The Most Recent Triumph: PH: Meisel Vogue Italia Dec 07

This is what the love of fashion can spawn. Our very devoted fashion contributer Max, has just outlined a veritable THESIS on directional fashion photographer Steven Meisel. Intense no? If Max does pull it off, this could well be a scholarly book sold in college bookstores worldwide. Make room Madonna!
The Imagist.

Welcome to the premiere of my new thread series entitled "CULTURAL ICONS FOR THE HYPER-INFORMATION AGE". The main goal of this thread series is to discuss (in the spirit of the Reference Library ) a list of people (artists, photographers, art-directors, models, agents, writers, journalists, and other icons) who are driving forces in the rise of today's complex and ever changing revolution in media and the arts. The name that has been coined, proposed and explained in this series is "THE HYPER-INFORMATION AGE". This is the age that we are living in now, fueled by the digital revolution, the creation of the internet/computing/world wide web (A.K.A. The Matrix), the rise of the personal computer, pdas, cell phones, and various computer software and web communities for people to access and share information at lightspeed, and the opening of borders of the "GLOBAL VILLAGE" for like minded people to gather in these communities. Thus all media, arts and information is now being exchanged in ways never imagined before, especially through web sites and communities as blog sites,YouTube.com, Myspace, Facebook, new blog site/online magazines such as TheImagist.com, Style.com, and information resources such as Google.com, GoogleEarth.com, Wikipedia.com.

Steven Meisel, a force of creative energy and vision who affects many facets of our pop culture, including photography, modeling, advertising and fashion, is naturally the first choice for my new "CULTURAL ICONS FOR THE HYPER-INFORMATION AGE". His impact has affected so many different facets of FASHION, from the 1980's to the present, which will be discussed in further detail by this article.

The article will be broken down into 3 sections:

I. Biography and Early History - A section with brief biographical details of Steven Meisel, including his personal history, early influences, start in fashion, beginnings into photography, turning points in his early career, a list of major editorial shoots, advertising shoots, collaborations with designers, models, art-directors and recent book publications of his fashion photography and personal art photography from the past to the present, in chronological order.

***MAIN TEXT FOR THIS SECTION***
The early years: Club Kid Meisel with protege Teri Toye

Steven Meisel was born in 1954. He had a fascination with fashion, beauty, style and art from an early age.

In childhood, instead playing with toys like normal children, he would draw and sketch women, turning to magazines like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, focusing on fashion editorials shot by photographers such as Bert Stern, Irving Penn, Jerry Schatzberg, Melvin Sokolsky, Norman Parkinson, Richard Avedon, Richard Bailey and Richard Claxton. He bacame also obsessed with the models featured in these editorials such as Dorian Leigh, Evelyn Tripp, Jean Shrimpton, Peggy Moffitt, Penelope Tree and Twiggy.

At 12 years old he asked girlfriends of his to call modeling agencies under the pretense of being secretaries for Richard Avedon to get pictures and portfolios of the models. He also stood out in front of Melvin Sokolsky's NY studio at the time to try to meet Twiggy.

The articles/editorials of aristrocatic models/high society/model-actresses such as Angelica Houston, Babe Paley, Catherine Deneuve, Charlotte Rampling, Claudia Cardinale, Gloria Guinness, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Lee Radziwilli, Marella Agnelli and Marisa Berenson were of major influence on him as well.

From this point we went on to study at the NY High School of Art and Design and continued at Parsons School of Design NY where he took general art courses but wound up majoring in Fashion Illustration. During his time at Parsons School of Design, he met and started his close relationship with Anna Sui, who at the time was a fashion design student at Parsons. Anna Sui wound up being a wardrobe stylist/collaborator/contributor/member of Meisel's "GLAM SQUAD" early photography work during the 1980's from his test shoot days, through to his shoots for WWD/LEI/PER LUI.

After college his first job was working as an illustrator for Halston in the 1970's. His days at Halston were is first "real job" in fashion and opened up some doors, but only in terms connected to Fashion Illustration.

But it did lead to a new Illustrator position at Women's Wear Daily which would be crucial in influencing his forays into photography. The position at Halston was limited in exposure compared to what Women's Wear Daily provided, which was so much more.

Since WWD was a publication, Meisel was able to experience and see other facets which only a magazine could provide, mainly editorial production, photography, runway journalism and trend/collection forecasting, etc.

Because of this experience he gained confidence to approach the Elite NY Agency where he was given the opportunity to test their new models. He started to test their models on the weekends or after hours during the week day, where he still worked at WWD.

