bold styles and simplistic numeral and design elements.

[freenewstoday]

New Post has been published on https://freenews.today/2020/11/18/francois-catroux-decorator-of-choice-for-aristocrats-dies-at-83/

François Catroux, Decorator of Choice for Aristocrats, Dies at 83

François Catroux, a glamorous designer for the Rothschild family, Russian oligarchs, Greek and Arab princesses, fashion designers, media moguls and South American billionaires — what used to be known as the jet set — died on Nov. 8 in a hospital in Paris. He was 83.

The cause was a brain tumor, said his wife, Betty Catroux.

Mr. Catroux was movie-star handsome with a perennial tan and a taste for expensive sports cars, the grandson of a noted French general and a Spanish heiress, and a high school friend of Yves Saint Laurent. Along with his wife, Ms. Catroux, the lanky androgyne beauty who was Mr. Saint Laurent’s muse and playmate, the Algerian-born Mr. Catroux was at the center of Paris’s glittering 1970s-era social scene, a complicated fantasia at which art, fashion and money collided.

Mr. Catroux was self-taught, with a sophisticated eye, and his first design job, when he was 30, was for Mila Schön, a stalwart of Italian fashion, who in 1967 asked him to design her showroom in a Milanese palazzo.

He turned it into a white laminate spaceship, Stanley Kubrick by way of Eero Saarinen, “a futuristic, minimalistic theater in the round for fashion — exactly right for the times,” wrote David Netto, the interior designer and writer, in his 2016 monograph about Mr. Catroux, “delivered by an ingénue and it caused a sensation in the design world.”

So did the apartment he shared with Ms. Catroux on the Quai de Béthune, a neo-futuristic playground made from vinyl, leather, plexiglass and steel, and photographed by Horst P. Horst for Vogue, with the couple dressed, rather terrifyingly, in matching Saint Laurent khaki, and sprawled on a vinyl banquette.

“My apartment happened during the French revolutionary year of 1968,” he told Mr. Netto, “when everyone was against everything — and without knowing it myself, I was against everything too. Against things, so for two years I thought only of volumes and levels, without any furniture … cushions instead of a sofa, a cube for a coffee table …”

“It was a boule de neige — it snowballed from there,” Mr. Catroux told James Reginato of Vanity Fair. “Voilà, my career started.”

François Philippe Frédéric Catroux was born on Dec. 5, 1936, in Mascara, in northern Algeria. His grandfather, George Catroux, was a French general and diplomat who joined Charles de Gaulle in the Free French movement and later served as a governor general of Algeria and minister for North Africa. His father, André, managed the family’s properties in Mascara, which included a vineyard. His mother, Alphonsine Mallet, who was known as Sinette, was a homemaker.

Describing his family as “grand bourgeois,” their tastes, as their son said later, ran to lots of fake Louis XI furniture that he was already irritated by at age 5. At a Catholic boarding school in Oran, Algeria, François met Yves Saint Laurent, a day student, who was bullied by their classmates. When they met later in Paris, as Mr. Catroux told Mr. Netto, they never spoke of their days at school together.

After serving in the French Army, Mr. Catroux worked as a location scout for Elle magazine, and in 1963 Mr. Catroux spent six months in New York City, where he met the decorator Billy Baldwin, the composer Cole Porter, (whom he did not like, though he approved of his Waldorf Towers apartment), the architect Philip Johnson (who invited him to spend weekends at his Glass House in New Canaan, Conn.), the socialite Babe Paley and other midcentury society figures.

A decade later, he would return to Manhattan to work on apartments in Olympic Tower on Fifth Avenue, then a brand-new glassy high rise, for a Chilean tin baron named Antenor Patiño, and for Helene Rochas, the French couturier.

Back home in France, Mr. Catroux would design a lodge for Baroness Marie-Hélène de Rothschild, a friend, on the grounds of her chateau outside Paris, as well as portions of the family’s Hôtel Lambert, mixing the storied Rothschild collections — the Dutch master paintings, 17th-century tapestries and 18th-century furniture — with his own modernist tastes.

