Gian Paolo Barbieri

Fashion and Fiction

Born in Milan in 1938, Gian Paolo Barbieri was both a witness and an interpreter of the changes that took place in fashion and in the image of women during the 1960s.

Barbieri entered the world of fashion in 1964 when he, before opening his own studio, became Tom Kublin’s assistant. This allowed the photographer to work with French fashion houses such as Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent. This experience opened for him the doors to Condé Nast, which entrusted him the cover of the first issue of Vogue Italia in 1965, followed by regular commissions for the French, American and German editions.

A key figure in the world of fashion photography, Barbieri’s name is inseparable from those of the great couturiers, Valentino, Armani, Versace, Gianfranco Ferré. For them he created famous campaigns and iconic images.

His study and training in drama, his passion for theatre and cinema and his sense of staging influenced Barbieri’s approach to fashion and directed his search for the original and refined style that characterized all his work.

Barbieri’s portraits of Sofia Loren, Audrey Hepburn, Vivienne Westwood, and high society ladies, his pictures of Veruschka and Mirella Petteni, his homage to the heroines of classical paintings or films reflect the power of glamour and the elaboration of artistic references he used.

Through both subtle and obvious references to the world of Lubitsch, Hitchcock and Minelli, or in a remake of «Casablanca,» the atmosphere of cult films is often found in Barbieri’s images, with their timeless elegance.

Simultaneously working on advertising campaigns and commissions for the most prestigious international magazines, Barbieri also pursued his own work on the portrait, the nude, tattoos, and, most recently, still life photography.

For more than 40 years, numerous publications, exhibitions in the world’s most important museums, and prizes have acknowledged Barbieri’s work and celebrated his personal vision of beauty and elegance.

Laura Serani