One of the models he wound up testing was the model/actress Phoebe Cates, who at the time was a new face with Elite. Her images, as well as other images of models he shot wound up being shown to the editors at Seventeen Magazine via appointments/castings/go-sees/submissions by the Elite agents.

The editors at Seventeen made inquiries to Elite about who shot the images on the girls and subsequently contacted Meisel and offered him editorial work with Seventeen Magazine.

From Seventeen he wound up shooting for WWD, which led to publications such as legendary magazines such as Lei and Per Lui. One of his first shoots for Lei was commissioned as a "ski story", which he helped reinterpret as a "punk ski" story, instead of the usual "snow bunny" concept. The Lei and Per Lui introduced him to Francesca Sozzani, who was the Editor-In-Chief for Lei starting in 1980 and Per Lui in 1982.

When Francesca Sozzani took over the position of Editor-In-Chief of Italian Vogue in 1988, she gave Meisel the front cover and main fashion/celebrity editorial spreads, which he still maintains to this day. From this collaborative start the careers of Meisel, Sozzani and the position of Vogue Italia exploded. All three are now considered at the top level of influence in fashion and its related media related orbits.

During this period of Meisel and Sozzani's collaboration and because of their work together, Vogue Italia was able to contribute and chart a new change in fashion, which was the rise of the brand logo, power suit and the beginning of the supermodel, led by Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, the "HOLY TRINITY" Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell.

Because of this collaboration, it leads to introduction position as main contributing photographer for Vogue US under Anna Wintour. Thus he is a major contributor/collaborator for two of the three "FATES OF FASHION" publications - Vogue Italia, Vogue U.S.....the third sister "FATE OF FASHION" publication, Vogue Paris, he's had some limited history with, including his famous interview with Ingrid Sischy.

II. Timeline List of Important Editorial, Advertising & Personal Artistic Work - A section with a brief timeline listing on important works and turning points in his various editorial, advertising and personal artistic work. There will also be sub listings describing and referencing collaborations with models, designers, and his "GLAM-SQUAD" group of usual contributing art-directors, editors, designers, hair, make-up, wardrobe stylist/fashion editors and special collaborations with musicians/entertainers/celebrities.

Sub Categories in this section are as follows -

A 1992 safe sex ad camaign poster signed by Meisel

A. "EARLY WORKS / 1980'S" -There will be special focus on his level of influence of his early work from the 1980's detailing it's impact and importance in that "hard-copy/analog/mainly fashion magazine" media formatted age. It will also have footnotes including his first shoot with Phoebe Cates, actress but then a model with Elite NY whom he tested and got his first publication offer as a photographer when Seventeen Magazine saw the images, followed by other magazine publication work....

B. "INTERNATIONAL POWER PLAYER / 1990'S"- This section with focus on his rise in the 1990's to a major power player in fashion, including his relationship with the two of the three "SISTERS OF FASHION" publications, meaning VOGUE U.S. and VOGUE ITALIA. The three "FATES OF FASION" would be VOGUE U.S., VOGUE ITALIA and VOGUE PARIS. Herein will be a discussion of specific shoots and cross references to his impact for movements in fashion, rise of the supermodel age, his dominance in being able to create and launch the careers models, artistic "GLAM SQUAD" collaborators, but also his work with celebrities and designers.

"MODEL" footnotes will detail his involvement with the “HOLY TRINITY” of supermodels, ie. Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell; his ability to either jump start or revive the careers of "PAST ICONS OF MODELING" Donna Mitchell, Patti Hansen, Peggy Moffitt, Veruschka; the "WHITE BLONDES" such as

Cristina Kruse, Esther de Jong, Jade Parfitt, Kirsty Hume, Nadja Auermann; "RETRO SEX BOMB

BRUNNETTES" Shana Zadrick, Helena Christiansen, Magali, Jayne M., Francesca Rayder discovered in the mid 90's for Italian Glamour and reborn as Frankie Rayder the late 90's, Amanda Moore, discovered in the early 90's as a long haired brunnette ingenue and reborn as a short haired cropped model just recently, The "NEW

TRINITY" Erin O'Connor, Karen Elson, Maggie Rizer; the"Belgian Invasion" Anne Catherine, Roos, Annock LePere, Aan Oost, Hannelore Knuts, "ELEGANTLY TWISTED" Amy, Wesson, Kristen McMenamy, Audrey Marnay, Guinever V., Missy Rayder, Jacquetta Wheeler, Stella Tennant, Sunniva, Kyrie, Kylie Bax, Shalom, May Anderson, Trish Goff "HAUTE & RAW" Angela Lindvall, Danielle Zinaich, Bridget Hall, Eva Herzigova, Tasha Tilberg, Shirley Mallman, "RETRO ELEGANT BRUNNETTES" Aurelie Claudel, Chandra North, Vivienne Solari, "HITCHCOCK ICE BLONDES" Georgina Grenville, Carolyn Murphy, Carmen Kass, Liisa Winkler, Kirsten Owen, "BRAZILIAN INVASION" Gisele, Adriana Lima, Fernanda Tavares. Special listing "CELBRITY MODEL/MODEL CELEBRITY" to include Donovan Leitch, Bijou Phillips, Jenny Shimizu, Michele Hicks, Jodie Kidd.