For a television room, he sliced up 17th-century Verdure tapestries and upholstered the floors and lozenge-shaped mod ’70s sectional sofas with them.

Mr. Catroux’s clients were generational: The children of billionaires who had grown up in his houses in Paris, Greece or South America tended to hire him when they had their own. Mr. Catroux was still working — on a hotel in Cartagena, Colombia, among other international projects — when he learned he had cancer a few years ago.

“He looked like this Riviera playboy,” said Madison Cox, the garden designer and widower of Pierre Bergé, Mr. Saint Laurent’s partner, in a phone interview, “but he was also extremely hard working. He was able to project that kind of ease that comforted his clients. He had an innate sense of true luxury and well-made things and he worked for people who strove for that and he knew exactly how to produce it.”

For Diane von Furstenberg, a friend of five decades, and her husband, Barry Diller, he designed houses in Los Angeles and Connecticut, as well as their megayacht, Eos.

“He had that military side, so things were very precise and symmetrical. He liked things in pairs,” Ms. Von Furstenberg said in a phone interview, “but everything was very cozy, too, that very grand coziness which was never pretentious, a luxury just for you, not to show off.”

In addition to his wife, Mr. Catroux is survived by their daughters, Maxime and Daphné, and two grandchildren.

He met Ms. Catroux at a nightclub in Paris, when she had the bartender send him a drink; she met Mr. Saint Laurent the same way, though it was the designer who sent her a drink. She often said she was very clever in managing both men.

While for decades Ms. Catroux and Mr. Saint Laurent careened in and out of trouble — their shared benders and stints in rehabs were renowned — Mr. Catroux was at work every day, bright and early.

“The truth is, it was a huge love affair,” said Mr. Netto. “She was this mysterious person who could not be captured and he was perfect for her because he didn’t need that from her. I think he just adored her cat power. He was devoted to her and she set the terms.”

“They were like Adam and Eve,” said Mr. Cox, “the eternal couple.

“I knew she was the one for me immediately,” Mr. Catroux told Mr. Reginato of Vanity Fair in 2016. “If I missed this one, there was nobody else. I couldn’t miss this one. We’ve been together for 50 years. No regrets. But she’s not something … normal. She’s a special case.”

Ms. Catroux would agree.

“I’m not interested in fashion and I’m not interested in design and I got the two geniuses on the subject,” she said in a phone interview. “I could live in an empty room as long as there was a bottle of wine and good music. But I know what’s beautiful. I was so lucky. It’s been a fairy tale life.”

Source

[margiehasson]

Celebrare legami speciali, anche nella moda

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ASOS DESIGN x Christian Cowan Unisex

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Kenzo x Palladium

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ASOS DESIGN x Christian Cowan Unisex

New Era (€ 90)

ICEBERG (€ 940)

Foto Alan Chies. Fashion editor Elisabetta Del Bello

Neo unisex: è la tendenza più unconventional del momento. Un mix di pezzi per lui e per lei da condividere e che diventeranno cult. Seguire il proprio stile e trovare l’anima gemella con cui condividere il look e l’occasione per unirci (invece che dividerci). Male, female, no gender e senza limiti d’eta – questo è il mood contemporaneo da cui partire per creare lo stile che ci assomiglia di più. Per esempio, chi l’ha detto che il colore lilla è solo ed esclusivamente femminile? Il doppiopetto invece adesso, si porta sull’abito lungo. Rompere gli schemi seguendo le proprie emozioni senza condizionamenti, questo è il fil rouge del servizio Siamo Solo Noi a pagina 106 di Glamour di novembre.

  L'articolo Celebrare legami speciali, anche nella moda sembra essere il primo su Glamour.it.

Celebrare legami speciali, anche nella moda published first on https://lenacharms.tumblr.com/

[gogmstuff]

Woman by Franz Xaver Winterhalter (location ?). From jeannepompadour.tumblr.com-image-153140436021 1648X2057.

