Peter Lindbergh: The Supermodel Maker

PETER LINDBERGH - A NEW VISION OF PHOTOGRAPHY

The PLEIN PUBLIQUE team went on a field trip (too funny… “field trip”…) to the Kunsthal in the city of Rotterdam for a lecture and exhibition featuring none other than Peter Lindbergh*. “Peter Who?” We can hear you thinking. Maybe not a household name you’d recognize right away, but you’re definitely familiar with his work. Peter Lindbergh is, in fact, the fashion photographer who helped create the concept of the “supermodel.” Supermodels like Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, and so on. Yep!

Now it’s clicking, right? Because anyone who’s ever read a fashion magazine knows his famous photos: intense, raw, and distinctive portraits of supermodels, actresses, and pop stars. Everyone who matters has stood in front of his camera at some point. Uh… everyone? Well, okay, just those with a pretty face, then. Around here, even the neighbour matters, but her looks aren’t exactly newsworthy in the fashion circles. But seriously, every Lindbergh shoot guarantees a breathtaking result.

How did it all start? Let us bring you up to speed.

Peter Lindbergh (born Peter Brodbeck, but who changed his last name due to the badass reputation of a namesake) began his career as a photographer with one main goal: to make a living. He was inspired by a friend’s commercial success; photography brings in money, and you’ve got to make a living, right?

The move toward fashion as a specialty came after a series of assignments for the French edition of *Marie Claire*. Since that went well, was well-received, and the requests poured in. That doesn’t mean he was a “one-size-fits-all photographer”; he developed his own taste and style and wasn’t afraid to turn down a job if it didn’t fit his style.

That’s how it happened that he coolly turned down an assignment from Vogue

Yep, the man has guts. The reason? Vogue’s aesthetic was too “eighties” for him. Too much colour, too much hair, too much makeup, too much……everything. Naturally, Vogue was not amused. Who did that guy think he was? Still, they kept pestering him until Peter finally gave in. Buuuut……on his own terms. He had a simple, minimalist concept in mind where the spotlight wasn’t on the clothes, but on the models. We take that for granted now, but back then, it wasn’t the norm. Vogue accepted it, and he was given free rein.

He had an assistant arrange for some simple white shirts, dressed a group of beautiful—though certainly not top-tier —models in the white shirts, and made history with that photo. Not right away, though, because Vogue initially rejected the photos outright. No way! Yes, way! A case of sweet revenge for his earlier refusal? We’ll never know… The moment of success didn’t come until Vogue’s new editor-in-chief—a certain A. Wintour, never heard of her—finally published the photos.

Then all hell broke loose; his career skyrocketed, and the girls became supermodels overnight. A new era in fashion photography dawned. Often copied, often imitated, but never equaled; there was—and is—only one Peter Lindbergh. No matter who appeared in front of his camera, they shone, inspired, and basked in the glory, riding the wave of his success and fame. He could literally make and break careers.

By the way, did you know...

That the then-relatively unknown Linda “I-won’t-get-out-of-bed-for-less-than-$10,000” Evangelista was his muse. Photogenic, beautiful, and successful—but there were so many like her. And by then, he’d seen every angle and facet of her face. Peter himself persuaded Linda to cut off her long hair for a more innovative look—an absolute no-go in the big-hair-dominated ’80s. But it was right after that that her career skyrocketed to astronomical heights.

Or, for example, a very young Naomi Campbell clad in nothing more than a string of silver bracelets? This photo appeared in *Vogue Italia* in 1988, and the issue sold out in record time.

And a very young Kate Moss was in front of the camera early on with Peter Lindbergh. Madonna didn’t have time, so Kate stepped in…

And perhaps a slightly less famous photo, but—for fairly obvious reasons—a personal favorite of mine: a stunning shot of Christy Turlington in… ta-daaa… almost nothing… that’s fashion photography for you :-).

The photos are almost always in black and white, because Peter is very clear about that; it highlights a person’s natural beauty and character, without the distraction of colour and spectacle. And no retouching. He’s strict about that, too. A man after our own hearts.

Love, Nicole

PETERLINDBERGH Instagram

To our great sadness, Peter Lindbergh passed away in September 2019. A great photographer will be missed. :-(

Peter Lindbergh
RIP 1944–2019

* (http://www.kunsthal.nl/) The exhibition at the Kunsthal has since ended.