"GLAM SQUAD" footnotes will include his collaborations with people such as hairstylists Garren, Guido Palau, Oribe Canales, and Orlando Pita, make up artists Francois Nars, the late Kevyn Aucoin, Laura Mercier, and Pat McGrath. Herein can be found additional information detailing their individual career rise in fashion including work with other photographers, hair salon empires, creation of hair/make up lines, positions as contributing editorship with magazines, or creative director/line production for major beauty/cosmetic companies.

Madonna+Meisel+Versace= A Peak 90's Moment

"CELEBRITY" will focus on his collaboration with Madonna’s "SEX" book, with references of models, artists, and other celebrities involved in this publication.

Some models/celebrities/entertainers involved in this publication are Naomi Campbell, Tony Ward, Vanilla Ice.

There will be a lead in from how his work transitioned from the 1980's "ANALOG/HARD COPY" magazine publication based media format to the "DIGITAL REVOLUTION" 1990's, where his work began to crossover from photography to other aspects of fashion, thus leading to his current level of influence in today’s "HYPER-INFORMATION AGE".

C. "CURRENT WORK FOR THE HYPER-INFORMATION AGE / THE NEW MILLENIUM - 2000 to PRESENT" - This section will list important editorials, advertising, models and personal work from 2000 to the present. Included in this section will be mentions of important editorials for US and Italian Vogue, as well as campaigns, his two photography book publications, and personal art/photography work and exhibitions.

Model footnotes for this time period will include his discovery and shoots with models such as Agyness Deynn, Anastassia Khozisova,Caroline Trentini, Chanel Iman, Coco Rocha, Denisa Dvorakova, Diana Dondoe, Doutzen, Elise Crombez, Eugevnia Volodiana, Elise Crombez, Isabeli Fontana, Lindsay Ellingshon, Gemma Ward, the late Heather Bratton, Heather Marks, Hilary Rhoda, Hye Park, Iselin, Jaunel McKenzie, Jeisa Chiminazzo, Karolina Kurkova, Julia Dunstall, Lara Stone, Liliana Dominquez, Lily Cole, Lily Donaldson, Lisa Cant, Liya Kedebe,Michelle Alves, Ohmahyra, Natalia Vodianova, Natasha Vojnovic, Raquel Zimmerman, Rianne Ten Haken, Snejana Onopka, Sasha Pivovarova, Shannan Click, Stam (Jessica Stam), Suvi, Tanya D, Tayla, Travis Marshall, "CELEBRITY MODEL/MODEL CELEBRITY" Lydia Hearst, Rie Rasmussen, Lou Doillon, Charlotte Gainsbourg

III. Expanded List of Meisel's Impact & Influence - A section detailing how his work is influential, with proposed points to be followed by back up references/information/examples. Each point of interest will be expressed in this formula: "proposed point + back up references = truth as iconic/impact/influence/visionary status. References will include web links, images, resource sites, agency representation, as well as crossover postings specifically on TheImagist.com. The main focus of this section will detail how his influence has developed/expanded/grown in conjunction/parallel with the change in media's development/expansion/growth from the "analog/hard copy" of the 1980's, through the rise/start/transition from "ANALOG/HARD COPY" of 1980's through to the beginnings/start/rise of the "DIGITAL REVOLUTION" of the 1990's resulting in the explosive light speed revolution of this millennium’s "HYPER-INFORMATION AGE".

After all points of interest are illustrated with the detailed references then this thread will conclude with propositions/suggestions/theories on how Meisel's influence/work will continue/change/develop/change in conjunction/parallel to details/propositions/suggestions/theories of how today’s "HYPER-INFORMATION AGE" will change/develop/expand/progress. Because of further technological developments in computing hardware and software programs, speed of processors in computers, pda's, cell phones, bandwidth, etc., explosive changes in information networks, online communities, globalization growth of communities in "FIRST WORLD/DIGI-MARKET" US, Europe, Japan, "EMERGING DIGI-MARKET" nations such as China, India, Vietnam, and "FUTURE DIGI-MARKET" nations in Africa, Central and South America, the future must be addressed........