[caveartfair]

These 6 Women Shaped Photojournalism During LIFE’s Heyday

Self Portrait, 1946. Margaret Bourke-White Etherton Gallery

When Life magazine debuted on November 23, 1936, it transformed American photojournalism overnight. Publisher Henry Luce believed the 20th century to be “the American century”—and he promoted that message through images. Before Life, magazine articles in the U.S. consisted of “a picture that illustrated a story,” said curator Marilyn Kushner of the New-York Historical Society. Afterwards, “it was the text that illustrated the photograph.”

Working with the Life Picture Collection, Kushner co-curated “LIFE: Six Women Photographers,” an exhibition highlighting the female staff photographers of Life magazine, which is currently on view at the New-York Historical Society through October 6th. During its heyday as a weekly magazine, and before it was first suspended in 1972, Life employed 101 salaried photographers—but only six were women.

Combined, those six photographers shot over 325,000 images from the 1930s to the early 1970s. Kushner, along with fellow curators Sarah Gordon, Erin Levitsky, and William J. Simmons, selected one story from each woman that showed a different facet of Luce’s idea of American eminence. However, by showing unpublished images, too, they peeled back the glossy veneer applied by the editorial team, whose vision often portrayed American life in a different light from what the photographers observed firsthand.

Many of the world’s iconic images and landmark photo stories were shot for Life. The magazine published Larry Burrows’s cover of a dying pilot in a helicopter in Vietnam in 1965; Philippe Halsman’s portrait of then–rising star Marilyn Monroe in 1952; and Alfred Eisenstaedt’s capture of a Times Square kiss on VJ Day in 1945. But Life debuted with a cover story by Margaret Bourke-White. And she, along with the five women below, helped shape contemporary photojournalism.

Margaret Bourke-White (1904–1971)

Margaret Bourke-White, photograph from “Franklin Roosevelt’s Wild West,” LIFE, November 23, 1936. Courtesy of and © LIFE Picture Collection, Meredith Corporation.

In 1936, Bourke-White was sent to Fort Peck, Montana, to capture the physical embodiment of American exceptionalism—the largest man-made hydraulic dam in the world—for Life’s first cover. She returned with much more than images of the towering New Deal project.

“What the editors expected were construction pictures as only Bourke-White can take them,” Luce wrote in the magazine’s introduction. “What the editors got was a human document of American frontier life.”

Bourke-White’s image of the monumental spillway made the cover, but she also turned her lens on the men and women who moved to the town seeking reprieve from the Great Depression. Her images of the working class relaxing after a long day captured the spirit of the hopeful town.

Margaret Bourke-White, photograph from “Franklin Roosevelt’s Wild West,” LIFE, November 23, 1936. Courtesy of and © LIFE Picture Collection, Meredith Corporation.

Bourke-White has since been revered for her absolute tenacity. She was the first woman to become a war correspondent, embedding with Allied infantrymen in World War II—and survived after her ship was torpedoed on the way there. Yet she and the other female photographers she worked with faced endemic sexism in the workplace, from their opinions being disregarded to the editorial staff treating them like a novelty. In 1949, Nina Leen, Martha Holmes, and Lisa Larsen were the subject of an internal newsletter on the fashion of Life’s female photographers. “How to look feminine and still be photographically efficient is a daily problem for Life’s female photographers,” the memo noted. Bourke-White’s standard wartime look? “Slacks, skirt, jacket, and sometimes a topcoat.”

Fort Peck Dam, 1936. Margaret Bourke-White Wright

Kushner said that it’s important to understand the context of the era when reflecting on the magazine’s history. “They had to fight harder to get what they wanted,” she said, “but they were focused on taking the photograph and not focused on how they were being treated as women.”

Marie Hansen (1918–1969)

Marie Hansen, photograph from “The WAACs,” LIFE, September 7, 1942. Courtesy of and © LIFE Picture Collection, Meredith Corporation.

At a time when American politicians are still at odds over who should be able to serve their country, it is worthwhile to look back at Hansen’s photo essay about the brand-new Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in 1942. Shot the same year the St. Louis, Missouri, native was promoted from researcher to staff photographer, the series, according to the curators, “helped Americans accept women in uniform.”

