Steven Meisel
(American, born 1954)
Biography
Steven Meisel is one of the fashion industry's most iconic photographers, best known for his work for US and Italian Vogue. Meisel’s obsession with fashion started at a young age; instead of playing with toys, he would sketch models from magazines like Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. He attended the High School of Art and Design in New York City before enrolling in Parsons The New School of Design, where he majored in Fashion Illustration. After graduating, Meisel worked as an illustrator for fashion designer Halston. Though he initially did not see himself working as a photographer, Meisel became inspired by the work of photographers such as Jerry Schatzberg, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, and Bert Stern. His shift to photography began when Oscar Reyes, a booker for Elite Model Management allowed him to take pictures of some of their models. When these models used Meisel’s photographs in their portfolio for Seventeen Magazine casting, he was noticed, and hired by the magazine. From there, his photography career skyrocketed, and he shot campaigns for Prada, Versace, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Calvin Klein and many more brands. He also shot album covers, including Madonna’s 1984 album Like a Virgin, and Mariah Carey’s 1995 album Daydream. Meisel is often credited with launching or promoting the careers of various famous models, including Karlie Kloss, Naomi Campbell, Lara Stone, and more. Over the years, Meisel has also shot some controversial, statement-making images, which he claims are his favorites, not because of their controversy, “but because they say a little more than just a beautiful woman in a beautiful dress. I love that too, but to try and say something is also my goal.” Currently, Meisel lives and works in New York City, and his photographs continue to appear in ad campaigns and magazines across the globe.
Steven Meisel
(171 results)
English (US)
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