Patrick Demarchelier. *Christian Dior Haute Couture, Fall/Winter 2006, 2011*. Courtesy of Staley Wise Gallery.

Writer: Sophie Mulgrew

Editor: Robyn Hager

Photo Editor: Haley Winchell

Patrick Demarchelier, who died in March of 2022, was one of the most esteemed and prolific fashion photographers of his era. Demarchelier began his career in Paris as assistant to Vogue photographer Hans Feurer– a connection that paved the way for his long term working relationship with Vogue and Conde Nast. Demarchelier quickly became the magazine's go-to photo artist, shooting countless spreads and covers over the years. In 2018 however, the photographer's career came to a screeching halt after a flurry of #metoo allegations in which Demarchelier was accused of sexual abuse and misconduct in the workplace.

Patrick Demarchelier. *Christy Turlington, New York, British VOGUE, 1990.* Courtesy of Staley Wise Gallery.

Patrick Demarchelier. *Christian Dior Haute Couture, Fall/Winter 2010, 2011.* Courtesy of Staley Wise Gallery.

Now, about a year after his death, the Staley Wise Gallery is showcasing the artist’s work for the first time since the allegations spread. The exhibition presents a selection of Patrick Demarchelier’s work alongside some by his son Victor, which take after his father’s signature style. The exhibition raises the now all-too-familiar question of whether it is possible to separate art from its artist. Can we still appreciate Patrick Demarchelier’s work knowing he was accused of something awful? How (or does) that change the viewer’s understanding of his photographs?

Patrick Demarchelier. *Christian Dior Haute Couture, Spring/Summer, 2011.* Courtesy of Staley Wise Gallery.

Victor Demarchelier. *Temperance, Harper's Bazaar U.S., March, 2013.* Courtesy of Staley Wise Gallery.

Perhaps the exhibition can be best understood not as a celebration of Patrick Demarchelier himself, but as an appreciation of and investigation into the practice of his craft and how it has influenced the history of fashion photography. Though Staley Wise doesn’t directly address its intentions – the inclusion of Patrick’s son Victor in the collection imbues the show with a theme of legacy and inheritance. The pieces ask viewers to consider how artists who work closely with one another invariably inspire and influence each other's work. This is evident throughout the show, in which it is nearly impossible to distinguish Victor Demarchelier’s work from that of his father.

Victor Demarchelier. *Madison S., 2018.* Courtesy of Staley Wise Gallery.

The photographs have a whimsical yet calculated feel. Many of the portraits featured are extravagantly staged - models appear in large, flowing ball gowns, with geometric hair and intense makeup. They wear obscure headdresses and pose amongst clothing racks and classical architecture. The quality of the images’ editing is distinctive as well; highly saturated colors and intense contrast give the photos a uniquely stylized feel. Though the Alice-in-Wonderland energy of these images is captivating, it is the more stripped back black and white portraits that are most striking– especially in contrast with the rest of the works. The exhibit features one of Patrick Demarchelier’s most famous images of Princess Diana, for which the photographer made headlines as the first non-British photographer to shoot a royal. In the image, Diana smiles and gazes into the lens. She appears natural and beautiful without any extravagant additives. The stunning quality of the photo is a testament both to the subject and the wisdom of Demarchelier in choosing to take a more minimalist approach.

Patrick Demarchelier. *Princess Diana, London, British VOGUE, 1990.* Courtesy of Staley Wise Gallery.

Though the exhibition does not – nor should it –make up for Demarchelier’s actions and the pain experienced by his victims, it is a notable collection of work that shaped, and continues to shape, fashion photography of the twenty-first century. We can hope that those who take inspiration from Demarchelier’s work will also note his mistakes and misgivings and do better in their own life and artistic practice.