More than 150,000 women served in the army during World War II, primarily tasked with clerical and mechanical work. But despite recognition from General Douglas Arthur as being his “best soldiers,” the nascent WAAC was met with condescension: “Though old Army men harumph at the sight of girls trying to act like soldiers, all WAACs get a thorough grounding in basic infantry drill,” the Life article stated.

Marie Hansen, photograph from “The WAACs,” LIFE , September 7, 1942. Courtesy of and © LIFE Picture Collection, Meredith Corporation.

However, the editors didn’t completely subvert gender roles with Hansen’s photo essay. The curators noted that “potentially threatening images of young women…studying truck engines, organizing supply chains, and wearing gas masks were tempered by scenes of WAAC’s ironing their uniforms and singing at a piano.” One of the images, featuring the women in formation in starchy pinstripe uniforms, is captioned:“The exercises are designed to foster flexibility and endurance, not bulging muscles.”

Martha Holmes (1923–2006)

Martha Holmes, photograph from “Mr. B.,” LIFE, April 24, 1950. Courtesy of and © LIFE Picture Collection, Meredith Corporation.

At just 20 years old, Martha Holmes joined the staff of Life after working at local papers in her home city of Louisville, Kentucky. During her nearly four-decade-long tenure as a staffer and freelancer, she took innumerable notable portraits of famous figures, including some of the most well-known images of artist Jackson Pollock, squatting over a canvas with a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

In 1950, Holmes photographed Billy Eckstine, the mixed-race jazz singer whose smooth ballads drew crowds of teenaged followers and sold millions of records for MGM. Among Holmes’s images was a snap of a white female fan embracing him on the street; an innocent gesture, but a career-destroying moment for Eckstine.

Martha Holmes, photograph from “Mr. B.,” LIFE , April 24, 1950. Courtesy of and © LIFE Picture Collection, Meredith Corporation.

“It’s actually what America should be like, with no racial tension, no racial separation—just honest love and happiness between the races,” biographer Cary Ginell told NPR in 2014. “But America wasn’t ready for that in 1950. White America did not want Billy Eckstine dating their daughters.”

Holmes felt the image was one of her strongest for the same reasons echoed by Ginell. She said it showed “what the world should be like,” not knowing that Eckstine would be blacklisted for decades, finally receiving a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999, six years after his death.

Lisa Larsen (ca. 1925–1959)

Lisa Larsen, photograph from “Tito As Soviet Hero, How Times Have Changed!” LIFE, June 25, 1956. Courtesy of and © LIFE Picture Collection, Meredith Corporation.

When Lisa Larsen joined Life in the 1940s, she had already fled Nazi Germany as a young woman and worked as a photographer for publications such as Vogue and the New York Times. She was initially assigned fashion and entertainment stories—famously taking the wedding images of the Kennedy–Bouvier union. But in the 1950s, she became known for her easy way with politicians and her keen eye for composition.

In 1956, during the Cold War, Life sent Larsen to the Kremlin to document Nikita Khrushchev welcomingYugoslavian president Josep Broz, or “Tito.” Just eight years before, Tito had broken away from Soviet influence under Joseph Stalin and had since survived the Kremlin’s assassination attempts. But Krushchev’s effort to bring Tito back into the fold of the Soviet Union was in good faith—not a setup, as Americans expected.

Lisa Larsen, unpublished photograph from “Tito as Soviet Hero, How Times Have Changed!” LIFE, June 25, 1956. Courtesy of and © LIFE Picture Collection, Meredith Corporation.

The curators noted that Larsen’s unpublished images revealed “her uncanny ability to record the depth of Soviet effort to put on a good show,” seen in one image of a woman kneeling on the street, carefully painting a grate. Larsen caught the attention of Tito, too; she was the only photographer granted permission to take images of him during his downtime at Sochi’s Black Sea resort.

Nina Leen (ca. 1909–1995)

Nina Leen, unpublished photograph from “American Woman’s Dilemma,” LIFE, June 16, 1947. Courtesy of and © LIFE Picture Collection, Meredith Corporation.

