Entitled Fashion in the Mirror, the exhibition, which runs from now until mid-September, shatters the illusion that the fashion photographs we see in magazines are captured thanks to the genetic perfection of models and the artistic brilliance of its photographs. According to this exhibition, the photos are neither effortless or perfect. Questioning the creation of consumer-ready beauty, the probing exhibition offers visitors a chance to go behind-the-scenes of fashion photography from the 1950s up until the present day. Naturally, all the big-names are included, from the legendary Karl Lagerfeld to the enigmatic Tom Ford, many of whom are captured as they work to offer a kind of self-portraiture. What we get is a series of photographs that undermine the glamorous façade of fashion photography; a model being touched-up by a make-up artist before she strikes her pose; and the clutter of lighting equipment and crew members jarring against a seemingly desolate beach setting. Both revealing and insightful, we can all breathe a sigh of relief now we know that the 'natural' beauty we see in fashion photography is anything but natural. Although, let's face it, Gisele Bundchen will never need much make-up or many special effects to look spectacular.
www.photonet.org / Images: The Photographers' Gallery