If there is one photographer known for editorials that evoke a luxurious trip to an exotic location such as India or Morocco, and with a suitcase full of exquisite clothes ideal for the occasion, it’s Norman Parkinson. Not only did he revolutionise British Harper’s Bazaar by bringing fashion from the studio to a dynamic outdoor setting—and frequently overseas—but he brought post-war photography a sense of the unexpected . . .

. . . his models stood dressed in pink mohair coats against a backdrop of the City Palace in Jaipur, or sat on a boat in front of the Taj Mahal in a stunning flower printed one-piece swimsuit. Whilst today, striking editorials are easy to find, Parkinson’s photography is one of a kind: mixing luxurious couture pieces with settings far, far away. In his words, “I like to make people look as good as they’d like to look, and with luck, a shade better.”