Mark Shaw
by allthebest • 19 Mar ’08 • Mark Shaw, photography • 15 Comments
Mark Shaw Editioned Photo Salon of Balenciaga – 1950 (© 1stdibs.com, Inc. 2008 – All Rights Reserved)
Mark Shaw Editioned Photo Model in Mesh Hat-Paris 1960 (© 1stdibs.com, Inc. 2008 – All Rights Reserved)
Original Limited Edition Mark Shaw Fashion Photo-Paris 1960 (© 1stdibs.com, Inc. 2008 – All Rights Reserved)
Original Limited Edition Mark Shaw fashion photograph. This is from a never published series taken by Shaw for LIFE magazine. Pictured here is a model in the 17th century house where Manon Lescaut once lived, then owned by Suzanne Luling, directrice of Dior in Paris, 1960.
Mark Shaw is best known for his photographs of Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy, which he shot originally for LIFE magazine and later as the Kennedys’ “unofficial” family photographer. He developed a strong friendship with JFK and Jackie and regularly visited the White House during their time there. After JFK’s death, a selection of Mark Shaw’s photographs was published as a best selling book, The John F. Kennedy’s: A Family Album. The book was re-published in 2000 by Rizzoli with new additions, including never before seen color images.
Mark Shaw began working for LIFE in 1952. In his 16 years with the magazine, he shot 27 covers, more than 100 stories which included the magazine’s European fashion collections. As a leading fashion photographer, he also worked for Harper’s Bazaar, Mademoiselle and a host of other publications. He was one of the first photographers to use color when shooting the runways and “backstage” at the couture shows. Mark Shaw worked as a top print advertising photographer until his untimely death in 1969 at the age of 47. After his death, most of his work was hastily put into storage. All but a small number of photographs remained unseen for almost 30 years. In 1999, his only child, David Shaw, and David’s wife, Juliet Cuming, moved the collection to Vermont, where they now maintain the archive of Mark’s extensive body of work.
In 2004, some of these photographs were featured in an exhibit at the Andrew Wilder Gallery at Svenska Mobler in Chicago. The show sold out in less than two weeks. Andrew Wilder, an old friend of David Shaw and Juliet Cuming’s, was the first gallery owner to recognize the enormous potential of Mark Shaw’s fashion images. The Andrew Wilder Gallery at Svenska Mobler is now exclusively offering a growing selection of Mark Shaw’s unique giclee fashion prints.
These are beautiful Ronda – thank you for sharing the story!
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Anna
These certainly have the atmosphere of that era; opulence meets slightly louche. I’m also always fascinated by a fashion which succeeds in making 20-30 year-old women look 40-45 (my mother included, who was very beautiful and elegant in her day).
gorgeous photos. i also love the cuts of dresses from the 50′s and early 60′s, so feminine. that style is coming back in fashion!
i’m over the baggy shapeless dresses seeing their way out of style… even if they are more comfortable
Suzanne I so agree with you! Sometime we just have to sacrifice comfort!
thanks so much for sharing these -i have a secret passion for old fashion photography like this! Just breathtaking!
Beautiful–the last one especially–the black party dress, the enormous vase of pink blossoms–very stylish!
I love these photos. They show such great style. Thanks for sharing.
amazing images! there’s a whole world in each one. love ‘em.
Classic!
I love love LOVE those pictures! I want the hats, too, especially the towering black one…
Wow Rhonda, You have Such an eye! The photos are absolutely stunning. The fashion and the interiors are equally breathtaking. Thank you for the introduction to this wonderful photographer.
Great inspiration!
Karen
I’ve been admiring his photographs for some time now, but didn’t really know much about the man himself, so thanks for sharing!
these photos are beautiful ! They seem so new and so present ! I think they are just timeless
I’m confused-I keep seeing these Mark Shaw pics online captioned “..the 17th century house where Manon Lescaut once lived, then owned by Suzanne Luling”.. but wasn’t Manon Lescaut a fictional character from a book then an opera? I didn’t think she really existed.
I worked with Mark Shaw as a fashion model when I was with Eileen Ford. He was a brilliant photographer and a nice person to work with. Good luck with the archives. Marilyn Grano Harra Kaye