“David, if you can photograph a woman, the Eiffel Tower and a bunch of roses at the same time, then the picture for the new fragrance Paris is yours.” He did so and this photo would soon sprawl over magazines across the world. Of course there was a woman, the Eiffel Tower and a bunch of roses, but above all there was a photo.” recalled Pierre Bergé.
When people visualize a Yves Saint Laurent women, credits would likely to go to Helmut Newton. Certainly, the late photographer had provoked some iconic YSL images in the 1970s; however, there was another name who carried the legacy and created some serene yet opulence shots to echo the era 80s. David Seidner (1957-1999) was the gent in league. Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent hosted an exhibition for him in 2008. His vision of YSL women response well to the couturier’s mood at the time, quiet and widowy, somehow austere when perfection remains.
*All photos from International Center of Photography
Ever since it was put on youtube over six months ago, I notice some fellow bloggers have posted this BBC program on their blog already, and I’ve been waiting to do so to mark the 1st anniversary of his passing as homage. As a kid in my fashion aspiring age, long before the existence of internet, I use to tape almost all fashion related programs on telly, such as <Videofashion> on TVB Pearl, CNN’s <Style with Elsa Klensch>, then later <Fashion File> with Tim Blanks; plus some odd special programs on designer and models. A good collection of tapes are still sitting at home. One of the special programs was BBC’s <The Look>. Broadcasted in 1993 in Hong Kong on TVB Pearl, and commercially sponsored by Seibu, a Japanese department store. The show was not a big hit as fashion wasn’t as accessible as today, and public’s interest to fashion was not as strong. In the 6-episode program, unlike the below, were narrated with a male voice-over, each had a specific topic. It featured “Runway”- the days when photographers was allowed in front of the front row and the height of supermodel, by highlighting la Linda; “Scenting Money”- a glimpse on how designers make bucks by using/selling their name; “The Power of Press” that included the then-ad value and interviewed the late Liz Tilberis at UK Vogue, Suzy Menkes and Anna Wintour who dictated the year of skirt or white shirt; “Uniform & Function” the globalization before the word was even invented, Lagerfeld talked about his infamous sketch of <The Emperor’s New Clothes>; “Material World” that featured Miyake’s bamboo pleats, Versace’s silk and Lacroix’s kind gestures on saving the mills and returning to society. All very aspiring indeed, but the last one, particularly intriguing so, was a solo feature on “Yves Saint Laurent”, and my admiration to the master started from there since. Over the years, this show kept my company and was often played on the video recorder. It reminds me the greatness of Saint Laurent and how fashion used to before the conglomerate and marketing take over; and when Lacroix was a well received young couturier who was “haute but not haunty” as Wintour described. In short, the love affair and the savoir faire … looking back then, the Saint Laurent episode was not only a good show but a very educational one that was informative with strong viewpoints on the subject, long before Loïc Prigent’s ”Signé Chanel”.
“David, if you can photograph a woman, the Eiffel Tower and a bunch of roses at the same time, then the picture for the new fragrance Paris is yours.” He did so and this photo would soon sprawl over magazines across the world. Of course there was a woman, the Eiffel Tower and a bunch of roses, but above all there was a photo.” recalled Pierre Bergé.
