Arthur Elgort: Turning Point

Of the many images that defined the Elgort/VOGUE ’70s–’80s era, two in particular have become icons of fashion photography. The year was 1976. America was celebrating its bicentennial and Arthur Elgort was busy at work, seeking new ways to depict the modern woman. Elgort’s partner in this endeavor was the now legendary fashion stylist Jade Hobson. Arguably the most influential sittings editor of the era, Mellen was known not only for her work with Elgort but also with photographic legends Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, and Helmut Newton.

An Evolving Definition of Femininity

For the January issue, Elgort and Mellen took model Patti Hansen to The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida, for a summer dressing story that included a swimsuit feature. The image chosen for the story features Hansen in a classic white maillot leaning against a lawn chair, a visual that speaks to the era’s evolving definition of femininity. Hansen’s gaze and pose are powerful and assertive—she seems to have shed the idea of being the passive object of the photographer’s gaze. Hansen is known to be an intelligent woman with a strong sense of self; Elgort sensed this and, with the speed of his “decisive moment” reflexes, captured it. Mellen, who remembers this shoot fondly, considers Elgort a “specialist” with the ability to find moments that “have never been captured by anyone else.”