Though fashion models, socialites, royalty, and animals all graced Nina Leen’s lens, it was American culture that continually fascinated the Russian-born photographer, who immigrated from Europe to New York just as World War II began. Leen photographed over 40 covers for Life during more than three decades, chronicling American life as the country ebbed and flowed between four major conflicts.

In one particular photo essay from 1947, she was asked to take pictures of the “American Woman’s Dilemma”—for the many women who sought employment during the war, how would they return to “normalcy” after? The accompanying article, written by a man, bumbled through a prescient discussion of the struggle to balance work, life, and childcare by positioning all women as dutiful mothers and wives who had no purpose in life beyond those roles. “She wants a husband and she wants children,” the magazine deck read. “Should she go on working? Full time? Part time? Will housework bore her? What will she do when her children are grown?” As one image caption claimed, “Too much leisure can be a heavy burden.”

Nina Leen, photograph from “American Woman’s Dilemma,” LIFE, June 16, 1947 (similar frame published). Courtesy of and © LIFE Picture Collection, Meredith Corporation.

Leen’s images showed factory worker Josephine Gloss assembling dolls; artist Edna Eicke illustrating covers for The New Yorker at home; and television broadcaster Dorothy Wootton rehearsing lines with her family nearby. Only one of Leen’s portraits of an unmarried woman—captioned “Unmarried with future decisions to make”—made the cut.

Despite the editorial team’s cherry-picking to show the viewpoint they had in mind, looking at Leen’s work through a contemporary lens raises cultural questions we still debate today in discourse about federally sanctioned maternity leave. “I find it very interesting that what came out of that was the fact that it was very hard for women to work and have a baby at the same time,” Kushner said of Leen’s images.

Hansel Mieth (1909–1998)

Hansel Mieth, photograph from “International Ladies’ Garment Workers: How a Great Union Works Inside and Out,” LIFE, August 1, 1938. Courtesy of and © LIFE Picture Collection, Meredith Corporation.

In 1938, one year after she was hired by Life, Hansel Mieth followed the activities of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) for a story to highlight the benefits of organized labor in Depression-era America. Mieth was a German photographer originally named Johanna, but changed it to travel throughout Europe disguised as a boy with her eventual husband-to-be, Otto Hagel. In the U.S., she focused on social topics for Life. This particular assignment on the ILGWU was meant to “portray factory workers as aspiring members of the middle-class,” the curators noted—an embodiment of the American Dream.

Hansel Mieth, photograph from “International Ladies’ Garment Workers: How a Great Union Works Inside and Out,” LIFE , August 1, 1938. Courtesy of and © LIFE Picture Collection, Meredith Corporation.

The Life editors primarily printed Mieth’s images of a picturesque summer retreat. “They had a dance line and they went to classes, they sat in the sun, they rode horses,” Kushner said of women in the images. Many of Mieth’s more intimate shots of factory workers at home or participating in racially integrated activities did not make it to print, nor did her image of a worker striking. “They didn’t want to show that side of it,” Kushner said.

But the editors’ notions didn’t stop Mieth from firing her shutter. In fact, in 1940, editor Wilson Hicks sent her a memo that she took too much film. “In several recent stories you have gone overboard. The Hymes child photography story today is the latest one. We could have done with 20 pictures of him. You took 77,” Hicks wrote. “This suggestion hasn’t anything to do with the quality of your work, which, as I said at the outset of this memo, is splendid.”

from Artsy News

[thedelacroix]

“Fluctuat nec mergitur”

MAISON DELACROIX

GW ELITE FAMILIES: The Delacroix 

FAMILY BACKGROUND: 

The House of  Delacroix is an ancient noble family in France. One of the most powerful dynasties in Europe today, the family dates back to Jeanne Louise de Bourbon, Marquise de Montespan, a legitimized daughter of Louis XIV, le Roi Soleil, who ruled over France between 1642 and 1715. Jeanne Louise was given the title of Duchess of Bourbon and Princess of Condé upon marrying a distant cousin of King Louis I of Spain, who eventually founded the House of Delacroix, taking the name from his nobiliary title of Duc de Delacroix. Over several centuries the Delacroix maintained complex ties with Spanish and German royalty, but never fond of attention they kept themselves distanced from the spotlight during the post-revolution era. During la Belle Epoque, however, as Paris recovered from the horrors of the Siege and The Commune, the Delacroix settled back in the City of the Lights after a long exile in the South of France.  Along with the ópera, the prose of Marcel Proust and the paintings of Picasso, a new Empire was born under the command of the visionary Jacques Luc du Delacroix who became a pioneer in the modern French textile industry and founded a major clothing and apparel company that managed to survive the Nazi occupation.

Fast forward to the present and according to the New York Ghost, The Delacroix Family is currently the unrivaled wealthiest Wizarding family of France. Besides inheriting large amounts of gold and state from the older generations, the family has amassed a big fortune with a revamped fashion business that has become one of the biggest emporiums of luxury clothing in the world. Likewise, and unlike most wizards, the Delacroix Family has also ventured into the muggle business world, where they have built a large conglomerate that runs businesses in different fields, ranging from energy suppliers to fashion. The members of the Delacroix family are notorious in their own fields without exception. From politicians to artists, they all have succeeded, becoming recognized names in both worlds. Nevertheless, the Delacroix remain slightly hermetic in regards to keeping a pureblood line and their traditions as wizards. They might appear open-minded and unconventional, but they’re rather conservative and elitist.

FAMILY AFFILIATIONS:

The Delacroix are direct descendants of the French, German and Spanish nobility. The patriarch of the family, Louis Pierre Philippe Delacroix has been linked to Le Roi Soleil (Louis XIV) and the House of Bourbon, being a descendant of King Louis XIV of France (ruled 1643-1715) through his daughter Jeanne Louise de Bourbon. In the most recent generations, the family has also been linked to the Spanish nobility through Infanta María Inés de Galicia, who’s Louis great-grandmother; as well as German nobility through Louis’ wife, Madame Laetitia Montpensier, the daughter of the German Countess Marie Louise Larisch von Moennich.

The Delacroix House also maintains strong ties with the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, where Louis Pierre was headmaster for few years and currently serves as one of the 12 members of the Board of Governors. They’re also linked to the French Ministry of Magic, the French Wizarding High Court of Law and Parliament and the Academie Française des Sorciers (French Academy of Wizards), where the family has been appointed important positions throughout the last decades. In the muggle realm, they’re related to the French Government as Louis Pierre Philippe’s brother has served as Prime Minister and other important political positions during the Fifth Republic.

[contextualstudiesblogs]

Art Deco

Art Deco became popular by the end of the nineteenth century in France, and affected the design of buildings, furniture, jewellery, fashion, cars, movie theatres, trains, ocean liners, and everyday objects such as vacuum cleaners and radios. Art Deco combined modernist styles with fine craftsmanship and rich materials. During its prime, Art Deco represented luxury, glamour, exuberance, and faith in social and technological progress. Art Deco came to be as designers and architects were starting to realise that Art Nouveau was starting to fade off. The Exhibition that officially launched the movement was held between the esplanade of the golden-domed Les Invalides and the entrances of the Petit Palais and the Grand Palais on both sides of the Seine River. During the seven months in which the exhibition was held over 16 million people toured the many single exhibits and more than 15,000 artists, architects, and designers presented their work at the exposition. The Art Nouveau was inspired mostly by nature and praised the qualities of the hand-crafted, however  the Art Deco aesthetic underlined machine-age streamlining and smooth geometry. Art Deco's main visual characteristics originate from repetitive use of linear and geometric shapes including triangular, zigzagged, trapezoidal, and chevron-patterned forms. We can say that Art Deco was a pastiche of many different styles, sometimes contradictory, united by a desire to be modern. From its outset, Art Deco was influenced by the bold geometric forms of Cubism; the bright colors of Fauvism and of the Ballets Russes; and the updated craftsmanship of the furniture of the eras of Louis Philippe and Louis XVI; by the exotic styles of China and Japan, India, Persia, ancient Egypt and Maya art. It featured rare and expensive materials such as ebony and ivory and exquisite craftsmanship. A more sleek form of the style, called Streamline Moderne, appeared in the 1930s; it featured curving forms and smooth, polished surfaces. Art Deco became one of the first truly international architectural styles, with examples found in European cities, the United States, Russia, Latin America, Africa and Asia.  Art Deco took hold even in world capitals as diverse as Havana, Cuba, Mumbai, and Jakarta. The port of Shanghai contains more than fifty Art Deco structures and the London Underground railway system heavily incorporates this style. Sydney and Melbourne in Australia have many structures inspired by this style as well. Deco also helped to inspire the Memphis Group, this was a design and architecture movement positioned in Milan during 1980s. The style came to an end with the beginning of World War II. This was mostly as further technological advances allowed for cheaper production of basic consumer items and thus reducing the need and popularity of Art Deco. Art Deco was replaced as the dominant global style by the strictly functional and unadorned styles of modernism and the International Style of architecture. This style has now become a nostalgic, affectionately remembered classic.

[courtneyblight-cgcphotography]

decade era task (1950-59)

The photographers I’ve written about below range from both before and beyond the 50s but I will show their work from within the 50s timeframe.

◎ Richard Avedon (1923 - 2004)

○ fashion and portrait photographer for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar

○ defined the style, beauty and culture of the United States during the twentieth century

○ was always interested in how portraiture captures the personality and soul of its subject and showed complexity within his portraits 

○ photographed names such as  Dwight D. Eisenhower, Andy Warhol,  Buster Keaton, Marian Anderson, Marilyn Monroe, Ezra Pound, and Isak Dinesen

○ influenced by Martin Munkácsi (as exhibited in the image below)

○ equipment used: 8x10 Deardorff, medium format camera (creating 6x6cm negatives), 4x5 large format camera

○ portrait style distinguished by a minimalist style, where the person is looking squarely at the camera, posed in front of a sheer white background

○ died of complications of a cerebral haemorrhage, in San Antonio Texas in 2004

Image below: “Dovima with Elephants” 1955.

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◎ Helmut Newton/born as Helmut Neustädter (1920 - 2004)

○ fashion photographer 

○ working primarily in black and white

○ his most prominent publisher was Vogue

○ shot portraits of big names such as David Bowie, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sophia Loren, Madonna, and Margaret Thatcher

○ left Vogue before the end of his contract and went to Paris, where he worked for French and German magazines. He returned to Melbourne in March1959 to a contract for Australian Vogue

○ known for the dramatic lighting and unconventional poses of his models but established a particular style marked by erotic, stylised scenes, often with sado-masochistic and fetishistic subtexts

○ died in a car crash while having a heart attack in Los Angeles, California in 2004

○ equipment used: Plaubel Makina 67, Hasselblad 500, Nikons, Pentax LX, Canon EOS (during the autofocus days)

Image below: portrait of his wife June, modelling a "Hat of the Week" for Myer's Department Store, 1950.

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◎ Philippe Halsman (1906 - 1979)

○ portraiture and fashion magazines

○ after working with Vogue he became known for being the best portrait photographer in all of France

○ photographed dozens of talented individuals and icons such as Louis Armstrong, Audrey Hepburn, Albert Einstein, Salvador Dalí, Alfred Hitchcock, Martin and Lewis, Judy Garland, Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe, Dorothy Dandridge, Pablo Picasso, and Jean Cocteau

○ published “Halsman on the Creation of Photographic Ideas” to stimulate photographers to pursue unusual images 

○ in 1958 Halsman was listed in Popular Photography magazine's "World's Ten Greatest Photographers"

○ equipment used: Aplanate lens, Zeiss Tessar, 210mm Tessar lenses, twin-lens reflex camera

○ died in New York City, in 1979.

○ unrelated but he was accused of killing his father in 1928 and went to trial. The jury voted 9-3 and Philippe was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in solitary confinement. As well as his sister, Liouba, Sigmund Freud, Albert Einstein and Thomas Mann endorsed his innocence. In 1930 the President of Austria, Wilhelm Miklas, pardoned him. Philippe then left Austria for Paris, where he joined his mother and sister and began his career as a photographer...

Image below: Marlon Brando, 1950.